Today we share one of the outstanding joint houses in Walla Walla — Pepper Bridge and Amavi. Born and raised in Switzerland, Winemaker Jean-François Pellet is a third-generation wine grower. He is an incredible talent that worked with his father before coming to the Walla Walla Valley back in 1999. Pepper Bridge founder Norm McKibbon saw the potential in Pellet and made him Pepper Bridge winemaker. The brand has been going strong ever since. In addition to being winemaker at both Pepper Bridge and Amavi, Pellet is a partner in Artifex, the largest custom crush facility in Walla Walla, as well as the Octave Vineyard.
I sat with Pellet and tasted his new wines in August. These were beautiful bottlings that were remarkably consistent. His Amavi brand offers some seriously good value. I love the 2023 Amavi Semillon (OB, 92) which is very fresh and vibrant with serious texture. He did amazing work with his Pepper Bridge program and I adored the 2021 Pepper Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 94) which has a classic feel in terms of freshness, with good stuffing. These wines start around 50 dollars in price, rising to 75 and up. Learn more at pepperbridge.com and amavicellars.com and here are the gorgeous new red wine releases by Pepper Bridge.
2023 Amavi Semillon- This wine has 15% Sauvignon Blanc blended in. Nutty accents mark the palate with an oily texture. This has beautiful richness and poise with walnut and rich melon flavors with hints of Meyer lemon rind alongside outstanding tension. Mainly sourced from the Les Collines Vineyard, enjoy now and over the next six years. Drink 2024-2030- 92
2023 Pepper Bridge Sauvignon Blanc- Stored in a small amount of new French oak, this 2023 Sauvignon Blanc saw constant lees stirring before bottling. Right away this offers honeysuckle and lemon blossom on the nose alongside shades of kiwi. The palate is soft and refined with serious tension and salty minerals on the palate. Drink 2024-2030- 92
2023 Amavi Rose- A gorgeous wine from this vintage, the 2023 Amavi Rose is made from Cabernet Franc grapes and then was stored in stainless steel with some lees stirring before bottling. Red currant and red cherry flavors mingle well with melon and citrus rind accents on the palate. Showing good depth, enjoy now and over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 93
2022 Amavi ‘Walla Walla’ Syrah- A blend of 89% Syrah with the remainder Grenache, this comes from mainly the Les Collines Vineyard in the Walla Walla valley. Stored in mainly neutral oak puncheons this offers juicy blackberry and black currant aromas alongside garrigue and wet stone on the nose. This comes off refined and juicy, loaded with citrus rind and dense dark fruits with lip-smacking acidity. Drink 2024-2032- 93
2021 Amavi ‘Les Collines’ Syrah- This 100% varietal wine comes from the Les Collines Vineyard in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. Denselt colored in the glass, this offers black olive tapenade and bacon fat notes alongside violets and black tea notes. The palate has great poise and depth, loaded with dense dark fruit and herbal accents. Drink 2024-2034- 94
2021 Amavi ‘Stone Valley’ Syrah- The 2021 ‘Stone Valley’ comes from the Walla Walla Rocks District ‘ and saw some stem inclusion (60%). Umami, oyster sauce and black truffle shavings all mingle well with wet stone on the nose. The palate is salty and savory with loads of freshness and great flavor density. This is a killer rendition of this wine that is drinking marvelously right now. Drink 2024-2031- 95
2021 Amavi ‘Walla Walla’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 ‘Wallla Walla’ Cabernet Sauvignon has smaller portions of Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec blended in. Dried sage and black currant jelly combines with coffee grounds on the nose. The palate is dense and delicious with herbal accents alongside lush dark fruits with a silky mouthfeel. Drink 2024-2034- 93
2021 Pepper Bridge ‘Pepper Bridge Vineyard’ Red Wine- The 2021 Amavi ‘Pepper Bridge Vineyard’ Red Wine combines near equal parts Merlot and Malbec with 24% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Petit Verdot. This shows loaded of chocolate and dried herbs on the nose alongside dense blackberry and boysenberry fruit aromatics. This is seamless wine that is dense upon entry with beautiful length. Enjoy now and over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2024-2039- 95
2021 Pepper Bridge ‘Seven Hills Vineyard’ Red Wine- The outstanding 2021 Amavi ‘Seven Hills Vineyard’ Red Wine comes from this famed site in the Walla Walla Valley. A blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon with 14% Merlot and equal parts Malbec and Petit Verdot, this was stored in 46% new French oak before bottling. Rich cassis and espresso grounds mark the nose alongside soy sauce and dried sage. The palate offers velvety tannins that frame a core of generous dark fruits with graphite and herbal accents. Drink 2024-2039- 95
2021 Pepper Bridge ‘Trine’ Red Wine- This beautiful wine combines 42% Cabernet Franc with 36% Cabernet Sauvignon and the remainder Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Violets, tar and tobacco leaf mark the nose alongside heady black fruits. The palate is beautifully poised and dense with a silky texture and good sense of underlying tension. Elegant and bright, this will age gracefully for another twenty years to come. Drink 2024-2042- 95
2021 Pepper Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 Pepper Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a range of sites throughout the valley, mainly from the Seven Hills Vineyard. A combination of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon with small parts Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot, this delivers beautiful dark fruits that parade with espresso grounds, sagebrush and shades of graphite on the palate. Refined and elegant, with firm tannins, enjoy this beautiful bottling over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2024-2039- 94