A really exciting new winery project, Valo Cellars is the brainchild of Matias Kusulas and Michael Ruhland. Matias has formerly been production winemaker at M& L Productions and has been Viticulturist for Lawrence Vineyards since 2017. Hailing from Chile, Kusulas has masters degrees in enology and viticulture from both Bordeaux and Montpelier. Kusulas has worked a range of jobs spanning the globe including stints in New Zealand and Chateauneuf-Du-Pape. Matias works with his wife Taylor Ramsey on the project, and Taylor helps with marketing and development.
Don’t miss on the 2021 Valo Rose (OB, 91) which is very pretty and shows great texture and length. hails from the Connor Lee Vineyard and has really nice length. Even better is their 2019 Valo Cellars ‘Reserve’ Chardonnay (OB, 92) which comes from the esteemed Connor Lee Vineyard, and shows awesome flavor range from nutty tones to rich peach. Learn more about these excellent new wines at valocellars.com and here are my tasting notes from the new Valo Cellars wines.
2021 Valo Rose- This Tempranillo based Rose comes from the Desert Wind Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA. This shows damp earth with pretty red fruits on the nose, with kumquat undertones. Texturally very refined, this is beautifully round and well-balanced, with good finesse. Drink 2022-2027- 91
2019 Valo ‘Reserve’ Chardonnay- This 100% Chardonnay was sourced from the esteemed Connor Lee Vineyard, as this sat for 20 months in roughly 50% new French oak before bottling. Butterscotch and toasty oak combine with melon and shades of white peach on the nose. The palate is plush and beautiful textured, with a seamless mouthfeel. Roasted pineapple notes combine with vanilla cream brûlée on the palate. This is seriously good stuff that has some good aging potential. Drink 2022-2030- 92
2020 Valo Chardonnay- Entirely sourced from the Connor Lee Vineyard, this wine was aged for twelve months in 100% neutral oak before bottling. Nutmeg infused challah bread, white peach and salted Marcona almond all come together on the nose. The palate is nicely concentrated and well-balanced, showing bright acidity. Drink 2022-2028- 91
2020 Valo ‘Pas Mal’ Rose- Sourced from the Desert Wind Vineyard, this spent sixteen months in neutral French oak before bottling. This shows insanely good texture with a great acid backbone and gorgeous red fruit tones. With more air red rose water and Umami tones combine, as this is sinfully good Rose that is best to enjoy right now. Drink 2022-2027- 92
2019 Valo ‘Right Bank’ Red Wine- The 2019 ‘Right Bank’ combines equal parts Cabernet Fran and Merlot that was soured from the Connor Lee Vineyard. Aged for 20 months in neutral oak puncheons, this reveals very pretty dried herbs and red bell pepper with rich cassis tones that combine on the nose. The palate is soft and refined with a seamless texture. Drink 2022-2032- 92
2019 Valo ‘Intemporal’ Red Wine- The beautiful 2019 ‘Intemporal’ is a gorgeous blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvnginon, 30% Cabernet Franc and the remainder Merlot that was stored in mostly new and French oak barrels for 24 months before bottling. The palate is plush and highly concentrated, with a sinfully good texture and lovely herbal undertones. Enjoy this beauty over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2022-2037- 92
2019 Valo ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Sourced from the Connor Lee Vineyard, the 100% varietal 2019 ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon was aged in roughly 65% new French oak before bottling. Very smooth and seamless on the palate, this shows opulence and a weightless profile on the palate. Soft and round, with refined tannins, this is beautiful expression of black fruits and tobacco with chocolate nuances. This has salty and savory nuances, with a graphite edge. Glorious now, enjoy over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2022-2037- 92
2019 Valo ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Franc- The 2019 Valo ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Franc is a stunning wine made from the Connor Lee Vineyard. Very seamless upon entry, this 100% varietal wine shows off beautiful violet tones alongside cassis and anise notes, with shades of red bell pepper. Gorgeous now, this will have a long life ahead of it. Drink 2022-2037- 93
2019 Valo ‘Reserve’ Merlot- The 2019 ‘Reserve’ Merlot by Valo is a sensational wine that is only starting to show its stride. The nose is gorgeous with cocoa powder dusted black cherry, cigar ash and shades of anise that all take shape in the glass. The palate is very seamless and soft and beautifully textured, with a finish that won’t quit. Deep and concentrated, yet very weightless on the mouth, this is generous, well-structured wine that has a long life ahead of it. Drink 2022-2037- 93