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Owen Bargreen

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The great team of Jessica Munnell and Tom Merkle of Wautoma Springs Vineyards.

The great team of Jessica Munnell and Tom Merkle of Wautoma Springs Vineyards.

Wautoma Springs Vineyards

July 8, 2020

I love discovering great new Washington wine projects. Wautoma Springs Vineyards is a project between winemaker Jessica Munnell and second generation wine grower Tom Merkle. Jessica has a serious pedigree, previously working in viticulture before focusing on winemaking in 2003. She began her winemaking career by taking an internship in Australia and she later worked at  Snoqualmie, Chateau Ste Michelle Canoe Ridge, Mercer Wine Estates and Vintage Wine Estates before settling at Wautoma Springs Vineyards.

She crafts limited production wines that are nearly all sourced from the warm 2016 vintage. I really enjoyed the 2016 Wautoma Springs ‘El Prat’ Red Wine (WWB, 91) which has great mouthfeel and freshness. Even better is the dense 2016 Wautoma Springs ‘Inky’ Malbec (WWB, 92) as I love the light salinity of this wine with great richness and chocolate tones. Learn more about these great new wines at https://www.wautomasprings.com Here are the new wines of Wautoma Springs Vineyards. 

2019 Wautoma Springs Rose- A beautiful salmon hue, the 2019 Wautoma Springs Rose has great tension and mouthfeel with a silky texture. Bright red fruits dance with minerals and shades of lemongrass on the palate. Drink 2020-2024- 90

2019 Wautoma Springs Sauvignon Blanc- The 2019 Sauvignon Blanc by Wautoma Springs has delicate melon and lemon rind tones with good acidity. A touch lean, enjoy in its youth. Drink 2020-2023- 88

2016 Wautoma Springs ‘El Prat’ Red Wine- The 2016 ‘El Prat’ is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%) and Malbec (40%) by winemaker Jessica Munnell. The chocolate and sagebrush tones really entice on the nose. The palate is rich and juicy with a good sense of minerality. Drink 2020-2028- 91

2016 Wautoma Springs ‘The Professor’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The Cabernet Sauvignon  shows good balance with medium bodied slightly sweet red and dark fruits with tobacco leaf and chocolate tones on the palate. Enjoy in its youth. Drink 2020-2025- 89

2016 Wautoma Springs ‘Inky’ Malbec-  As the name suggests, this is extremely dark in the glass, as the ‘Inky’ yields violets, dark chocolate shavings and a light dusting of white pepper on the nose. The palate is dense and decadent with gorgeous blueberry compote, sagebrush and milk chocolate tones with a light beam of salinity. Sensational stuff to savor in its youth, the ‘Inky’ will provide drinking enjoyment for the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2020-2032- 92

Wautoma Springs 2016 Behemoth.png

2016 Wautoma Springs ‘Behemoth’ Red Wine- The ‘Behemoth’ is a rich 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wine that brilliantly shows the potential of this warm vintage in the Columbia Valley. The palate is nicely poised with good balance and typicity. Sandalwood tones combine with the core of dark fruits, sagebrush and cocoa powder on the palate. Downright delicious in its youth, this outstanding wine will cellar well for at least another decade. Drink 2020-2032- 92

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