‘This is quite the ‘retirement’’ Mike said, as I queried him about starting a winery. Two days ago on Instagram Live I sat down with The Walls founder Mike Martin to discuss how he built his winery brand — serious wines based on very cartoonish labels. ‘We actually hired eight different cartoonists to do the label,’ Mike said. He certainly has done his research, as The Walls has become a very popular Washington brand in a very short amount of time. Mike is a former Microsoft executive that has found a new home in Walla Walla. In addition to his winery, he owns one of the best local restaurants, Passatempo Taverna.
Last summer I had the chance to visit the new winery, in downtown Walla Walla. It is an awesome, modern facility that produces some really good wines. Mike has been in the news lately, as he made a major purchase in January 2020 acquiring the Rockgarden Estate vineyard in the Walla Walla Rocks AVA. Back last summer he has hired superstar winemaker Todd Alexander as winemaking consultant.
One of the outstanding wines from my 2020 Pacific Northwest Rose Report, the 2019 The Walls ‘Cruel Summer’ Rose (WWB, 91) is downright awesome new Rose that is the best they have produced, with its tension and soft mouthfeel. I absolutely loved the 2017 The Walls ‘Concrete Mama’ Syrah (WWB, 94) is a gorgeous wine that shows incredible range and great Rocks character. Learn more about these outstanding new wines at https://www.thewallsvineyards.com Here are the great new releases from The Walls.
2019 The Walls ‘Cruel Summer’ Rose- The Walls have gained a really strong reputation for their 'Cruel Summer’ Rose and this 2019 edition is amongst the best yet. The nose shows considerably better range out of a Riedel Burgundy glass, with pretty rose water tones mingling with minerals and melon accents on this delicate nose. The palate picks up a silky texture, with watermelon, white peach, Gravenstein apple and honeydew melon tones that all come together nicely in the glass. While not particularly rich, the elegance of the wine really shines through to the long finish with lighter red fruit, white rose water and mineral tones. Drink 2020-2025- 91
2017 The Walls ‘Lip Stinger’ White Wine- An intriguing blend of Grenache Blanc, Chardonnay and Roussanne, with smaller portions Picpoul, Marsanne and Clarirette Blanc, this shows off a soft texture with layers of melon and citrus rind flavors, with vanilla cream and Gravenstein apple tones rounding out this downright delicious new wine. Drink 2020-2025- 91
2017 The Walls ‘McAndrew’ Chardonnay- The ‘MacAndrew’ Chardonnay is named after William McAndrew who first planted gapes on Underwood Mountain in 1972. The freshness and soft texture really delights as layers of lemon cake, nectarine rind, and baking spices come together with a good degree of freshness. Enjoy this beautiful new wine over the next seven years. Drink 2020-2027- 92
2018 The Walls ‘French Creek Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Last year I had the chance to visit this dramatic, wind-swept vineyard that is literally not close to anything, as the French Creek Vineyard is a higher elevation site that is gaining a strong reputation for Chardonnay. The wine shows good opulence with its silky texture and soft mouthfeel. Baked apple and lemon cream flavors collide with cantaloupe and minerals. This finishes very long with lemon cream, minerals and a hint of ripe banana. Drink 2020-2030- 92
2016 The Walls ‘The Insiders’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from the White Salmon Vineyard, the 2016 ‘The Insiders’ Pinot Noir shows shades of smoke and damp earth that mingle with ripe red fruits on the nose. The palate has good elegance with a soft mouthfeel. Mouth-watering acidity and layers of toasty oak combine with the core of red cherry, guava and red raspberry with earthy undertones. Drink 2020-2028- 91
2017 The Walls ‘River Rock Vineyard’ Grenache- The ‘River Rock Vineyard’ is located near the Oregon/Washington border in the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater. Light flinty tones combine with bright Bing cherry, rose water and shades of Mandarin orange zest on this beautiful nose. The palate is wonderfully textured with a soft mouthfeel. Layers of ripe red fruits dance with citrus rind, wet stone and suggestions of pink bubblegum on the palate. The long finish lingers. Drink 2020-2027- 92
2017 The Walls ‘The Ramparts’ Red Wine-A blend of Grenache (40%) and Mourvedre (40%) with 15% Counoise and a touch of Viognier (5%), ‘The Ramparts’ has layers of toasty oak that combine with ripe red cherry, smoke, bacon fat and blackberry cobbler, with a light dusting of white pepper. This has really nice complexity and a good vein of tension running through its core. Drink 2020-2028- 92
2017 The Walls ‘Gaspard’ Syrah- Sourced from Red Mountain, the ‘Gaspard’ has a soft mouthfeel and wonderful texture. Rich chocolate and smoky tones combine with the core of dark fruits and sagebrush undertones on the palate. Ripe and generous, showing good weight and acidity, the ‘Gaspard’ Syrah will cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2020-2028- 92
2017 The Walls ‘Concrete Mama’ Syrah- The 2017 ‘Concrete Mama’ Syrah is another seriously good release by The Walls and new consulting winemaker Todd Alexander. The wine shows better aromatic and flavor range than the other wines in this new set of releases. Sourced from the ‘River Rock Vineyard’ in the Rocks Disrtrict of Milton-Freewater, the ‘Concrete Mama’ opens with layers of bacon fat, green olive tapenade and a deep core of dark fruits with stony undertones that all take shape in the glass. The palate is silky smooth, showing off its plush mouthfeel and voluptuous texture. Layers of Hoisin sauce and smoked brisket combine with coffee grounds and tar, with stony undertones that all make this remarkable wine truly sing. Highly enjoyable in its youth with its soft texture, this marvelous new release will enjoy another decade in the cellar. Drink 2020-2028- 94
2017 The Walls ‘Mahana’ Syrah- Also sourced from the ‘River Rock Vineyard’ in the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, the ‘Mahana;’ opens with shades of violets that combine with smoked pork shoulder, wild blackberry and thyme that all take shape in the glass. The palate has really good elegance and weight, with a silky mouthfeel. Layers of dark fruits mingle with light green olive tapenade and a light dusting of salinity with black tea all make their appearance on the palate. Really good in its youth, enjoy this beautiful wine over the next eight plus years. Drink 2020-2028- 93
2017 The Walls ‘Curiositas’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2017 ‘Curiousitas’ is a dense and inky wine, taking the lead with black currants and graphite tones with blackberry cobbler and shades of dark chocolate shavings on this fantastic nose. The palate is soft and shows an err of elegance with layers of dark fruits woven together with mocha, scorched earth and anise flavors. Wonderful to enjoy right now, the 2017 ‘Curiousitas’ Cabernet Sauvignon will be best enjoyed over the next ten to twelve years. Drink 2020-2032- 92