It has now been 20 years since I first visited on of Walla Walla’s first wineries, L’Ecole No. 41. In 2002 I was a college senior at Whitman College and on this summer day I walked in as a wine critic. Man, does time fly! While I had entered this historic schoolhouse building many times, this was a very special visit, tasting with winemaker Marcus Rafanelli and GM Marty Clubb. For years Clubb has helped build this program into a national power for Washington State wine. It is a big job at L’Ecole as Clubb oversees more than 90 lots of wine each year.
The new wines were gorgeous across the board. Do not miss on the 2021 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Luminesce’ White Wine (OB, 92) which maintains beautiful poise and a great range of flavors. Even better was the incredible 2019 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Apogee’ Red Wine (OB, 95) which is dense and tightly wound, really needing another year or two in the bottle to fully strut its stuff. This was a visit to remember. Learn more about these great new wines at lecole.com and here are my reviews of the beautiful new wines by L’Ecole No. 41.
2021 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Columbia Valley’ Semillon- The really good 2021 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Columbia Valley’ Semillon comes from the Stillwater, Rosebud, Klipsun, Lodmill, Oasis and XL Vineyards. With 18% Sauvignon Blanc blended in, this offers Macadamia nut, white peach and shades of honeydew melon. The palate is fresh and beautifully textured, with good weight and finesse. Drink this outstanding value over the next five to seven years. Drink 2022-2027- 92
2021 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Luminesce Seven Hills Vineyard’ White Wine- The 2021 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Luminesce Seven Hills Vineyard’ White Wine is a blend of 70% Semillon with the remainder Sauvignon Blanc. The palate is very fresh and fragrant with nectarine, gooseberry and shades of Pazzaz apple, with flinty and nutty undercurrents. This is delicious, highly complex wine that will drink well for at least another five years. Drink 2022-2029- 92
2021 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Columbia Valley’ Chardonnay- This mainstay from the Columbia Valley come from a range of vineyards including Heritage and Stillwater Creek Vineyards. This saw extended battonage and was left on the lees for four months before bottling. The nose screams buttered brioche with bright pear and marzipan notes. The palate shows good weight and finesse with excellent length. Drink 2022-2028- 92
2021 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Evergreen Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The Evergreen Vineyard is one of the great cooler sites for Chardonnay which is located in the Ancient Lakes AVA. This block comes from old Chardonnay vines, as this also saw extended battonage before bottling. Japanese pear and buttered sourdough bread combine with shades of Marcona almond on the nose. The palate is very fresh and beautifully textured. Drink 2022-2030- 93
2019 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Perigee’ Red Wine- The 2019 ‘Perigee’ combines Cabernet Sauvignon (52%) and Merlot (19%) with smaller parts Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Entirely sourced from the Seven Hills Vineyard, this evokes shades of garrigue, black cherry compote, tar and tobacco leaf. The palate shows good tension and refined tannins that frame a great core of dark fruits, with stony and herbal accents. Finishing long, this is very refined Cabernet Sauvignon that will cellar well for another fifteen plus years. Give this another year in the bottle to fully evolve. Drink 2023-2037- 94
2019 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Apogee’ Red Wine- The 2019 ‘Apogee’ is sourced from the Pepper Bridge Vineyard, as this combines Cabernet Sauvignon (60%) with Merlot (25%) and small parts Malbec and Cabernet Franc. The nose displays a dense core of black raspberry with graphite, and dried herbs with tar accents. The palate is very juicy and backwards with serious tension and lovey stony accents. Very intense, with a strong mineral backbone, and refined tannins, this is gorgeous wine that has serious aging potential. Give this at least another year in the bottle prior to consuming. Drink 2023-2042- 95
2019 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Summit View Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This is 100% clonal selection 191 from the Summit View Vineyard, as the Cabernet Sauvignon was stored for 22 months before bottling. Dense and intense on the mouth, this delivers heady black fruit and creosote flavors with gobs of mouth-watering acidity and a firm tanning backbone. The light dusting of salinity adds to the enjoyment, as this is great Cabernet Sauvignon to consume now and over the next fifteen years. Give it a long decant if enjoying now. Drink 2023-2038- 93
2020 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘GSM Seven Hills Vineyard’ Red Wine- Equal parts Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre the 2020 ‘GSM Seven Hills Vineyard’ was stored in French oak barrels for 18 months before bottling. Roasted meats and black raspberry alongside tar and sandalwood notes all combine on the nose. The palate is very fresh and beautifully textured, with good length. Drink 2022-2029- 92
2020 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Estate Seven Hills Vineyard’ Syrah- Delicious and savory, this saw roughly 10% stem inclusion as the 2020 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Estate Seven Hills Vineyard’ Syrah was stored in 25% new French oak before bottling. The wine shows off a beautiful texture, with rich boysenberry, tar and roasted date flavors, with brisket undertones. The loamy, salty soil accents add to the enjoyment, as this is best consumed over the next eight plus years. Drink 2022-2030- 93