Pepper Bridge and Amavi

Friends, today we share one of the jewels of the Walla Walla Valley, as well as one of the most beautiful wineries in the region to visit. Pepper Bridge and Amavi are sister wineries that are led by eminent winemaker Jean-Francois Pellet. While Pepper Bridge focuses on high quality Bordeaux varietals, Amavi gives Pellet a creative license to make everything from Rose to now a Rocks District Syrah. Both wineries are small and family owned as they source from some of the valley’s great vineyards such as Seven Hills, Pepper Bridge and Les Collines. Jean-François Pellet is a third-generation winemaker and grape grower.

I’ve tasted at Amavi and Pepper Bridge for more than 10 years, and I have found remarkable consistency in their red and white wines. Amavi makes awesome Semillon that rivals the best in North America. Their new 2021 Amavi Semillon (OB, 92) is round and beautiful stuff to drink even in its youth. I adored the new 2021 Amavi Rose (OB, 92) which is 100% Cabernet Franc and also really needs to be enjoyed at a warmer temperature. Learn more about Pepper Bridge and Amavi at http://www.amavicellars.com as well as pepperbridge.com and here are the great new release wines from Amavi and Pepper Bridge.

2021 Amavi Semillon- The 2021 Amavi Semilon was sourced from mainly the esteemed Les Collines Vineyard, as this Semillon has 14% Sauvignon Blanc blended in. Entirely aged in neutral oak, this delivers white flowers and Marcona almond tones alongside white peach and suggestions of honeydew melon. Very soft on the mouth, with bright acidity, this is already showing brilliantly in its youth. Drink 2022-20270- 92

2021 Pepper Bridge Sauvignon Blanc- Done in a very fresh style, winemaker Jean-Francois Pellet only used one new oak barrel on this wine (aged in 67% used French oak). Right now the nutty tones from the 12% Semillon is really popping with shades of cashew nut alongside green papaya and mango. Very exotic and beautifully textured, this is a stunning effort that is already quite nicely evolved. Drink 2022-2027- 93

2021 Amavi Rose- jean-Francois Pellet has bene making this 100% Cabernet Franc wine since 2005 which was stainless steel aged. Once on the nose this shows off beautiful red rose petal tones alongside shades of melon, red cherry and suggestions of guava puree that all dance together in the glass. With just a kiss of sweetness, this finishes very clean and long with a seamless texture. Gorgeous to consume now, the combination of weight and finesse suggests some good aging potential. Drink 2022-2028- 93

2019 Amavi Cellars ‘Stone Valley’ Syrah- Sourced from the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA, this Syrah opens with umami notes that combine with wet stone and green olive tapenade, making this distinctly Rocks District. The palate is heady and refined with great tension and texture. Layers of boysenberry fruits combine with wet rock, Nori and salty tilled soils. This is downright delicious wine to consume now and over the next eight years. Drink 2022-2030- 94

2019 Amavi Cellars ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Syrah- The 2019 Amavi Cellars ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Syrah offers smoked pork shoulder and white pepper dusted black fruits on the nose, with shades of garrigue. The palate is concentrated and delicious, with rich creme de violette, pipe tobacco and wild blackberry flavors. Enjoy over the next eight to ten years. . . but why wait? Drink 2022-2030- 93

2019 Amavi Cellars ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Outstanding to consume in its heady youth, the 2019 Amavi Cellars ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon delivers herbal accents on the nose with red bell pepper, sage, and blackberry cordial. The palate is well-balanced and viscous with rich dark fruit flavors that meld well with garrigue and mocha notes. Drink 2022-2032- 92

2019 Amavi Cellars ‘Ceres’ Red Wine- The 2019 ‘Ceres’ blends 53% Cabernet Franc with the remainder Malbec. Densely colored in the glass, this offers rich dark fruit flavors with tobacco leaf, chocolate and coffee grounds. Well-structured and full-bodied, this is delicious wine to consume now and over the next decade. Drink 2022-2032- 93

2019 Pepper Bridge Merlot-The 2019 Pepper Bridge Merlot has a relatively large portion of Cabernet Franc (15%) and Malbec (8%) blended in, as this was aged in 44% new French oak before bottling. Very sturdy and well-structured, this offers a wall of rich kirsch and black raspberry flavors, with flinty and salty undertones. Enjoy over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2022-2035- 92

2019 Pepper Bridge ‘Trine’ Red Wine- The 2019 Pepper Bridge ‘Trine’ is a blend of 43% Cabernet Franc and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon with smaller portions Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Sourced mostly from the Seven Hills Vineyard, this delivers sandalwood and red bell pepper notes alongside rich dark fruits and espresso bean on the nose. The palate is very lithe and polished with a silky texture. Finishing long with black fruits and salty minerals, this is a fantastic Washington red blend that will cellar well for another fifteen years. Drink 2022-2037- 93

2019 Pepper Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon- Sourced from mostly the Seven Hills, Octave and Pepper Bridge Vineyards, this 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon was aged in 55% new French oak prior to bottling. Inky in the glass, the wine shows off heady dark currant and tobacco leaf flavor alongside shades of anise. The palate reveals plenty of flavor density despite the coolness of the vintage. Rich and layered, with firm tannins and a greta acid backbone, this is delicious, well-structured wine that will cellar well for another fifteen to twenty years. Drink 2023-2039- 94

2019 Pepper Bridge ‘Seven Hills Vineyard’ Red Wine- A delicious blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and 12% Cabernet Franc, with small portions Malbec and Petit Verdot, the 2019 Pepper Bridge ‘Seven Hills Vineyard’ Red Wine is a gorgeous new effort by the talented Jean-Francois Pellet. Once on the nose this takes on violets with blackberry compete and creme de cassis aromas that sing in unison. The palate is polished and refined with firm tannins that frame a deep core of black fruits. Really good now, try to resist this beauty for at least another year. Drink 2023-2039- 94

2019 Pepper Bridge ‘Pepper Bridge Vineyard’ Red Wine- The outstanding 2019 Pepper Bridge ‘Pepper Bridge Vineyard’ Red Wine combines near equal parts Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, with 8% Petit Verdot. Aged in 57% new French oak, this unveils ripe boysenberry and chocolate covered espresso bean aromas alongside suggestions of black rose petals and wet gravel. Once on the mouth, this is very elegant with silky tannins that mingle well with heady dark fruit and Turkish coffee flavors. Finishing long with black cherry and minerals, this is delicious wine that is best enjoyed in a year or two. Drink 2023-2039- 94