Today we share the brilliant wines by Master of Wine, Billo Naravane. For roughly two decades now he has been crafting beautiful expressions of Washington State wine. He makes a sensational range of wines from finesse-laden Rieslings to inky Syrahs. Billo also has a remarkable story in wine. If you have never tried these wines then you are in for a serious treat. A scientist by trade, Billo Naravane initially was inspired by wine while living Austin, Texas. During that time Naravane was exposed to some of the finest wines in the world and he fully caught the wine bug. Finally, he and his brother, Pinto, made the bold decision to start Rasa Vineyards in 2007. My first exposure to these great wines was many years back when I was served a 2007 Rasa Vineyards ‘QED’ Syrah blind. I was absolutely mesmerized by the seamless quality of the wine. With a bachelor’s degree from MIT and a master’s degree from Stanford, Billo then studied viticulture an enology at UC Davis. He is now one of the few masters of wine (MW) in the world. The wines he crafts show tremendous texture, richness, poise and terroir — and are only getting better by each vintage.
The wines by Rasa were amazing across the board. Do not miss out on the 2022 Rasa Vineyards ‘Veritas Sequitur’ Syrah (OB, 99) which flirts with perfection and has amazing stony essence. Learn more about this fantastic Walla Walla winery at rasavineyards.com Here are the sensational new wines by Rasa Vineyards.
2024 Rasa Vineyards ‘The Composer’ Riesling- Coming from the Bacchus and Dionysus Vineyards in the White Bluffs AVA, the 2024 ‘The Composer’ is probably the finest edition of this wine that I have tasted in more than a decade. Right away on the nose shows off honeydew melon and beeswax aromatics alongside shades of nectarine skin and hints of mango. The palate is weightless and beautifully textured, showing good weight and freshness alongside a pillowy texture. Made in the Trocken style, with the faintest kiss of sweetness, this is up there with the best Riesling wines you will taste in Washington. Drink 2026-2032- 95
2024 Rasa Vineyards ‘QED Reductio Ad Absurdum’ Syrah- The unbelievably good 2024 QED ‘Reductio Ad Absurdum’ is all Syrah coming from the Eclectic Vineyard in the Yakima Valley. This location was planted between 2012 and 2014, sits primarily on southern facing slopes at an elevation between 870-930 feet. It has marvelous aromatics of red florals with venison, white pepper dusted charcuterie and shades of green olive tapenade. The palate is beautfully-textured with terrific weight and underlying finesse. For a vineyard that I am somewhat unfamiliar with, this wine delivers a total knockout punch in terms of flavor and aromatic range. A stunning wine to consume now, watch this evolve over the next ten plus years. Drink 2026-2036- 96
2022 Rasa Vineyard ‘Veritas Sequitur Naravane Vineyard’ Syrah- The world-class 2022 ‘Veritas Sequitur’ comes from the Naravane Vineyard in the Walla Walla Rocks District. This beauty was given all whole cluster fermentation and was stored in all new French oak prior to bottling. Tar, Kalmatta olives, black rose petals and smoldering stones all mark the nose alongside hints of blood orange zest. The palate is fresh and seamless with amazing power and verve — yet comes off extremely weightless. Very stony and mineral-laden, with amazing stony, Nori and oyster sauce nuances, watch this evolve over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2026-2036- 99
2024 Rasa Vineyards ‘Creative Impulse’ Red Wine- The 2024 ‘Creative Impulse’ is entirely coming from the famed DuBrul Vineyard in the Yakima Valley. This edition combines mainly Cabernet Sauvignon (80%) with the remainder Merlot. It is lifted, well-structured stuff that will command drinking enjoyment for decades to come. The mid-palate depth and refinement is exquisite as this glides throughout the drinking experience. Black tea, Middle Eastern spices and dark currants all parade with milk chocolate, garrigue and salty minerals on the palate. A joy to consume right now, watch this evolve over the next several decades. Drink 2026-2046- 99
2023 Rasa Vineyards ‘Plus One’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2023 ‘Plus One’ is a gorgeous, mineral-laden Cabernet Sauvignon that shows off the warmth of this vintage. Allspice dusted blackberry, Bing cherry and fresh sage all mark the nose. The palate is fresh and mineral-laden with incredible texture and salty minerality. Gorgeous now, be sure to give this at least an hour in the decanter if consuming in its heady youth. Drink 2026-2044- 97