It was finally beginning to look like Spring here in Woodinville on a sunny day recently. My friend Valerie was also in a mood to go wine tasting, so we headed to Woodinville together, stopping for lunch first. We thought we’d try Tertulia Cellars wine for the first time.
Check out this beautiful light-filled tasting room. We thought the Spring flowers were a nice cheerful, colorful touch.
What I love about playing hooky on a weekday is we generally have the tasting rooms all to ourselves! We’re not antisocial, and love chatting with people, but this way it feels like our own private wine education retreat!
Brendan greeted us warmly, and we enjoyed learning about Tertulia Cellars wine from him. He talks fast and knows a lot about wine, so I had to work hard to take notes quickly!
Brendan was a bit shy to have his photo taken but we wheedled him into it!
He chatted with us about the vineyards, winemaker Ryan Raber, and the history of Tertulia Cellars and their winemaking efforts.
Our first wine tasting pour was the 2017 Marsanne from Elevation Vineyards near Walla Walla. It’s aged in stainless steel. It’s a blend of 75% Marsanne and 25% Roussanne. Only 75 cases were produced.
The next wine Brendan poured for us was the 2013 Great Schism Reserve, from grapes grown at the Riviere Galets estate vineyard. “Riviere Galets” means “stony river” and is located in The Rocks District AVA. This Bordeaux style wine is bottle aged before releasing.
The wine’s name comes from the Great Schism of 1348 which you can read more about here.
Notice the Tertulia Cellars logo, showing people holding hands in a circle. Tertulia is Spanish for “gathering of friends,” or “circle of friends,” and the Tertulia Cellars wine club is called “Circle of Friends.” I didn’t get a photo of it, but the tasting room bar is purposely shaped circular, as well.
Brandon showed us several vases of stones from the different vineyards where Tertulia Cellars’ wine grapes are grown. This vase holds stones from Elevation Vineyard. You can read more about the extreme elevation of that vineyard over at Great Northwest Wine.
Tertulia Cellars also grows grapes in The Rocks District AVA in Oregon.
Next we tasted the 2015 Reserve Estate Syrah. Valerie especially likes Syrah (when she doesn’t have a Malbec in front of her!) and was happy to try this one.
Brendan taught us more about the vineyards these wines are grown at. It takes six hours of jackhammering the basalt for each plant in order to drive a stake into the ground. There’s not much yield per acre, but that helps concentrate the grapes.
Next we tried the 2012 Sobra, which means “bountiful” or “plentiful.” It’s grown in Horse Heaven Hills.
While we tasted, Brendan talked about the Tierra Labrada reserve wines from the wine club, including this Merlot. The most recent club release included a Cabernet Franc, the Marsanne, and the 2013 Reserve Excelsior. The Reserve Excelsior spends 20 months in new French oak barrels.
Brendan said their first Cabernet Franc was planted in 2014 in the Elevation vineyards, and then was released in 2015.
Tertulia Cellars grows 17 varietals.
Valerie enjoyed the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, which is grown from the Phinny Hill vineyard. It’s blended with 3% Petit Verdot and 11% Merlot.
We then tried the 2014 Carmenere from Phinny Hill Vineyard. There’s less than 200 acres of Carmenere planted in the state. It’s one of the original varietals from Bordeaux, but the varietal had a problem with being killed by rot and blight in the late 1800s. Carmenere, known as “the lost grape of Bordeaux” was rediscovered in the 1980s in Chile. Carmenere needs super hot weather to develop.
We were delighted to try a sneak peek at the Rosé, which wouldn’t be released until Easter weekend.
Tertulia Cellars’ Rosé is made from 47% Syrah, 33% Mouvedre, and then Tempranillo. It’s dry, and is aged in stainless to help it taste clear.
Sunlight just streams through the large windows here. I’d be eager to taste on a nice warm day when they can open the garage doors, too.
The Tertulia Cellars tasting room is not dog-friendly (I always make a point of asking!) They offer meat and cheese plates for sale to accompany your tasting.
You can rent it as an event space for up to thirty people. You can use Chef Anne Marie for your event, or bring in your own caterer.
Wine club members get 20% off stays at the Hampton Inn across the parking lot.
I really enjoyed the artwork on the walls here at Tertulia Cellars. I forgot to ask questions about the artist!
The gift shop part of the tasting room offers Tertulia Cellars wines, caps, a few gourmet snacks, and some brochures about the wine club.
Here’s the current tasting menu as it looked in March 2018.
In June, Tertulia will release their oak barrel Viognier.
I wanted to remember to mention that Chef Anne Marie and Tertulia Cellars winemaker Ryan Raber will team up for a special Winemaker Reception event on June 1, 2018 here at the Woodinville tasting room.
Definitely stop by Tertulia Cellars if you enjoy Bordeaux style red wines from Washington!
-Carrie
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