Today we share the wines of The Walls, founded by former Microsoft executive Mike Martin. Martin has created an incredible space in Walla Walla for his winery with a scenic backyard feel and beautiful interior. A few years back he made a major purchase in acquiring the Rockgarden Vineyard from Nina Buty. The wines from this site are really exciting and stony. New executive winemaker Sally Johnson Blum and Associate Winemaker Peter Urian joined the team somewhat recently. Johnson Blum has a massive amount of experience, formerly being at St. Francis and Pride in Sonoma County. She also has served as winemaking consultant at Mullan Road under Dennis Cakebread. She is a great person to chat wine with. Urian has formerly been an integral part of the Devona winemaking team, making some downright killer wines over there.
Check out the outstanding 2022 The Walls ‘Wonderful Nightmare’ (OB, 94) which is delicious and dense, made from mostly Tempranillo grapes. I adore the 2022 ‘Curiositas’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 96) which is heady, and elegant stuff coming off Red Mountain, with lovely flavor density considering the coolness of the vintage. Learn more about these outstanding new wines at https://www.thewallsvineyards.com Here are the great new releases from The Walls.
2023 The Walls ‘Lip Stinger’ Stanley Groovy White Wine- The 2023 ‘Lip Stinger’ offers marzipan with green apple, white peach and beautiful white flower florals on the nose. The plate is soft and mineral-laden with great freshness. Enjoy now and over the next five plus years. Drink 2025-2032- 92
2022 The Walls ‘Stanley Groovy’ Red Wine- The really good 2022 The Walls ‘Stanley Groovy’ Red Wine combines mostly Touriga Nacional, Syrah and Tinta Roriz. Chocolate and kirsch cordial combine with espresso bean on the nose. Dense and polished with a smooth texture, this is already neatly evolved stuff that is drinking marvelously in its vibrant youth. Drink 2025-2035- 93
2021 The Walls ‘Mahana’ Red Wine- Mike Martin acquired the Rockgarden Vineyard back in 2020, as this wine coms from both the River Rock and Rockgarden sites in the Rocks AVA. Once on the nose this takes on layers of marionberry and wet stone alongside black currants and shades of black licorice. The palate is fresh and lithe considering the heat of the vintage. A beautiful melange of red and dark fruits combine with the stony character with charcuterie notes. Drink 2024-2032- 94
2021 The Walls ‘Wonderful Nightmare’ Red Wine- The 2022 ‘Wonderful Nightmare’ is a gorgeous bottling that is rich, dense and heady. Mainly Tempranillo, this is very stony and rich on the palate, with roasted figs, wet rock and pipe tobacco alongside dark currant notes. Fresh and neatly textured, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2025-2035- 94
2022 The Walls ‘Bellamy’ Red Wine- The 2022 The Walls ‘Bellamy’ Red Wine is mainly Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the Rocks District. Soft and supple on the mouth, this offers medium-bodied roasted date and wild blackberry tones on the palate, with salty minerals and stony accents. Showing a nice herbal edge, enjoy now and over the next eight years. Drink 2025-2033- 94
2022 The Walls ‘Curiositas’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The world-class 2022 The Walls ‘Curiositas’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Red Mountain. This is an impressive effort from this slightly cooler vintage, offering dark currants and pencil lead on the nose that meld well with molten chocolate and shades of roasted figs. The palate is powerful and beautifully structured, with great flavor density. Only a slight notch behind the stunning 2021, this edition has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2025-2040- 96
2022 The Walls ‘French Creek Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2022 The Walls ‘French Creek Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a beautiful edition of this wine that is sourced from 1990s plantings. Sagebrush and mocha notes hit the nose alongside shades of espresso grounds and violets. Nicely balanced, with good depth, poise and concentration, this is already beautifully evolved stuff that will cellar well for another ten plus years. Drink 2025-2037- 95
2022 The Walls ‘Champoux Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The seriously good 2022 The Walls ‘Champoux Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from this famed location in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. Showing an inky core, this offers graphite and dark currants on the nose alongside boysenberry cordial. The palate is smooth and silky with a terrific tension and good richness. Refined tannins frame a beautiful core of black and blue fruits, with chocolate and Arabica bean accents. Delicious and dense, enjoy now and over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2025-2040- 96
2022 The Walls ‘Red Willow Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2022 ‘Red Willow Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon his sourced from this Yakima Valley site that has Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted back in 1973. Lovely red florals mingle well with teaberry and shades of black licorice on the nose. The palate is soft, elegant and refined, with a silky texture. Seriously good now, enjoy over the next fifteen plus years to go. Drink 2025-2042- 95
2022 The Walls ‘Rockgarden Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2022 ‘Rockgarden Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a great edition of this wine coming from the Rocks District. Orange peel and red rose petals combine with red currents and shades of wet stone all combine on the nose. The palate is polished and concentrated, with lovely stony essence. The flavor range and texture are both outstanding, as this is drinking marvelously right now. Drink 2025-2033- 95