Upsidedown Wine

It was a great Zoom call with winemaker Seth Kitzke how was unabashedly bullish about his wines. “I think we are making some of the best white [wines] in the state” he exclaimed. I had to agree with him as the wines I tasted were phenomenal. These releases by Upsidedown Wine have been outstanding since its inception. Kitzke has a world palate and tries some of the finest wines of the world as a litmus or benchmark when making his wines. I adore the new 2023 Upsidedown Wine ‘Konnowac Vineyard’ Viognier (OB, 94) which has beautiful flavor range. Even better is the dazzling 2022 Upsidedown Wine Konnowac and WeatherEye Vineyard’ Roussanne (OB, 95) which spent considerable time on the lees and is a total knockout, dense and mineral-laden bottling that is sure to satisfy any lover of top Washington wine. Learn more about these beautiful wines at upsidedownwine.com. Here are my reviews of the outstanding future releases by Upsidedown Wine.

2023 Upsidedown Wine ‘Konnowac Vineyard’ White Wine- A blend of 72% Marsanne and the remainder Roussanne from the Konnowac Vineyard, this offers lychee and rich orchard fruits on the nose alongside brioche tones. The palate is plush and soft with a smooth mouthfeel. Showing good weight and length, don’t serve this beauty too warm. Drink 2024-2032- 94

2022 Upsidedown Wine ‘Konnowac and WeatherEye Vineyard’ Roussanne- Stored for 22 months in French oak as well as concrete eggs, this was mainly sourced from the WeatherEye Vineyard. Salted Macadamia nut, lychee and pink grapefruit blossom all mark the nose alongside rich peach. The palate is deep and unctuous with a serious texture and flavor density. Gorgeous now, enjoy over the next eight plus years. Drink 2024-2032- 95

2023 Upsidedown Wine ‘Konnowac Vineyard’ Viognier- The 2023 ‘Konnowac Vineyard’ Viognier is rich and generous on the mouth, showing off its waxy texture. Lemon meringue and shades of mango combine with rich cantaloupe and nutty undertones on the palate. Quite complex and delicious, this is best enjoyed at a warmer temperature. Drink 2024-2032- 94

2022 Tremasi ‘Field Blend’ Red Wine- The 2022 Tremasi ‘Field Blend’ Red Wine has a range of varietals blended in but is mainly Grenache and Syrah. Garrigue, white pepper, with sandy soils and shades of orange blossom all fill the nose. The palate is complex with a smooth texture and a brilliant core of crunchy red fruits with orange rind, dried herbs and salty soils. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2022 Upsidedown Wine ‘Stony Florals’ Grenache- The 2022 ‘Stony Florals’ is the second vintage of this wine. Coming from the Equis Vineyard in Moxee, Washington this offers beautiful red rose petals and lemon peel alongside shades of white pepper and tart red fruits. The palate is fresh and lithe with good tension. Soft and delicious, enjoy now and over the next few years. 100% stem inclusion. Drink 2024-2030- 93

2022 Upsidedown Wine ‘The Gold Drop Collection Dead Poplar Vineyard’ Grenache- Coming from their estate vineyard which is set on sandy soils, this 2022 Grenache saw partial stem inclusion. The nose is highly performed with layers of gorgeous red fruits, with tobacco leaf and orange peel. The palette is fresh with a smooth texture and good sense of weight. Enjoy now and over the next eight plus years. Drink 2024-2032- 94

2022 Upsidedown Wine ‘The Gold Drop Collection Dead Poplar Vineyard’ Mourvedre- The outstanding 2022 Upsidedown Wine ‘The Gold Drop Collection Dead Poplar Vineyard’ Mourvèdre saw partial whole cluster fermentation (40%) and was stored in a small portion of new oak before bottling. Smoly amd stony on the nose this offers black currant and black cherry notes on the nose. The palate is fresh and polished with a smooth mouthfeel. Drink 2024-2032- 94

2022 Upsidedown Wine ‘The Gold Drop Collection Dead Poplar Vineyard’ Field Blend- The really good 2022 Upsidedown Wine ‘The Gold Drop Collection Dead Poplar Vineyard’ Field Blend comes from this stony and sandy site owned by the Kitzke family. Mourvèdre, Grenache and Syrah this saw roughly 40% whole cluster fermentation. Candied red fruits parade with Mandarin orange rind, salty soils and wild mushroom on this complex notes. The palate offers a delicious melange of red and dark fruits with stony/salty soil character. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2022 Upsidedown Wine ‘Cross Block’ Mourvedre- The 2022 ‘Cross Block’ wine comes from the Andrews Vineyard as Mourvèdre vines for this wine are set on cobblestones and a steep slope. The nose offers wild blackberry and black cherry notes alongside shades of wet soils and gravel. The palate is dense and world-class in terms of flavor density and texture. Enjoy this beautiful wine, showing lovely earthy overtones, now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2024-2034- 95

2022 Upsidedown Wine ‘Birds + Things + Flowers’ Syrah- The 2022 Upsidedown Wine ‘Birds + Things + Flowers’ Syrah comes from the Equus Vineyard which is a high elevation site. White pepper dusted brisket and black florals mark the nose alongside Kalamatta tapenade. The palate is stony and salty with a smooth mouthfeel and excellent verve. Delicious now, enjoy over the next six plus years to come. This totally over-delivers for the price. Drink 2024-2030- 94

2021 Upsidedown Wine ‘The Artist Collection’ Syrah- Aged for 30 months, the 2021 ‘The Artist Collection’ Syrah comes from the Kitzke estate vineyard on Candy Mountain. Given 60% whole cluster fermentation, this offers a deep mouthfeel with heady dark fruits alongside tar and tobacco leaf. Enjoy now and over the next decade. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2022 Upsidedown Wine ‘Equus’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2022 ‘Equus’ offers nice herbal tones on the nose alongside chocolate and dark currants. The palate is fresh and fragrant with good tension and mouth-watering acidity. Medium-bodied, enjoy this now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2022 Upsidedown ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2022 Upsidedown ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon has a fair amount of whole cluster fermented Syrah blended in. Bay leaf and fresh sage combine on the nose with dark florals and shades of wild blackberry. The palate is delicious and rich with good tension and salty character. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2022 Kitzke Family Wine Sangiovese- This 2022 Sangiovese offers salty soils with tart red fruits, orange rind and pipe tobacco on the nose. The palate is soft and refined with a smooth texture and generous core of red fruits. This is really well-done. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2022 Kitzke Family Wine Cabernet Franc- The 2022 Cabernet Franc comes from an eastern block at the vineyard. Lovely dried herbs and red bel pepper mark the nose alongside suggestions of wild blackberry. Soft and refined, this has a great melange of red and dark fruits alongside chocolate and coffee ground notes. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2022 Kitzke Family Wine Petit Verdot- Dark in the glass, this 2022 Petit Verdot offers straightforward dark fruits with chocolate notes on the palate. Quite tannic, this is coming off a touch backwards for now. Drink 2024-2034- 91

2022 Kitzke Family Wine Cabernet Sauvignon- The outstanding 2022 Kitzke Family Wine Cabernet Sauvignon delivers garrigue and dark chocolate shavings with pencil lead on the nose. The palate is deep and concentrated with a smooth texture. Drink 2024-2034- 92

2022 Kitzke Family Wines ‘Old Vine Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The ‘Old Vine Reserve’ comes from vines that were planted back in 1982. The site produces tiny berries. Fresh sage and blackberry compote combine with shades of espresso grounds and black licorice on the palate. Enjoy now and over the next decade. Drink 2024-2034- 93