It brings me great pleasure to share one of the outstanding producers in Woodinville. It has been more than a decade that EFESTĒ has produced consistently good wines for a reasonable price. I have really enjoyed their summer events which are lively and really well-attended. Winemaker Mark Fiore has been crafting some consistently great wines here. Mark is a shark on the golf course, a former PGA Professional who decided to work two harvest seasons at Beresan and Balboa wineries, eventually leading to a job at Charles Smith Wines in August of 2011. Mark began making wine for K Vintners and then worked on other projects such as Sixto, Latta Wines, Wines of Substance and B Leighton in Walla Walla and Seattle. He is a great dude who has made another beautiful lineup of wines for EFESTĒ.
Look to their gorgeous new 2022 EFESTĒ ‘Adrienne’ Chenin Blanc (OB, 92) which shows a soft mouthfeel and good sense of weight. I adore the new 2020 EFESTĒ ‘James Vineyard’ Malbec (OB, 94) which is dense, heady and absolutely a joy to consume right now. Learn more about these outstanding new wines at https://efeste.com Here are the gorgeous new wines by EFESTĒ.
2022 EFESTE ‘Adrienne’ Chenin Blanc- Beautifully textured, this was stored in a concrete egg before bottling. Ripe pear and cantaloupe notes combine with stony and nutty undertones. Delicious now, this will easily hold for another five plus years. Drink 2023-2029- 92
2022 EFESTE ‘Feral’ Sauvignon Blanc- The 2022 ‘Feral’ comes from the Evergreen Vineyard in the Ancient Lakes AVA and was stored in a combination of oak puncheons, stainless steel and concrete eggs. This shows pretty white rose and gooseberry notes alongside saline drenched pear. The palate is very fresh and nicely textured with bright acidity. This is a perfect foil for fresh Kusshi oysters. Drink 2023-2028- 91
2022 EFESTE ‘Evergreen’ Riesling- The 2022 ‘Evergreen’ is a bright and tension-filled bottling the was entirely stored in concrete. Bone-dry and done in the ‘Trocken’ style, this shows a smooth mouthfeel with plenty of stony minerality. Japanese pear, green papaya, Granny Smith apple and wet stones all brilliantly combine on the palate. This is seriously good stuff that needs spicy food. Drink 2023-2029- 93
2022 EFESTE ‘Oldfield Estate’ Rose- A blend of 65% Grenache with the remainder Mourvèdre that came from the Boushey Vineyard. The nose is highly complex with damp earth and guava that combine with citrus rind accents. The palate is brilliantly textured with a nice sense of weight. Well-balanced, don’t serve this too cold to take in the outstanding flavor and aromatic range. Drink 2023-2030- 92
2020 EFESTE ‘Angela’s Vineyard’ Grenache- Coming from their estate site on Red Mountain, this 2020 Grenache shows a smooth texture with plush kirsch and red raspberry notes alongside refined tannins and beautiful length on the palate. Drink 2023-2030- 92
2020 EFESTE ‘Paulie’ Red Wine- A blend of 49% Grenache with the remainder Syrah and Mourvèdre that comes from the Stonetree Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA. The nose comes off beautifully with red rose petals and lavender alongside red currants and freshly tilled soils. This is clean on the palate with good finesse and a fantastic core of red and dark fruits. Delicious to consume now, enjoy over the next five plus years. Drink 2023-2029- 92
2020 EFESTE ‘Ceidleigh’ Syrah- Coming from their estate vineyard on Red Mountain, this was fermented in stainless steel and underwent roughly 40% whole cluster fermentation. This comes off beautifully on the nose with brisket, green peppercorns and black olives. The palate is soft and inviting with a plush texture. This is loaded with bright red and dark fruits alongside salty and stony undertones. Drink 2023-2030- 93
2020 EFESTE ‘Jolie Bouche’ Syrah- The 2020 ‘Jolie Bouche’ Syrah underwent 100% whole cluster fermentation and comes form the Oldfield Vineyard in the Yakima Valley. The aromatic range is outstanding with Umami notes alongside white pepper black tea and blackberry cobbler. The palate is fresh and rich with serious texture and underlying verve. Drink 2023-2029- 94
2019 EFESTE ‘Knight Commander’ Syrah-‘Knight Commander’ is the highest ranking alter boy position that EFESTE founder Daniel Ferelli formerly held while he was growing up in Chicago. A blend of 95% Syrah with the remainder Viognier all sourced form the Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, this unveils white flowers and apricots that combine with dense blackberry compote tones aromatically. The palate is very soft and generous with good depth and concentration, yet showing a brilliant core of acidity. Drink 2022-2032- 93
2019 EFESTE ‘Tough Guy’ Red Wine- An estate blend of 59% Merlot and 42% Syrah that was co-fermented, the ‘Tough Guy’ is a tribute to a five year old Leukemia survivor. This is a beautiful wine that really needs about an hour of air before enjoying. Red cherry cordial, garrigue and smoky as well as savory undertones from the Syrah really add to the enjoyment on the palate. Delicious now, this will live on for at least another decade. Drink 2023-2033- 93
2020 EFESTE ‘Angela’s Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc- The ‘Angela’s Vineyard is located at the southwestern corner of Red Mountain. This is beautifully textured stuff that shows fantastic flavor range. Creme de violette, coffee grounds, and dark currants all parade with copious minerals on the palate. Finishing long, this is brilliant stuff to enjoy now. Drink 2023-2029- 93
2020 EFESTE ‘James Vineyard’ Malbec- This comes from this site in the Wahluke Slope AVA. This shows serious nerve and concentration once on the mouth. Huckleberry and blueberry flavors collide with espresso grounds and shades of tar on the palate. The bright acidity really holds things together here. Drink 2023-2029- 94