Brad Binko is one busy guy. A certified sommelier, Binko is a recent graduate of Walla Walla Community College’s enology and viticulture program. Binko formerly ran restaurant wine programs in Charleston before making the move to Walla Walla. He has a new tasting room in downtown Walla Walla and has been receiving some very nice critical acclaim for his wines in the past year. I think he has crafted a pretty solid lineup of red and white wines. The wines are far more than colorful and fun labels — they are serious stand-alone wines that are starting to get attention. All the new wines I tried from Eternal Wine and Drink Washington State I scored 89 points and over. Binko sources from some great vineyards, including the Otis Vineyard, the Les Collines Vineyard and the Boushey Vineyard.
Look to their 2016 Eternal Wine ‘Sunshine’ Viognier (WWB, 90) which has wonderful astringency and ripe fruit flavors. One of the best Washington Carmenere bottings that I have sampled in the past year was the 2015 Drink Washington State ‘Wahluke Slope’ Carmenere (WWB, 90) which shows a wonderful herbaceousness and a beautiful mouthfeel. Learn more about these wines at https://eternalwine.com Here are the great new releases by Eternal Wine and Drink Washington State.
2016 Eternal Wine ‘Sunshine’ Viognier- The wine is sourced from the Morrison Lane Vineyard which is one of the oldest in the Walla Walla Valley. Toasted marshmallow, lychee and roasted pineapple fill the nose. The palate is refreshing and has a nice combination of weight and tension as this is not done in the reductive style. Baked apple, lychee and Pazzaz apple pie flavors intermingle with some minerals. This is a solid effort by head winemaker Brad Binko. Drink 2017-2022- 90
2016 Drink Washington State ‘Columbia Valley’ Chardonnay- This wine opens with aromatics reminiscent of pear, Gala apple and baking spices. This has nice weight on the mid-palate as the wine reveals flavors of cinnamon stick, baked apple and beeswax with cantaloupe accents. Drink 2017-2022- 89
2015 Eternal Wine 'Gratitude' Merlot- Showing an inky color, this Merlot opens with aromas of black tea, black olive and blackberry syrup. The mouthfeel is lovely as the wine reveals black fruit flavors with a touch of milk chocolate. Enjoy this excellent Merlot over the next decade. Drink 2017-2017- 90
2015 Drink Washington State 'Wahluke Slope' Carmenere- Smoky aromatics grab you at first with herbal notes playing second fiddle. There is a lovely richness to this wine where dark fruits and red fruits beautifully intermingle. The texture is silky smooth as secondary characteristics of milk chocolate and green bell pepper come in towards the end. Drink 2017-2024- 90
2016 Eternal Wine 'Bliss' Fortified Syrah- Showing a super dense color, this wine begins with aromas of prune, dark cherry liquor and dark chocolate shavings. This has really nice acidity and weight, as the wine delivers black fruits with creosote and dark chocolate shavings. Delicious, this is best enjoyed over the next decade. Drink 2017-2027- 90