Today we share the wines from one of the unique sites in North America. The WeatherEye Vineyard has become one of the outstanding sites in Washington for Rhone and Bordeaux varietals. Wines from this site are wild, herbal, salty and stony. This remote, northern-facing location on Red Mountain is unlike anything that you see from Washington State. They have a new winemaker as Louis Skinner worked on the final blends of the 2023 whites and reds. Ryan Johnson meticulously farms this site that is filled with sage, yarrow and loads of herbs. The herbal character in the wine is outstanding.
The range of new wines is astonishingly good. Tasting with Skinner we were both so impressed with the white wines from both ’22 and ’23. These were a revisit and are some of the finest white wines you will taste in the Pacific Northwest. They are fleshy, dense and delicious bottlings with terrific freshness and great salty minerality. Learn more at https://www.weathereyevineyard.com/ and here are my reviews of the 2023 white wines by WeatherEye.
2022 WeatherEye Vineyard Clairette- Sourced from two sites in the vineyard, the 2022 WeatherEye Vineyard Clairette shows great florals with nutty nuances and ripe pear on the nose. The palate is dense and delicious with a terrific mouthfeel and seamless texture with glorious length. A delicious bottling that has some great flavor density and nuance, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2026-2036- 96
2023 WeatherEye Clairette- The 2023 Clairette was stored on the lees for 20 months in neutral oak barrels before bottling. This comes off marvelously nutty with rich melon and shades of papaya on the nose. The palate is rich and dense with serious tension and texture, with loads of salty and stony nuance, alongside white rose water accents. Drink 2025-2035- 96
2022 WeatherEye Roussanne- The 2022 Roussanne was stored in 30% new French oak with the remainder amphora and neutral oak for 10 months before bottling. Bright honeydew melon fruits combine with honeycomb, lychee and pineapple notes on the nose. The texture is insanely good with good freshness and beautiful sense of weight. Finishing exceedingly long, this is a heady, dense and delicious Roussane bottling that is drinking marvelously right now. Drink 2026-2034- 97
2023 WeatherEye Roussanne- The 2023 Roussanne was also stored in a combination of amphora and oak before bottling. Very golden in the glass, this offers sinfully good aromatics of lemon peel, candied apricot and suggestions of papaya on the nose. The palate comes off weightless, offering supreme concentration and depth without coming off heavy. Opulent and dense, enjoy this electric wine now and over the next ten years. Drink 2026-2035- 97
2023 WeatherEye Marsanne- The 2023 Marsanne was fermented in a combination of amphora and oak, and then was stored on its lees 20 months until bottling in summer 2025. This offers Macadamia nut on the nose alongside cantaloupe, white peach and hints of ginger. The palate is beautifully-weighted with loads of sea salt and tension. A glorious wine to enjoy now, with serious depth and flavor density, enjoy now and over the next ten years to come. Drink 2026-2036- 97
l2022 WeatherEye ‘L’Atomique’ White Wine- The 2022 ‘L’Atomique’ combines Viognier (36%) with 32% Roussanne and the remainder Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Marsanne. This was unfined and unfiltered. This is a massive white wine that is gorgeous to consume right now. Tangerine zest, lemon curd, almond paste and shades of mango all combine on the palate. Refined and deep, with serious concentration, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2026-2036- 97
2023 WeatherEye ‘L’Atomique’ White Wine- The 2023 L’Atomique White combines 36% Viognier, with 32% Roussanne, 22% Grenache Blanc, and the remainder Clairette and Marsanne. Stored in a combination of one used 600L barrel and one new 228L barrel, this exudes class aromatically offering crushed seashell and nectarine on top of white florals and suggestions of lychee. The palate is powerful and dense with serious concentration and a great melange of citrus, melon and tropical fruits. Unfined and unfiltered, enjoy now and over the next ten years to come. Drink 2025-2035- 96
2022 WeatherEye Grenache- The 2022 Grenache comes from several parcels in the estate, including one dramatic site near the top of the vineyard. Once on the nose this takes on red rose petals, kumquat rind, Middle Eastern spices, pulled pork and shades of Linzer torte. The palate is silky and refined with serious texture, weight and length. Dense and weightless, with bright underlying acidity, enjoy now and over the next ten years to come. Drink 2026-2036- 97
2022 WeatherEye Mourvedre- The 2022 WeatherEye Mourvedre comes from two separate parcels in the vineyard, as this is 100% varietal that was stored in mainly neutral oak before bottling. Inky in the glass, this exudes class on the nose with garrigue, Hoisin sauce and shades of black plum alongside wintergreen accents. The flavor range is simply sumptuous.The palate is lush and mineral-laden with terrific tension and a glorious mouthfeel. Drink 2026-2036- 96
2022 WeatherEye Syrah- The 2022 WeatherEye Syrah had some stems added and is 100% varietal. Dried sage, white pepper dusted bacon, Black Forest cake tar and tobacco leaf all combine on the nose. The palate is dense and delicious with a seamless texture and lovely red and dark fruits with a smoky and savory edge. Drinking beautifully now, watch this evolve over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2026-2036- 96
2022 WeatherEye ‘Raven’s Share’ Red Wine- The 2022 ‘Ravens Share’ stands inky in the glass. Primarily Cabernet Franc and Merlot, this offers violets, creosote and red bell pepper on the nose with shades of sandalwood and chocolate cake. The palate is heady and delicious with serious depth and concentration. A total stunner, with herbal, chocolate and graphite nuances, drinking beautifully now and will continue to evolve over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2026-2041- 97
2023 WeatherEye ‘Raven’s Share’ Red Wine- Dense, juicy and delicious, the 2023 WeatherEye ‘Raven’s Share’ Red Wine offers heady black fruits on the nose with scorched earth, wet rock and shades of sandalwood, with dried herbal accents. Full-bodied and delicious with a seamless texture, watch this evolve over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2026-2041- 97
2022 WeatherEye Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2022 WeatherEye Cabernet Sauvignon is a stunning wine that has a long life ahead of it. On the nose this exudes class with mocha, tar and black licorice alongside light green herbs. The palate is plush and lush with a terrific tension and loads of stony minerals and dried herbs alongside heady black and blue fruits. Drink 2026-2040- 97
2023 WeatherEye Cabernet Sauvignon- The dazzling 2023 WeatherEye Cabernet Sauvignon is a spectacular showing from this warm vintage. Once on the nose this takes on tar and roasted fig notes alongside espresso grounds, blueberry compote and shades of black licorice. Full-bodied and fat on the mouth with terrific acidity and length, enjoy now and over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2026-2042- 98
2022 WeatherEye Tempranillo- Coming from a highly windy site, the 2022 WeatherEye Tempranillo offers blue fruits on the nose alongside garrigue, tar and shades of smoked brisket. The palate is lush and refined with an amazing texture and gorgeous sense of weight. Dense and decadent with an amazing acid backbone, this is drinking marvelously right now. Drink 2026-2038- 97
2023 WeatherEye Tempranillo- Sourced from their estate vineyard high atop Red Mountain, the 2023 WeatherEye Tempranillo opens with a bouquet of black rose petals and tar alongside tobacco leaf and worn leather notes. The palate is round and generous with good underlying freshness. Very decadent in its glorious core of black and blue fruits, with milk chocolate dusted arabica bean and green herbal accents, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2026-2038- 97