One of the great boutique wineries out of Walla Walla, Rulo was started by Dr. Kurt and Vicki Schlicker in 2000. Dr. Kurt serves as the winemaker while Vicki serves as the winery worker bee. The couple shares the winery tasks equally from vineyard checks to tank washing to tasting room responsibilities to distribution to paperwork to cleaning toilets. All wines are shipped to consumers as these wines have limited distribution.
Many years back I was first introduced to these wines by Emory Cole of Emory’s On Silver Lake (Wine Spectator Restaurant Award Recipient). Emory praised the quality and price of these wines ten years ago. Today, these wines remain some of the outstanding values in Washington wine.
I recently had the chance to review their outstanding lineup of wines and was hugely impressed. Look for their gorgeous 2014 ‘Unoaked’ Chardonnay and 2013 Chardonnay (both WWB, 92) which were gorgeous and pure expressions of Chardonnay from some hot vintages. Not to be missed is their 2014 Rulo ‘Silo River Rock Vineyard’ Syrah (WWB, 92) which shows wonderful fruit flavors and earthy tones. Learn more about this fantastic Walla Walla winery at rulowinery.com Here are the great new wines by Rulo.
2014 Rulo ‘Unoaked' Chardonnay-This delicious and plush Chardonnay wine opens with aromatics of unripe pear, cantaloupe, white peach and wet rock. There are ripe flavors reminiscent of Pazzaz apple, honeydew melon and suggestions of butterscotch. This shows wonderful minerality. Drink 2017-2023- 92
2013 Rulo Chardonnay-This outstanding Chardonnay wine begins with rich aromatics of creme brulee, white peach, red delicious apple and hints of nutmeg. There are rich flavors of creme brulee, vanilla cream, nutmeg and New York apple pie. This delicious wine will be best in the short-term. Drink 2017-2023-92
2016 Rulo Viognier- Rulo has crafted another outstanding white wine release with their 2016 Viognier. This begins with aromas of honeysuckle, white peach, gooseberry and hints of star fruit. There are flavors of starfruit, lemongrass, red delicious apple that sit alongside some lovely minerality. Drink 2017-2022- 91
2014 Rulo Grenache Blanc- White peach, white grapefruit, gooseberry and green apple aromatics that are followed by green apple, green papaya and wet stone flavors. This has lovely structure and is done in the refreshing style. Drink 2017-2022- 90
2014 Rulo ‘ORB ‘Red Wine-This wine is a blend of 68% Grenache and 32% Mourvèdre. The wine begins with aromatics of red cherry, pomegranate, smoked pork shoulder and suggestions of red raspberry purée. There are deep flavors of milk chocolate, red cherry, black olive and bacon fat. Savory and delicious this will have a long life. Drink 2017-2027- 91
2014 Rulo ‘Silo River Rock Vineyard’ Syrah- This excellent Syrah wine begins with aromatics of red cherry, red raspberry, and wet stone. The flavors of red cherry, blackberry pie, crushed gravel and hints of lavender and pork belly. The minerality is lovely to this earthy and terroir driven Syrah wine. Drink 2017-2027- 92
2014 Rulo Petite Sirah- Dr. Kurt Schlicker has crafted one of the best Washington Petite Sirah wines that I have ever tasted with their 2014 release. This inky colored Petite Sirah wine opens with a bouquet of bulls blood, black cherry, black raspberry and wet rock. There are flavors of black cherry, creosote, smoked pork shoulder and hints of black olive. The tannins are massive. This is dense and brooding wine that needs another year to settle. Drink 2018-2028- 92