Master of Wine Billo Naravane is humble about his success, yet confident about what he produces. “I think these are the best overall wines that I have done” he said with little hesitation. Having tasted his new lineup, I would easily agree with his statement. Alongside his brother, Pinto Naravane, Billo crafts beautiful expressions of Washington State wine. His new lineup of wines is truly one of the best in the state — from crisp Rieslings to inky Syrahs. Billo also has a remarkable story in wine.
Originally a scientist, Billo Naravane initially was inspired by wine while living Austin, Texas. During that time Billo was exposed to some of the finest wines in the world and he fully caught the wine bug. Finally, he and his brother, Pinto, made the bold decision to start Rasa Vineyards in 2007. My first exposure to these great wines was many years back when I was served a 2007 Rasa Vineyards ‘QED’ Syrah blind. I was absolutely mesmerized by the seamless quality of the wine. With a bachelor’s degree from MIT and a master’s degree from Stanford, Billo then studied viticulture an enology at UC Davis. He is now one of the few masters of wine (MW) in the world. The wines he crafts show tremendous texture, richness, poise and terroir — and are only getting better by each vintage.
I adored all of the new Rasa wines from their twenty dollar value selections to their top Syrah bottlings. I adored the 2021 Rasa Vineyards ‘Occam’s Razor’ Pinot Gris (OB, 92) which is fresh and beautifully textured orange wine that is silky smooth on the palate. I adored the new 2018 Rasa Vineyards ‘Veritas Sequitur’ Syrah (OB, 97) which brilliantly showcases this stony site. This beauty has at least another decade of life in front of it. Learn more about this fantastic Walla Walla winery at rasavineyards.com Here are the sensational new wines by Rasa Vineyards.
2021 Rasa Vineyards ‘Occam’s Razor’ Pinot Gris- The brilliant new 2021 Rasa Vineyards ‘Occam’s Razor’ Pinot Gris saw extended skin contact and shows better at a warmer temperature. Nutty and earthy tones combine with shades of nectarine skin and papaya on the nose. The palate is soft and inviting with a smooth texture, showing no rough edges. Enjoy this outstanding new wine over the next five to seven years. Drink 2022-2028- 92
2020 Rasa Vineyards ‘Occam’s Razor’ Riesling- Sourced from the Columbia Valley, the 2020 Rasa Vineyards ‘Occam’s Razor’ Riesling has a wonderful mineral backbone with plenty of wet stone character. Made in the ‘Trocken’ style, this shows the faintest kiss of sweetness, with lychee, Pink Lady apple and suggestions of kiwi that combine with the wonderful underlying verve and a soft texture. Drink 2022-2028- 92
2020 Rasa Vineyards ‘Dream Deferred’ Chardonnay- The 2020 Rasa Vineyards ‘Dream Deferred’ Chardonnay comes entirely from the Frenchman Hills Vineyard which is located outside of Othello, Washington and was first planted back in 1998. Toasted pineapple and marshmallow tones combine with toasted brioche on the nose. The palate is silky smooth and is simply irresistible once on the mouth, as this glides throughout the drinking experience. Pineapple upside down cake, vanilla creme brûlée, and baking spice dusted French bread all come together with a brilliant underlying minerality. This is very Washington meets Mersault, as the outstanding 2020 ‘Dream Deferred’ will live on for at least another eight years. Drink 2022-2030- 94
2019 Rasa Vineyards ‘Occam’s Razor’ Red Blend- Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, the 2019 Rasa Vineyards ‘Occam’s Razor’ Red Blend offers smoky and spicy notes on the nose with rich dark fruits. The palate is very fresh with a soft texture. Coffee grounds and dense dark fruits combine with a great underlying minerality and soft tannins that hold things in place. Drink 2022-2028- 91
2020 Rasa Vineyards ‘Occam’s Razor’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Sourced from top sites throughout Washington State, the 2020 ‘Occam’s Razor’ Cabernet Sauvignon delivers a soft texture with medium bodied kirsch, blackberry and sagebrush notes. Enjoy this killer value over the next several years. Drink 2022-2029- 91
2020 Rasa Vineyards ‘QED Reductio Ad Absurdum’ Syrah- 100% varietal, this Syrah was sourced from mostly the Weinbau and Bacchus Vineyards. Brisket and rich cassis notes combine with wild herbs on the nose The palate is very refined and fresh with a smooth texture and intense dark fruit profile. Drinking beautifully now, enjoy this beautiful Syrah over the next ten years. Drink 2022-2032- 93
2020 Rasa Vineyards ‘QED The Strong Law’ Red Wine- The 2020 ‘QED The Strong Law’ is a melange of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon wth the remainder Merlot. Fragrant with its red floral character on the nose, this takes on a seamless texture on the attack. This is very juicy and inviting on the palate, finishing long with pretty red fruit and minerals. A killer value, enjoy over the next decade. Drink 2022-2032- 94
2018 Rasa Vineyards ‘QES Convergence’ Red Wine- The 2018 ‘QED Convergence’ is a gorgeous blend of 69% Syrah with smaller parts Grenache, Mourvèdre and Viognier. The nose shows off high-tones from the Viognier with star jasmine aromas that combine with white pepper dusted smoked brisket, bulls blood, black raspberry and suggestions of chocolate cake. The texture is simply stunning, as this comes off exceedingly well-balanced, with each part working together like a world-class symphony. Great to consume now, enjoy this beautiful Rhone style wine over the next decade. Drink 2022-2032- 95
2018 Rasa Vineyards ‘Veritas Sequitur SJR Vineyard’ Grenache/Syrah- A blend of 70% Grenache with the remainder Syrah, this killer blend from the famed ‘SJR Vineyard’ was stored in 30% new French oak before bottling with the Grenache being aged in two year old puncheons. This is gorgeous and highly floral on the nose with pretty red rose petals and freshly tilled compost that combine with soy sauce, kelp and shades of red cherry candy. The palate is soft and inviting with a seamless texture, a salty edge and beautiful purity of red fruits. This is really just and infant and will continue to evolve over the next decade. Drink 2022-2032- 96
2018 Rasa Vineyard ‘Veritas Sequitur SJR Vineyard’ Syrah- A total show-stopper, the sensational 2018 Rasa Vineyard ‘Veritas Sequitur SJR Vineyard’ Syrah stored in 100% new French oak for 24 months in barrel and then was stored in the bottle for two years prior to bottling. The nose shows insanely good range from seaweed to red currants and orange rind, potpourri and freshly tilled rocky soils. The palate is deep, concentrated and beautifully textured, showing a finish that just won’t end. With more air you see more and more Umami notes, as this beautiful, stony Syrah has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2022-2036- 97
2018 Rasa Vineyards ‘Principia Reserve’ Syrah- The utterly fabulous 2018 ‘Principia Reserve’ comes from a range of vineyards including Bacchus and Firethorn, as this is highly concentrated and deep in the glass. Black cherry cordial, blackberry compote and smoked meats all come together on the nose. The palate is dense and concentrated with serious finesse and a silky mouthfeel. Finishing extremely long with black fruits, menthol and stony minerals, this is gorgeous Syrah that is already beautifully evolved and will continue to cellar well for another ten plus years. Drink 2022-2036- 96
2017 Rasa Vineyards ‘Creative Impulse’ Red WIne- The scintillating 2017 ‘Creative Impulse’ is an electrifying blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon with the remainder Merlot all sourced from the famed DuBrul Vineyard. Translucent in the glass, this opens with pretty red rose petals that combine with Bing cherry, cigar ash and suggestions of black tea. The palate is elegant and very silky on the mouth. Layers of very pure, saline-drenched red fruits combine with tar, pipe tobacco and loamy soils, with worn leather accents. Complex and inviting to enjoy now, this has a long life ahead of it. Drink 2022-2039- 96
2017 Rasa Vineyards ‘In Order To Form A Perfect Union’ Red Wine- The captivating 2017 Rasa Vineyards ‘In Order To Form A Perfect Union’ Red Wine is a blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot with smaller parts Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Asian spices combine with coffee grounds, ripe red currants and menthol accents on the nose. The palate is plush and inviting, showing serious range from red florals to tobacco leaf, mocha and anise with dark chocolate shavings. Showing bright underlying acidity and great flavor density, this red blend is absolutely delicious wine to consume now and over the next fifteen to twenty years. Drink 2022-2039- 95
2018 Rasa Vineyards ‘For The Love Of The Game’ Red Wine- A Bordeaux inspired wine that comes from the Rivaura Vineyard, located not far from Lewiston, Idaho, the 2018 Rasa Vineyards ‘For The Love Of The Game’ Red Wine shows off heady creosote tones on the nose with black rose petals, cigar box, and intense dark fruits, with exotic spices. The palate is seamless and soft with great richness and underlying freshness. Simply outstanding, this is one of the finest wines — if not the finest wine — that I have ever tasted out of Idaho. Drinking brilliantly now, the 2018 Rasa Vineyards ‘For The Love Of The Game’ Red Wine will live on for at least another fifteen years. Drink 2022-2039- 95
2018 Rasa Vineyards ‘En Passant’ Red Wine- Formerly only made en mag, the 2018 Rasa Vineyards ‘En Passat’ combines mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with smaller parts Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot which were all sourced from the Columbia Valley. Once on the nose this takes on layers of boysenberry cordial, leather and Earl Grey tea, with light vegetal underpinnings from the Cabernet Franc. The highly complex aromatics bring you back to the glass for more enjoyment. The palate is pillowy and inviting, as this effortlessly glides throughout the drinking experience. Simply marvelous to consume now, the 2018 Rasa Vineyards ‘En Passat’ will live on easily for another twenty years. Drink 2022-2042- 97
2018 Rasa Vineyards ‘Living In The Limelight’ Petit Verdot- Coming entirely from the Dionysus Vineyard, the 2018 ‘Living In The Limelight’ shows beautiful purple rose petals on the nose, with black tea, green bell pepper and suggestions of blackberry pie. The palate is complex and seamless, with a brilliant core of black and blue fruits, with espresso grounds and scorched earthy undercurrents. Tannic, big and bold, yet very seamless, this is not for the weary and will continue to evolve for at least another fifteen years. Drink 2022-2037- 95
2017 Rasa Vineyards ‘Fianchetto’ Red Wine- Sourced from the Firethorn Vineyard, this combines mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with 19% Cabernet Franc that were all stored in 100% new French oak before bottling. This is a more elegant edition of this bottling which was formerly sourced from the XL Vineyard. Red currants and espresso grounds combine with black tea and cassis and herbal accents. Drink 2022-2035- 93
2020 Rasa Vineyards Port Style Wine- The 2020 Rasa Vineyards Port Style Wine comes from old vine Touriga Nacional vines. Macerated red fruits and worn leather combine with suggestions of Egyptian spices on the nose. The palate is incredibly seamless and soft with impeccable balance underlying finesse. Rich red cherry and roasted figs parade with toffee, Turkish coffee, with dark chocolate shavings. This is quite simply the finest Port style wine ever made in Washington State. Drink 2022-2036- 95