EFESTE

One of the great lineups in Washington, EFESTĒ crafts everything from Riesling to Rose to inky, deep Syrah. At the helm is new winemaker, Mark Fiore, who comes from K Vintners. Mark is a down to earth, super friendly guy that had a large hand in crafting some of the greatest wines at K Vintners and has a very promising start at his new winery. A former PGA Professional, Mark worked two harvest seasons at Beresan and Balboa wineries, which led him to an all-encompassing job with Charles Smith Wines in August of 2011. Mark began making wine for K Vintners and then worked on other projects such as Sixto, Latta Wines, Wines of Substance and B Leighton in Walla Walla and Seattle.  Mark has completed all of the extension courses at UC Davis and has traveled extensively to Portugal, Spain, and France. I am very excited to see the direction he takes these wines in the coming years as he is clearly a really talented guy.

The new wines by EFESTĒ ‘ were gorgeous across the board. Look to their gorgeous new 2015 EFESTĒ ‘Lola’ Chardonnay (WWB, 92) which has amazing verve and richness in this warm vintage. The best wine I tried was the stunning 2014 EFESTĒ ‘Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 94). Needless to say their estate vineyard is producing some really exciting wines that will only build for the future. Learn more about these fantastic wines at https://efeste.com Here are the gorgeous new wines by EFESTĒ

2014 EFESTĒ Riesling- Sourced from the Evergreen Vineyard, this starts off with aromas of lemongrass and unripe pineapple. This has wonderful acidity considering the heat of the vintage and the age of the wine. Meyer lemon zest and honeydew melon flavors come to mind. Drink 2018-2022- 90

2016 EFESTĒ ‘Feral’ Sauvignon Blanc- This begins with aromas of lemongrass and kiwi with a touch of baking spices. The palate shows good length with flavors of lemon zest and kumquat. The finish is clean with bright mouth-watering acidity. Drink 2018-2024- 91

2017 EFESTĒ ‘Feral’ Sauvignon Blanc- This starts off with bright lemon peel and white flower aromatics. The intensity to this wine really drives this outstanding Sauvignon Blanc. Lemon oil, kumquat and a touch of heavy cream complete this excellent bottling. Drink 2018-2022- 92

2015 EFESTĒ ‘Lola’ Chardonnay- Coming off the absolutely stunning 2014 ‘Lola’ Chardonnay, the 2015 ‘Lola’ Chardonnay starts off with aromas of creme brûlée and bananas foster. The wine has good opulence and a rich mouthfeel. Butterscotch, vanilla cream and bananas foster flavors offer wonderful richness. Drink 2018-2024- 92

2017 EFESTĒ Rose- This Rose is a blend of Mourvedre and Grenache sourced from the Boushey Vineyard. Wonderful floral aromatics mark the nose with red fruits. This shows good astringency with a rich mouthfeel. Red cherry, cran-orange and rose water flavors impress. Drink 2018-2022- 91

2014 EFESTĒ ‘Taylor Mag’ Cabernet Sauvignon-  A restaurant only wine, the ‘Taylor Mag’ is named after the vineyard it was sourced from. This was  This starts off with ripe aromas of red cherry and red bell pepper with chocolate. The palate is plush with rich blackberry cobbler, milk chocolate and crushed mint flavors. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2015 EFESTĒ ‘Taylor Mag’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The nose is gorgeous with aromatics of milk chocolate, creme de cassis and blackberry. The palate is plush showing off a good acidity. Black fruits intermingle with red fruits on the palate. This has good intensity and a wonderful mouthfeel. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2014 EFESTĒ ‘Nana’ Red Wine- The 2014 ‘Nana’ Red Wine is sourced from the Red Willow Vineyard. Beginning with red cherry, rose petals and suggestions of black tea, the bouquet impresses here. The mouthfeel is rich and seductive as the wine shows off black tea, blackberry cobbler and mocha flavors that combine with good acidity This is a fantastic effort by EFESTĒ. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2015 EFESTĒ ‘Emmy’ Mourvedre- This gorgeous Mourvedre is sourced from the Stone Tree Vineyard. This starts off with dense aromas of smoked meats, blackberry pie and hints of white pepper on the nose. The palate shows good intensity and weight, showing off flavors reminiscent of mocha, blackberry pie and suggestions of black tea with coffee grounds. Drink 2018-2025- 92

2015 EFESTĒ ‘Eleni’ Syrah- This fantastic Syrah is sourced from the Red Willow Vineyard. Needing more than a two hour decant to show its stuff, the wine starts off with aromas of mocha, mint and black tea. The palate is dense and seductive, showing off Turkish coffee, black olive puree and black cherry cordial. Opulent and intense, this is another outstanding bottling by EFESTE. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2015 EFESTĒ ‘Ceidleigh’ Syrah- Sourced from mostly the esteemed Ciel du Cheval Vineyard  this has rich black tea and black olive aromatics that mark the nose. Mocha and mint with black cherry compote flavors impress. Be sure to give this a two hour decant before enjoying in its youth. Drink 2018-2028- 92

2015 EFESTĒ ‘Jolie Bouche’ Syrah- The ‘Jolie Bouche’ is sourced from the Boushey Vineyard in the Yakima Valley. This its sourced from a high elevation site at over 1300 feet. Starting with aromas of milk chocolate and black olive. The palate is plush showing generous dark fruits with a touch of milk chocolate and crushed mint. Drink 2018-2028- 93

2015 EFESTĒ ‘Estate’ Syrah- (Release 2019) This awesome wine is sourced from the Oldfield Vineyard. This begins with aromas of mocha, anise and Asian spices. The wine shows a wonderful weight and tension with silky tannins. Exceedingly dense and seductive, this showcases beautiful Hoisin sauce, blackberry pie and milk chocolate flavors. This is a stunning new wine by EFESTĒ. Drink 2018-2030- 94

2014 EFESTĒ ‘Big Papa’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This is sourced from a host of great vineyards, Klipsun, Kiona, Bacchus, Red Willow and Sagemoor. This has wonderful mid-palate weight and intensity, showing off mocha, sagebrush, dark cherry and blackberry pie flavors. There is a wonderful purity of fruit here. Drink 2018-2030- 93

2014 EFESTĒ ‘Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Aged in 100% new French oak for 28 months this great wine is sourced from the most south-westerly vineyard in Red Mountain, right south of Upchurch Vineyard. This deep colored wine begins with aromas of mocha, creme de cassis and suggestions of black tea. The palate is both lithe and plush, showing off blackberry cobbler, crush4ed mint, black tea and anise flavors. The combination of texture and weight is awesome here. Drink 2018-2033- 94