For years I have admired the red and white wines of Buty, a Walla Walla winery founded in 2000 by Nina Buty and Caleb Foster. For more than two decades Buty produced some outstanding wines and I was saddened to hear about the closing in January 2022. The winery began in 2000 and then in 2006 they purchased a former apple farm in the Rocks District, which they named their Rockgarden Estate Vineyard. In 2012 Caleb left Buty to pursue other ventures, handing winemaking over to Chris Dowsett, who made some excellent wines there until Buty’s recent closing.
Sitting down with former winemaker Caleb Foster, we both were in utter disbelief of how many of the older wines in the tasting held so well. For years Caleb has made wines from the Conner Lee Vineyard and after Buty he made some brilliant wines from that vineyard. Many of the Chardonnays we tasted were from that vineyard and I was impressed at the level of acidity that stayed intact in the wines. That “bright acidity” as Caleb mentioned rang true in the tasting but we also were impressed with the quality of the corks as “We spent a lot of time and money on corks back then” he explained. “Long before DIAM we invested in top quality corks” he noted as only one wine of the tasting had cork influence.
In terms of the most interesting wine of the tasting, that award had to go to the 2001 Buty ‘Roza Berge Vineyard’ Chardonnay (OB, 92) which is from a now defunct vineyard (currently a wheat field). The wine was amazing in terms of flavor range and still has some acidity holding things together. We tried the gorgeous 2009 Buty ‘Conner Lee Vineyard’ Chardonnay (OB, 93) out of a magnum and the wine was incredibly vibrant despite being more than a decade old. “Washington white wine can age if they’re made in the right way” Caleb explained. I couldn’t agree more. Here are my notes from an extraordinary vertical tasting of Buty white wines.
2001 Buty ‘Roza Berge Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Sourced from a vineyard that is now defunct and is now a wheat field, the ‘Roza Berge Vineyard’ is off the 240 highway that goes from Prosser to Mattawah, this is from a north-facing slope in the Yakima Valley. A golden hue, this reveals surprisingly good freshness with baked apple and pear, as well as cloves. Soft and very silky on the mouth, this is drinking beautifully right now. Drink 2022-2025- 92
2005 Buty ‘Conner Lee Vineyard’ Chardonnay- This shows 14% alcohol on the label and comes off very fresh with starfruit, baking spices and French bread notes aromatically. The plate shows bright acidity and a soft texture. Beautifully evolved, this revels in its honeydew melon and baked apple flavors with shades of vanilla cream. Finishing long, this is outstanding wine to consume now. Drink 2022-2026- 92
2006 Buty ‘Conner Lee Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Sourced from this warm vintage, like the 2005 bottling, this had roughly 10% new French oak prior to bottling. The palate is deep, concentrated and shows serious weight, with light salty undertones. Bright pear and roasted pineapple combine with baking spice dusted Challah bread. Unabashedly big, this shows more nutty and earthy nuances with more air. Drink this beauty now. Drink 2022-2025- 93
2006 Beast ‘Conner Lee Vineyard’ Chardonnay- This shows bubbles in the glass, as this was entirely aged in stainless steel prior to bottling. This is extremely fresh and vibrant with a good degree of effervescence. Light pear and starfruit flavors mingle well with salty tones on the palate. Consume this over the next few years. Drink 2022-2024- 90
2007 Buty ‘Conner Lee Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The 2007 Buty ‘Conner Lee Vineyard’ Chardonnay comes from this vintage that saw a hot spring and June, and ideal conditions following. Nutty and earthy tones combine with shades of cinnamon and allspice on the nose. The palate shows a beautiful texture with walnut, baked Japanese pear and Challah bread notes. Drink now. Drink 2022-2025- 91
2008 Buty ‘Conner Lee Vineyard’ Chardonnay-2008 saw near ideal conditions, as this Connor Lee Vineyard Chardonnay revealed bright acidity with light white flowers alongside cashew nut, sweetened gooseberry and Pink Lady apple notes. Forward and delicious, it is best to drink now. Drink 2022-2025- 91
2009 Buty ‘Conner Lee Vineyard’ Chardonnay (1.5L)- 2009 also saw near ideal growing conditions, as this was an even growing seasons. Hazelnut and brioche notes fill the nose with ripe melon tones. The palate is utterly sensational with a lush texture and serious acid backbone. Bananas foster and vanilla cream notes combine with Pink Lady apple and nutty undertones. Texturally gorgeous, enjoy this beautiful wine over the next five years. Drink 2022-2027- 93
2011 Beast ‘Spring Creek Vineyard’ Semillon- This is sourced from a Yakima Valley that is now defunct. Bright pear and apple notes combine with stony understand not he nose. The palate is very fresh and vibrant with a soft texture and nutty undertones. Enjoy over the next few years. Drink 2022-2026- 90