Chatting with Lacey Lybecker at Hospice du Rhone, she beamed with delight while pouring her wine to others. “These are wines that belong on this stage” I said. Tasting through the wines, I was definitely right. One of the finest wineries in Lake Chelan, Cairdeas is an ancient Gaelic word meaning friendship, goodwill or alliance. Founded by Charlie and Lacey Lybecker in 2009, Cairdeas is named after Charlie’s Irish heritage, Lacey’s goodwill (that is how we met), the alliance we have made with each other and those in our industry, and the friendships we have made along the way.
The winery sources from some great sites throughout Washington including the acclaimed ‘Boushey Vineyard’ in the Yakima Valley and the ‘Lawrence Vineyard’ in the new Royal Slope AVA. The winery is perched atop the lake with stunning views of Lake Chelan and the surrounding valley.
Don’t miss out on their new 2021 Cairdeas Rose (OB, 91) which is fresh and rich on the mouth with delicate red fruits. Even better is their 2021 Cairdeas ‘Nellie May’ White Wine (OB, 92) which has a soft sense of weight and seamless quality with melon fruits. These wines are all reasonably priced under 40 dollars. Learn more about this excellent Chelan outpost at https://cairdeaswinery.com/winery/about-us/ and here are my reviews of the new Cairdeas wines.
2021 Cairdeas Rose- Very light in color, this Yakima Valley bottling blends Syrah (63%) with Grenache (37%). Seriously soft on the mouth, this Rose offers kiwi and guava flavors that mingle well with stony minerals and suggestions of oyster mushroom on the palate. Enjoy this delicious new Rhone style Rose over the next several years. Drink 2022-2026- 91
2021 Cairdeas ‘Concrete Aged’ Grenache Blanc- Fresh and vibrant, the 2021 Cairdeas ‘Concrete Aged’ Grenache Blanc delivers ripe pear and lychee flavors with great tension and finesse. Wait for the exceedingly long finish with vanilla cream and minerals. Drink 2022-2026- 91
2021 Cairdeas ‘Amphora Aged’ Grenache Blanc- The delicious 2021 Cairdeas ‘Amphora Aged’ Grenache Blanc shows slightly less weight and more finesse than the ‘Concrete Aged’ edition. Salty and savory, with green apple and almandine tones, this brilliant new bottling is best enjoyed over the next five years while the freshness remains intact. Drink 2022-2027- 91
2021 Cairdeas ‘Nellie May’ White Wine- The 2021 ‘Nellie May’ is great blend of Viognier (60%) and Roussanne (40%) which was soured from the Lawrence Vineyard in the Royal Slope AVA. The palate is exceedingly well-balanced, with serious weight and tension. Cantalope, whipping cream, starfruit and copious minerals, with stony undertones all fill the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2022-2026- 92
2021 Cairdeas ‘Lake Chelan’ Picradin- A lesser known Rhone varietal made famous by Chateau Beaucastel, the 2021 Picardin is soft and round on the mouth. Forward melon flavors mingle well with baked apple and minerals on the palate. This is already nicely evolved stuff that will drink well over the next four plus years. Drink 2022-2026- 91