Today we share the beautiful wines of Reynvaan Family Vineyards, founded by two of the nicest people in the Washington Wine Industry — Gale and Mike Reynvaan. For many years now Matt Reynvaan has been making some of the finest wines in the Pacific Northwest. Studying the art of Bordeaux and Bordeaux Blanc at Chateau Smith Haut-Lafitte, Matt has a deft touch with white wines, producing some of the best Viognier and Grenache Blanc that you will find anywhere in North America.
He has made another world-class range of wines. Check out the 2023 Reynvaan ‘In The Rocks’ Viognier (OB, 97) which is a total stunner in terms of weightlessness, texture, and stony essence. Just as good is his 2023 Reynvaan ‘Queens Road’ White Wine (OB, 97) another world-class amalgamation of Marsanne and Viognier. Learn more about this outstanding house at https://www.reynvaanfamilyvineyards.com/ and here are my reviews of the new wines by Reynvaan.
2022 Reynvaan Grenache Blanc- An amazing edition of this wine, the 2023 Grenache Blanc is a resounding success in this warm vintage. Beautifully textured, this offers rich kiwi and green melon tones on the palate, alongside copious stony minerals. The length and sense of weight here really drives this beauty that is already nicely defined at the two year mark. Enjoy over the next six to eight years. Drink 2025-2032- 95.
2023 Reyvaan ‘In The Rocks Vineyard’ Viognier- A total masterclass, the 2023 Reynvaan ‘In The Rocks Vineyard’ Viognier is one of the great new world wines of its kind. It possess a Condrieu-esque mouthfeel and buttery texture, with loads of underlying grip and tension. The combination of weight and mouth-watering acidity really shines here, offering dense honeysuckle water, papaya, honeydew melon and shades of roasted pineapple on the palate. Unctuous and dense, showing slightly less nerve but better overall weight than the ’22, enjoy this total stunner now and over the next eight years. Drink 2025-2033- 97
2023 Reynvaan ‘Queens Road’ White Wine- Another otherworldly edition of this wine and an epic follow-up to the ’22, the 2023 ‘Queens Road’ White Wine is an unforgettable amalgamation of Marsanne and Viognier that was stored in mainly natural oak barrels prior to bottling. Marzipan and pastry crust notes combine on the nose alongside star jasmine, Bosc pear and shades of juicy starfruit. The palate is big, bold and marvelously weighted, and impeccably balanced, as the extremely lengthy finish just won’t quit. Showing dizzying flavor range and viscosity, enjoy this beauty now and over the next eight plus years to come. There isn’t a wine quite like this in the Pacific Northwest. Drink 2025-2033- 97
2022 Reynvaan Merlot- The gorgeous 2022 Merlot was stored in primarily neutral French oak prior to bottling. Sandalwood, soy sauce and shades of sweet pipe tobacco all mark the nose with black olives and shades of boysenberry cobbler. The palate is soft and seamless with serious poise and a weightless profile mid-palate. Very nervy and classy, there isn’t a wine quite like this in the world. Stony and savory, enjoy this already beautifully evolved effort now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2025-2033- 96
2022 Reynvaan ‘The Classic’ Red Wine- The 2022 Reynvaan ‘The Classic’ is a blend of mainly Cabernet Sauvignon with equal parts Cabernet Franc (20%) and Petit Verdot. (20%). The nose is marvelously herbal from the Petit Verdot, as graphite and Hoisin sauce aromatics mingle well with wild blackberry and white peppercorn dusted BBQ beef brisket notes all parade in the glass. The palate is soft and elegant with a smooth mouthfeel and great underlying tension. Very savory, stony and salty from this cobblestone-laden terroir, enjoy now and over the next eight tp ten years. Drink 2025-2035- 95
2023 Reynvaan Cabernet Franc- The 2023 Reynvaan Cabernet Franc is the inaugural vintage of this wine that I have tasted from the famed ‘In The Rocks Vineyard.’ Vines from this site come from the Hawes Block, which is named after former NBA all-star center, Spencer Hawes who is also Matt Reynvaan’s cousin. This is soft and wonderfully herbal stuff, offering bay leaf and cloves that mingle well with menthol, dark currants, pencil lead and wet gravel on the palate. Gorgeous now, this has at least another decade of life in front of it. Drink 2025-2035- 95
2022 Reynvaan ‘The Contender’ Syrah- The 2022 ‘The Contender’ Syrah has a touch of Marsanne co-fermented, as this saw a small amount of whole cluster fermentation. Beautiful thyme and white flowers fill the nose alongside shades of boysenberry compote, tar and menthol accents. The gorgeous aromatic range brings you back to the glass for more enjoyment. The palate is lush, round and generous, with a silky texture. Gorgeous now, enjoy over the next ten plus years. Drink 2025-2035- 96
2022 Reynvaan ‘In The Rocks’ Syrah- The 2022 ‘In The Rocks’ comes from this cobblestone-laden site in the Walla Walla Rocks District. One whiff and there is only one place this could be from. Wet stone and Umami aromatics collide with wildflowers, oregano and shades of charcuterie on the nose. The palate is fresh and polished with a refined mouthfeel and great sense of weight and length. Saturated and rich, despite being translucent in the glass, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next ten years. Drink 2025-2035- 96
2022 Reynvaan ‘In The Hills’ Syrah- The 2022 ‘In The Hills’ is sourced from their winery estate vineyard, set on a slope with sweeping views of the Walla Walla Valley. This edition has a small portion of Viognier co-fermented and was stored in mainly natural oak puncheons before bottling. Beautiful white florals from the Viognier mark the nose alongside bulls blood, anise seed, tobacco leaf and suggestions of blackberry compote. The palate is soft and seamless, with great viscosity, weight and length. Finishing long with loganberry, tangerine zest and minerals, enjoy this fabulous effort now and over the next decade. Drink 2025-2035- 96
2022 Reynvaan ‘Foothills Reserve’ Syrah- The sensational 2022 Reynvaan ‘Foothills Reserve’ Syrah comes from their ‘Foothills In The Sun Vineyard’ which lies in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. The nose smells very Rocksesque, offering smoldering stones, with wintergreen aromatics alongside black rose petals, smoked brisket, and green peppercorns on this flat-out fabulous bouquet. The palate is very concentrated and nervy, offering a scintillating push-pull in terms of weight, texture and underlying acidity. Full-bodied and intense, this flirts with perfection and is truly one of the great wines of the Pacific Northwest. Enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2025-2035- 99
2022 Reynvaan ‘Stonessence’ Syrah- The absolutely captivating 2022 Reynvaan ‘Stonessence’ Syrah comes off brooding in the glass, offering flinty and damp earth aromatics that collide with compost, black truffle shavings, iodine and dense dark fruits. The palate is rich and gratifying, delivering a seamless drinking experience. The length and underlying tension is in wonderful concert with the glorious core of dark fruits, with Umami essence. Full-bodied, viscous and rich, enjoy this decadent treat now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2025-2038- 98