Steve Wells is unabashedly obsessed with the ‘80s. He has an '80s themed tasting room that is tons of fun to visit. Wells makes a range of amazing mineral-driven wines that are well-priced and really easy to drink. The idea behind Time & Direction was inspired by his move from Manhattan to Walla Walla. This pilgrimage was made as Wells joined the winemaking program at Walla Walla Community College. “I wanted the name to be unique and individual. I didn’t want to use my name or the names ‘cellars’ or ‘vintners’ or ‘vineyards.’ It had to have meaning and be easy to pronounce. Let’s make it easy for the consumer to remember. I didn’t want to use any animals or anything geographic because it has been done a thousand times over. I look down at my forearms and designed the tattoos for myself. This tattoo is for my daughter, 1:02 in the morning is when she was born. I also like maps so the compass is not a direction it is initials. Time & Direction symbolizes my journey from New York City all the way out here to make wine.”
I have really enjoyed these wines since he first began making them in the 2016 vintage. The brand has expanded considerably since then. He is making some of the most delicate and highly nuanced Rose you will taste in Washington State. We tasted together last Friday and went all the way back to his first wines, which was so interesting to see how well they had aged.
His first wine, the 2016 ‘Old School’ Syrah (OB, 93) is gorgeous and plump on the mouth. It is drinking so well now. Similarly the 2017 ‘Old School’ (OB, 93) had a lot of depth and flavor complexity from this slightly cooler vintage. I love there the 2018 Time & Direction ‘Wellspring’ Syrah (OB, 95) is showing right now. This wine is a beautiful tribute to Wells’s parents.
Learn more about these amazing wines at https://www.timeanddirectionwines.com/ and here is my reviews of the older wines by Steve Wells and his Time & Direction brand.
2017 Time & Direction ‘Fretboard’ White Wine - This is the first vintage of the golden-hued ‘Fretboard’ white wine. A blend of 60% Roussanne and the remainder Viognier all coming from the Corfu Crossing Vineyard. Intense on the nose this delivers beeswax and honeysuckle alongside cantaloupe and shades of green papaya. Super fresh and lithe with a polished texture, what an outstanding bottling from a slightly cooler vintage. Drink 2025-2031- 93
2018 Time & Direction ‘Fretboard’ White Wine- This 2018 edition is 100% Viognier from the Corfu Crossing Vineyard in the Royal Slope AVA. Stored in all stainless steel, this offers lychee, white tea, lemongrass and shades of cashew nut on the nose. Super fresh and lively, brimming with bright acidity, this leads with rich orchard and citrus fruit flavors that mingle well with the smooth mouthfeel on the palate. 13.3% alcohol. Drink 2025-2030- 92
2018 Time & Direction ‘Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Select Start’ Rose- The pale colored 2018 Time & Direction ‘Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Select Start’ Rose offers delicate red florals with honeydew melon, orange zest and suggestions of strawberry Starburst candy. The palate is smooth and delicate with gorgeous nuance and a refined texture. This is a gorgeous rendition of this wine that is aging gracefully. Drink 2025-2031- 92
2016 Time & Direction ‘Old School’ Syrah- Very smoky and savory on the nose, the 2016 ‘Old School’ Syrah was the first wine that Steve Wells made on his own. This has a touch of Viognier co-fermented. Honeysuckle and smoked pork shoulder aromatics combine with soy sauce and stony minerals on the nose. The palate is plush and soft with a refined texture. Gorgeous now, with great texture and freshness considering its age, enjoy now and over the next eight years. Drink 2025-2032- 93
2017 Time & Direction ‘Old School’ Syrah- The 2017 ‘Old School’ has 5% Viognier blended in. It is neatly floral alongside shades of white pepper dusted bacon, Oyster sauce and suggestions of wild blackberry with Mandarin orange zest. This is wonderfully fresh and vibrant with mouth-watering acidity. Gorgeous now, enjoy over the next eight plus years. Drink 2025-2033- 93
2018 Time & Direction ‘Old School’ Syrah- The 2018 ‘Old School’ is all Syrah and doesn’t have any Viognier blended in but has some Eritage Vineyard fruit blended in. This is a stunning edition of this wine and brings serious weight, poise and flavor density. Very savory with an herbal edge, this offers a great core of dark fruits that combine with suggestions of black plum. Vibrant and showing serious tension, with a great sense of salinity and stony essence, enjoy now and over the next eight plus years. Drink 2025-2033- 95
2019 Time & Direction ‘Old School’ Syrah- The 2019 is 100% Syrah from the Solaksen Vineyard. This is salty and savor stuff with a smooth mouthfeel and good depth considering the coolness of the vintage. Bright and acid-driven, this offers great loganberry flavors that meld well with smoked meats and Earl Grey tea. Drink 2025-2033- 93
2020 Time & Direction ‘Old School’ Syrah- The 2020 ‘Old School’ Syrah comes off remarkably clean with lighter bodied black fruits that mingle well with soldering stones and shades of black olives on the palate. Drink now. Drink 2025-2029- 91
2021 Time & Direction ‘Old School’ Syrah- The sensational 2021 Time & Direction ‘Old School’ Syrah comes from the Corfu Crossings Vineyard. This edition has 7% Viognier blended in. Gorgeous white florals mark the nose alongside red currants, shades of black tea and exotic spices with smoked meats. The palate is plush and mineral-laden with serious freshness and texture. This still has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2025-2035- 94
2017 Time & Direction ‘Bruce’s Island Reserve’ Syrah- The 2017 ‘Bruce’s Island Reserve’ comes from the Solaksen Vineyard and has 5% Viognier blended in. The florals pop with honeysuckle notes that combine with smoked brisket, tar and pipe tobacco leaf notes that all meld in the glass. The palate is rich and viscous with serious tension and smoky/savory with black olives, bacon fat and boysenberry preserves. Well-done! Drink 2025-2033- 95
2018 Time & Direction ‘Wellspring Reserve’ Syrah- The gorgeous 2018 ‘Wellspring’ Syrah was made for Steve Wells’s parents. The wine comes off very smoky and savory with bay leaf and shades of Kalamatta olive that mingle well with beef brisket and suggestions of wild blackberry. The palate is tension-filled, showing loads of mouth-watering acidity. A gorgeous wine from a great vintage, this is really hitting its stride now — and has a long way to go. Drink 2025-2035- 95
2019 Time & Direction ‘Sol’ Syrah- The 2019 ‘Sol’ Syrah has 5% Viognier blended in. The wine offers dense dark fruits with espresso bean, chocolate and shades of stony accents. The palate is plush with a smooth mouthfeel and great sense of flavor density. Generous and broad-shouldered, brimming with underlying acidity, this is a gorgeous wine made from a somewhat difficult vintage. Drink 2025-2033- 94
2020 Time & Direction ‘P&S Reserve’ Syrah- The ‘P&S Reserve’ comes entirely from the Eritage Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley. This is fresh and fragrant stuff, offering bright red fruits with tar, tobacco leaf and stony minerals on the palate. Drink 2025-2029- 91
2023 Time & Direction ‘Sol’ Syrah- Coming from this warm vintage, the 2023 ‘Sol’ has 5% Viognier blended in. Very floral with red rose petals and orange blossom notes this combines with wet stone, Umami, and suggestions of white pepper dusted brisket. This is beautifully balanced and textured wine that has a ton of potential, with loads of salinity and minerality. Drink 2025-2035- 94
2018 Time & Direction ‘Diamond Cutter’ Syrah- This is nearly all Syrah with 5% Mourvèdre blended in. This offers a glorious combination of red and dark fruits on the nose alongside Hoisin sauce and suggestions of orange zest. This is wonderfully smoky and meaty, offering blood orange zest notes that combine wth salty minerals. Drink 2025-2032- 93
2023 Time & Direction ‘Tri Force’ Syrah- A blend of three different vineyards, the 2023 ‘Tri Force’ comes from the Eritage, Patina and Solaksen Vineyards. This is gorgeous, mineral-laden Syrah that has some killer cellaring potential. Lip-smacking acidity mingle with saline drenched tart dark fruits with chocolate and shades of dark raspberry. Drink 2025-2035- 94