Looking Back On A Quarter Century of Reininger Wines
Over Memorial Day weekend a feisty crew of bike riders visited Waitsburg, which is quite well-loved among cyclists. At a party at the Royal Block after a hard day's ride I ran into Chuck Reininger, and we chatted away for awhile catching up on all the latest. Chuck mentioned that his Reininger winery was about to celebrate its 25th vintage with a retrospective tasting and thank you party for all those who'd helped him, supported and worked with him over the years.
I was lucky enough to be invited, and a lovely party at the winery a couple of weeks later included a mix of bottles dating all the way back to the initial 1997 vintage. It was a bit of a time travel experience, back to the time when there were fewer than a dozen wineries in the valley. Among those present were Gary Figgins (Leonetti Cellar), Rick Small (Woodward Canyon), Marty Clubb (L'Ecole No. 41), Eric Rindal (Waterbrook), Ron Coleman (Tamarack) and Gordy Venneri (Walla Walla Vintners), all of whom had been instrumental in the founding and early years of Reininger.
Among the many highlights were Cabernets from 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2008; Merlots from 1997, 1999, 2003, 2008 and 2010; a 1997 Cabernet Franc and a splendid 1999 Syrah. I invited Chuck to come up to Waitsburg to taste through some of the current Reininger releases. It was also a chance to do a fairly extensive interview, and I found him to be one of the most thoughtful and insightful winemakers I've ever spent time with. Following his comments are my notes on the full range of wines from both Reininger (all sourced from Walla Walla) and Helix (sourced from a mix of Columbia valley vineyards).
I began the conversation by asking Chuck to define his palate preferences. We all have distinctive personal palate preferences, and over the years I've also noticed that among wine professionals there are interesting variations depending upon your relationship with the growing, making, selling and/or reviewing of wine.
He began by saying "I prefer elegance and refinement in wines. I love adventure in wines. For example in a blind tasting might have six or seven wines in the flight. Rarely can I point to absolute favorite. But I value wines where I can always find something new for a long time. If the wine opens up I can discover nuances all throughout my palate."
What else? "I appreciate well-made wines, complex wines. Sometimes monolithic wines can be impressive, can have va va voom, fantastic, impressive flavors, but if it's not changing a lot I get tired of them real easily. Seeking out the beauty in the wine, that's the fun part for me. It might not even show up for an hour or two. So the fact that wine is alive, always changing; that's what I love. Wine that expresses where it's grown, that takes me to a lot of different places. I truly believe in exploring the world at our dinner table!"
PG: You are celebrating your 25th vintage as a winery, but you actually set out to make beer, isn't that correct?
CR: "I attended brewing school in Chicago and my dream was to start a brewery. But coming to Walla Walla to visit my wife's family I was very much into exploring wine. I helped out at Waterbrook starting with their first crush in 1984. When we moved to Walla Walla in August of 1992 and I jumped on board at Waterbrook, but I was still working toward starting a brewery. Then I started home winemaking and that's really when I fell in love with wine. When I started to get an idea of all the decisions and challenges as a home winemaker, and the consequences of those decisions. It's different than working in a cellar and just taking orders. It's how you want to get the most out of the fruit from that vintage. I was bonded in 1997 – the 11th winery and the 10th bonded in Walla Walla."
PG: What was/is the most important part of winemaking for you?
CR: Family and history means a lot to me. My wife Tracy's family on both sides came over in wagon trains on the Oregon trail. Our kids are sixth generation. I find it all really fascinating; and for me the geology story is history. That vine is the umbilical cord between the soil and the bottle of wine. When I'm tasting and contemplating a glass of wine, examining its origins, what it offers in the palate, that process evokes the same feeling as being on a mountain ridge. I didn't see that in a glass of beer. You can sit at your dinner table and contemplate the soils and geology where any glass of wine came from. So it was important that our wine told the story of Walla Walla."
PG: Final thoughts? Lessons learned?
CR: "Naivete was the best thing. Had I known what I know now I wouldn't have had the courage to be going into a new business and being a new winemaker. I chuckle at the things I used to worry about that would keep me up at night. If I got into a barrel and forgot to top it off I'd wake up in the middle of the night and couldn't go back to sleep until I drove to the airport and topped my barrel. Now I know it can wait till morning.
"I'm really happy and grateful that I learned the artisan side before I learned the technical side. I want to rely on my intuition and palate, and use the technical side to back that up. I don't want to be driven by the numbers. The technical side is just to back up if something doesn't jive. It's really important to know what wine faults are. You have to understand what bad wines are. Being patient is key in so many aspects of winemaking."
PG: As always I tasted Chuck's wines over the course of a week, generally four or five each day, returning to the open bottles the second day while starting another flight, and so on until all the wines had been given as much time as needed to show their best. Here are my notes, organized into the two main brands and ranked in ascending order of personal preferences, white wines first, then reds.
Reininger 2021 Birch Creek Vineyard Sémillon
Vinified in stainless steel, this single vineyard selection has few comparables (other than the Sémillon from L'Ecole) in Walla Walla. It's a blend of two different vineyardblocks, one picked for acidity, one for body. There's a hint of grassiness, green melon fruit, ample acidity and a touch of beeswax and cheese rind in the finish. It's notable that this wine was consumed quite quickly as it was too delicious to save for the next day.
92 cases; 12.9%; $30 (Walla Walla)
Reininger 2020 Mr. Owl's Red
The affordable Mr. Owl's Red honors the winery's longtime assistant winemaker Raul Morfin. Some years ago the winemaker's young children, upon being introduced to Mr. Raul, heard it as Mr. Owl, and Mr. Owl he became from then on. The blend is 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 15% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Syrah, sourced principally from Pepper Bridge. It's an appealing, aromatic and unpretentious wine, with mixed flavors of tangy berries and tart, leafy herbs.
480 cases; 13.3%; $20 (Walla Walla)
Reininger 2019 BDX Red
Roughly two thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and one third Merlot with a splash each of Malbec and Petit Verdot, this is a smooth, supple and fulsome blend. In terms of muscle and flavor the Cabernet is front and center. A tight streak of green stem runs down the spine. Tannins are firm and the acids proportionate. This is very much in the Bordeaux style, well-crafted and built to age over the rest of the decade.
341 cases; 13.9%; $32 (Walla Walla)
Reininger 2019 Syrah
This is bright, spicy, sharp-toned and clearly displays classic varietal flavors. It nicely manages the herbal side of the grape paired with spicy red berry fruit. Excellent concentration, length and nuances, with drying tannins.
295 cases; 14.3%; $56 (Walla Walla)
Reininger 2019 Merlot
Flavors of brown spices, strawberries and a touch of mocha carry this as it firms up through the finish with a well-built tannic frame. This is a sturdy, herbal, savory style of Merlot, less broad than most, nicely focused and certainly cellar worthy. Pepper Bridge and Seven Hills vineyards provided the fruit. It was aged in 71% American oak and 29% French oak, about one fifth new.
170 cases; 13.7%; $37 (Walla Walla)
Reininger 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon
Aromatic and a bit chewy, this is powered with cassis and espresso and a dark, earthy base. Hints of peat and espresso add complexity as the wine finishes with firm, polished tannins. All French oak was used, one third was new. Give it a good decanting and it will open up nicely.
419 cases; 14.1%; $44 (Walla Walla)
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The Helix brand is for wines sourced from throughout the Columbia Valley.
Helix 2021 Stillwater Creek Vineyard Sangiovese Rosé
One of a trio of summer-ready wines from this vineyard, this friendly sipper should be enjoyed chilled with charcuterie, bland cheeses and tapa-style spreads. Outdoors if possible, and no need to dive into the details. It's fresh, clean, light and thoroughly enjoyable.
190 cases; 13.3%; $24 (Royal Slope)
Helix 2021 Stillwater Creek Vineyard Chardonnay
This all-stainless Chardonnay is sleek, spicy and laden with citrus peel flavors of lemon and grapefruit. It's a stylish wine perfect for chilling and enjoying outdoors in the hot weather.
113 cases; 13.3%; $24 (Royal Slope)
Helix 2021 Stillwater Creek Vineyard Viognier
I'm not always a big fan of Viognier, as its optimal ripeness is on a razor-thin edge. This hits the bullseye. Vinified entirely in stainless steel to enhance the fruit-driven aromatics and express the natural terroir of the Royal Slope, it succeeds on all fronts. This is spicy, varietal and expressive, with fruit flavors of citrus and melon highlighted with botanical accents. Or, as winemaker Chuck Reininger writes, "dreamy orange creamsicle's flavor and texture envelops mandarin orange, pear, a drop of grapefruit and a pinch of salinity on a layer of loam." However you describe it, this is a winner start to finish.
77 cases; 12.9%; $30 (Royal Slope)
Helix 2018 Stone Tree Vineyard Petit Verdot
This is generally a blending grape, and as a stand-alone it presents challenges. To ripen to this degree means the finished alcohol tops 15%, and along with that come dense tannins. Here those tannins are very much present, yet fully ripened, textured and even silky. The dark fruits are behind that tannic wall, but more bottle age should help the balance. This is 100% varietal and was given one third new French oak.
204 cases; 15.1%; $48 (Wahluke Slope)
Helix NV Tucker Legacy Red
Formerly called Pomatia, this latest version was just bottled and includes a mix of unnamed grapes from around the Columbia valley. It's a substantial red, dark in color and showing real density and muscle. Most likely this includes a fair amount of Cabernet and a side order of Syrah; whatever the actual blend it brings generously ripe flavors of black fruits and cassis with a finishing lick of espresso. A fine value, this is a perfect go-to summer barbecue wine.
875 cases; 13.8%; $20 (Columbia Valley)
Helix 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon
Along with Cabernet sourced from the outstanding Phinny Hill vineyard, this includes 10% Merlot from Bacchus in the final blend. It was aged in a 60/40 mix of French and American barrels, though only 10% were new. The wine sets up firm and savory, with well-defined flavors of blackberries, blue plums and cassis. With the tannins come hints of tobacco. This is sealed with a screwcap and must be decanted in order to open up all the tightly packed flavors.
247 cases; 14.5%; $33 (Horse Heaven Hills)
Helix 2020 Stone Tree Vineyard So-Rhô
An M-G-C if you will, this is a co-fermented blend of 47% Mourvèdre, 28% Grenache and 25% Cinsault sourced from a single vineyard not generally lauded for Rhône-style blends. Aromas of red fruits open into a palate of strawberries, raspberries and cherries, backed with juicy acids. It's sleek and focused, with a tight, sharp finish. With ample aeration further flavors unfold.
355 cases; 14.4%; $48 (Wahluke Slope)
Helix 2017 Phinny Hill Vineyard Syrah
Aged in a mix of neutral oak (French, American and Russian) for four years, this is the current release. Savory and loaded with raspberry and blueberry scents and flavors, it's a fruit-driven wine that hits the palate with a burst of tobacco, herb, loamy earth and lush berry flavors. It's pure varietal and single vineyard, capturing classic varietal flavors with overall balance and elegant precision.
327 cases; 14.1%; $48 (Horse Heaven Hills)
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NOTE: My reviews reflect my decades of experience tasting and writing about wines. The wines I recommend have been tasted over many hours and days in peer groups and are selected for excellence. I have chosen to eliminate numerical scores from this website. Instead I give you honest, thoughtful and timely recommendations. Only exceptional wines are shown, no negative reviews. Unlike print publications, which may face long delays between the time wines are tasted and reviews actually appear, my notes are posted before wines are sold out, so you can purchase them directly from the producer. I take no commission, accept no advertising, and charge no fees for wines reviewed on this website. Contact me at paulgwine@me.com with your feedback and suggestions for future posts.
Coming next week: On July 16th I’m going to do an update on recent events and new releases from Antiquum Farm, a wonderful estate I profiled in a Wine Enthusiast article on winery farms about a year ago. I am still getting Riesling submissions so I will postpone my survey of Northwest Rieslings for one extra week. That will drop on July 23rd.
Heads Up: Looking out a few weeks I'm planning a detailed look at the McMinnville AVA. If you are making any and all McMinnville AVA wines, whether or not your winery is located there, I would like to include them in my tastings. Please ship wines to me between August 1st and September 21st. I welcome your wines and your thoughts on this fascinating AVA.
