Today we share one of the hidden gems of Woodinville. Baer wines are built to age and I have many in my personal cellar. Erica Orr took over this program more than a decade ago. She originally got her start in the wine industry back in 1998, working her first harvest with eminent winemaker Cathy Corison in the Napa Valley. She immediately caught the wine bug and enrolled in the enology master’s degree program at UC Davis where she completed her master’s degree in 2003. Erica also has a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from UC Berkeley and three years of research experience as a biochemistry lab technician for 2009 Nobel Laureate Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn at UC San Francisco.
The wines are really outstanding across the board. I love the 2024 Baer Rose (OB, 92) which is made from Cabernet Franc grapes. I adored the 2021 Baer ‘Ursa’ Red Wine (OB, 94) which shows great flavor range and cellaring potential. Learn more about this great Woodinville winery at at baerwinery.com Here are the great new releases by Baer
2024 Baer ‘Shard’ Chardonnay- The 2024 ‘Shard’ was stored in all stainless steel before bottling. Coming from the Stillwater Creek Vineyard, this delivers honeydew melon and bright pear tones on the nose alongside stony minerals. The palate is fresh and lithe with a polished mouthfeel. Drink 2025-2031- 92
2024 Baer Rose- The 2024 Baer Rose comes from the Royal Slope AVA and is all Cabernet Franc-based. This is a downright gorgeous bottling that shouldn’t be served too warm. Rich melon fruits collide with strawberry and guava flavors on the palate. Showing off a great combination of minerality and texture, enjoy this outstanding bottling now and over the next few years. Drink 2025-2030- 92
2024 Orr Wines Chenin Blanc- The 2024 Orr Wines Chenin Blanc is one of the unique bottlings in Washington. This offers really novel nutty tones on the palate, alongside green papaya, copious minerals and suggestions of sour starfruit. Really complex and also neatly textured, enjoy now and over the next six to eight years. Drink 2025-2031- 92
2021 Baer ‘Star’ Merlot- The 2021 ‘Star’ has 7% Cabernet Franc blended in. It is polished, round and generous with a terrific mouthfeel. Damp earthy tones give this a very Right Bank feel, as this is loaded with chocolate covered black cherry and black raspberry flavors with garrigue accents on the palate. The push-pull between finesse and richness really drives this wine. Drink 2025-2040- 94
2021 Baer ‘Ursa’ Red Wine- The 2021 ‘Ursa’ combines Merlot (43%) with Cabernet Franc (36%) and the reminder Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. This is rich and viscous stuff with a terrific acid backbone. A great melange of red and dark fruits greet you alongside tobacco leaf and chocolate, alongside Arabica bean notes. Drink 2025-2040- 94
2021 Baer Malbec- The 2021 Malbec has a good portion of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot blended in. Very dark in the glass, this delivers black tea and green bell pepper aromatics that mingle well with graphite and dark chocolate shavings. The palate is impeccably balanced with great richness and poise. Enjoy this beauty over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2025-2040- 94
2021 Baer ‘Callisto’ Red Wine- The 2021 ‘Callisto’ is mainly Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah with 17% Petit Verdot all sourced from the Stillwater Creek Vineyard in the Royal Slope AVA. This is nicely poised stuff with a silky mouthfeel and bright sense of tension and salinity. Rich dark fruits meld well with black licorice and shades of molten milk chocolate. Delicious now, enjoy over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2025-2040- 94
2021 Baer ‘Arctos’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 ‘Arctos’ has 16% Petit Verdot blended in. Stored in mainly neutral oak barrels, this delivers black rose petals and dried herbs on the nose alongside shades of dark chocolate shavings and tar notes. This comes off lithe and polished with lively acidity and a smooth mouthfeel. Drink 2025-2040- 94
2021 Baer Cabernet Franc- Nearly all varietal (93%) the 2021 Baer Cabernet Franc offers orange bell pepper aromatics, white pepper dusted black fruits and salty soils alongside pipe tobacco notes on the nose. The palate is lively and juicy with a firm acid backbone and smooth mouthfeel. Refined tannins frame a glorious core of red and dark fruits with bramble undertones. Elegant and refined, enjoy now and over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2025-2040- 95