I relish my visits to Reynvaan, perched high above the town of Walla Walla, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A spot that is truly one of the most beautiful in all of the valley, Reynvaan Family Vineyards was founded by Mike and Gale Reynvaan — two of the most passionate, focused and down to earth winery owners you will find in the state.
Since 2007 Reynvaan Family Vineyards has been one of Washington’s premier producers of Rhone style red and white wines. At the helm, a man not needing any introduction, Matt Reynvaan, deftly crafts wines that embody balance, weight, and range. Starting with their first vintage in 2007, Matt has taken the wine scene by storm and continues to make some of the most compelling wines on the west coast.
I love the way that Matt thoughtfully constructs each wine. It is no surprise that he makes some of the best white wines in Washignton, having trained at one of the famed spots for white wine in the world, Chateau Smith-Haut Lafitte. Matt also spent time learning under eminent vigneron Christophe Baron and I adored his brand new 2017 Reynvaan Family Vineyards ’Queen’s Road’ White Wine (OB, 94) which is one of the great white wines I have tried this year, showing serious verve and amazing range and texture. I adored the 2017 Reynvaan Family Vineyards ‘Foothills Reserve’ Syrah (OB, 97) which is one of the best wines in North American that I have tried this year. It took the Reynvaans considerable deliberation to plant this special vineyard, and we are all so glad that they did, as the wines coming off this site are truly unique from anything else in the Walla Walla Valley. Learn more about this famed estate at reynvaanfamilyvineyards.com Here are my notes of the glorious new releases by Reynvaan Family Vineyards.
2018 Reynvaan Family Vineyards Grenache Blanc- The 2018 Reynvaan Family Vineyards Grenache Blanc is one of the finest wines of its kind in the state. Once in the glass bright cantaloupe and lemon blossom combine with shades of sourdough bread and wet stone that all meld in the glass. The palate has a silky texture and great sense of place. Green papaya and orange rind flavors mingle with stony minerals and shades of cardamom infused Challah bread all add to the enjoyment. The exceedingly long finish provides the resounding crescendo. Great in its youth, give this an hour of air if enjoying in its early development and don’t serve too cold. Drink 2020-2027- 93
2018 Reynvaan Family Vineyards ‘Queen's Road’ White Wine- The 2017 ‘Queen’s Road’ by superstar winemaker Matt Reyvaan is a compelling blend of Marsanne and Viognier that was barrel fermented and aged slightly longer than their other white wines. Beeswax and gardenia tones really entice, as honeydew melon and wet stone aromas all take shape in the glass. The palate is soft and generous with a silky mouthfeel. Macadmia nut and lemon zest alongside buttered brioche all sing in unison on the palate. The exceedingly long finish really gratifies, as does the light dusting of salinity. Great to enjoy in its youth, this has some great cellaring potential, picking up nutty and earthy tones as it ages gracefully. Drink 2020-2028- 94
2018 Reynvaan Family Vineyards ‘The Contender’ Syrah- The 2018 ‘The Contender’ Syrah is a scintillating new wine that has a dash of Marsanne from their ‘In The Rocks Vineyard’ added. The high-tones from the Marsanne, primarily orange zest and pink grapefruit blossom combine with shades of Satsuma orange rind, white truffle crudo, wet stone, bulls blood and Umami that all bring in this wonderful savory quality aromatically. The palate is wonderfully fresh and vibrant, effortlessly gliding across the drinking experience. Tones of smoked pork shoulder and bacon fat mingle with menthol, damp earth, Satumuma orange zest and iodine. This is very Washington meets Hermitage. Salty tones and wonderful length and finesse add to the enjoyment. Fantastic in its youth, this exceedingly well-balanced effort will cellar well for at least another decade — but why wait? Drink 2020-2028- 95
2018 Reynvaan Family Vineyards ‘In The Rocks’ Syrah- A tremendous effort, the 2018 Reynvaan Family Vineyards ‘In the Rocks Syrah’ is a magical wine with some serious terroir. Just one whiff and you are engulfed in the stony terroir, that combines with orange rind, seaweed, green peppercorns, and red rose petals that all take shape in the glass. The dense mouthfeel is wonderful, as is the finesse of the wine and salinity. This exudes class with its ripe red raspberry, pomegranate seed, salted charcuterie, blood orange zest and Umami tones. Absolutely stunning in its youth, this will cellar well for the next decade. Try to give this an hour in the decanter if enjoying in its youth. Drink 2020-2028- 95
2018 Reynvaan Family Vineyards ‘Stoneessence’ Syrah- The 2018 Reynvaan Family Vineyards ‘Stoneessence’ Syrah is a monumental wine from this vintage. Needing a one hour decant to be fully aroused, once awoken you are entrenched in the stony terroir that melds with shades of salted prosciutto, cigar ash, Nori, and green olive aromatics that all really satisfy. The aromatic range brings you back to the glass for more enjoyment. Deep and intense once on the palate, the layers of dark fruits collide with smoky minerals, wet stone, kumquat zest, Umami, and salted meats. Texturally very inviting, the stunning 2018 ‘Stoneessence’ has not yet fully hit its stride. Give this a year of bottle age to fully enjoy the fireworks. Drink 2021-2030- 96
2018 Reynvaan Family Vineyards ‘Foothills Reserve’ Syrah- Truly one of the unique wines in Washington State, the ‘Foothills Reserve’ is sourced from the Reynvaan ‘Foothills In The Sun Vineyard’ in the lower edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Needing an hour decant to be fully expressive, the 2018 ‘Foothills Reserve’ opens with white peppercorns and cigar box aromatics that mingle with sagebrush, gunpowder, exotic spices, and blackberry compote. This unique aromatic display is really enchanting. Once on the palate, the freshness and finesse of the wine is truly outstanding. Rich and fat on the mouth, layers of huckleberry and green peppercorns are woven together with Umami, smoked meats and a light dusting of salinity. This literally screams terroir. Fantastic to enjoy in its youth, this novel and captivating new Syrah will provide drinking enjoyment for another decade. Give this another year in the bottle if you can somehow resist. Drink 2021-2030- 97
2018 Reynvaan Family Vineyards Merlot- The 2018 Reynvaan Family Vineyards Merlot is a new bottling from this famed Walla Walla outpost. Sourced from their ‘In The Rocks’ vineyard, this shows Umami tones with white pepper and a core of dark fruits on the nose. The palate is soft and elegant with a silky mouthfeel. Rich wild blackberry tones combine with cocoa powder, roasted espresso bean and shades of tar all shine brightly together. Seriously good in its youth, this has another eight to ten years of aging ahead of it. The sense of elegance and finesse is really good here. Drink 2020-2028- 94
2018 Reynvaan Family Vineyards ‘The Classic’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2018 ‘The Classic’ is a really great new Cabernet Sauvignon wine by Matt Reynvaan. Nice herbal undertones combine with espresso bean, Bing cherry and shades of pipe tobacco on this great aromatic display. The palate is plush and elegant, showing off its silky mouthfeel. The wine effortlessly glides across the mid-palate, producing a dramatic effect. Layers of black currants and black raspberry combine with creosote, mocha and stony minerals on the palate. Novel and highly complex, the evocative ‘The Classic’ will cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2020-2028- 95