Todd Alexander's Visionary Exploration of Northwest AVAs
A broad tasting of new and upcoming releases from the ever-expanding portfolio that Todd Alexander oversees should convince anyone that the future of Washington winemaking is in good hands. Upcoming profiles on Jancis Robinson and elsewhere will bring his wines to a global audience, but for the moment they are here for us to revel in at the tasting rooms where the wines are made – The Walls in Walla Walla and Force Majeure in Milton-Freewater.
Modest by nature despite a rock star resumé that extends back to PlumpJack and Bryant Family in Napa, Alexander currently works with vineyards from specifically-selected AVAs in the Willamette Valley, the Rocks District, Walla Walla, Red Mountain, Yakima Valley and the Columbia Gorge. As if that weren't enough to fill his calendar, he's looking as far south as the Rogue Valley and as far north as the Canadian Okanagan for further inspiration and exploration.
"All these brands are inherently different," he explains when I ask what inspires such a broad portfolio. His overriding goal? "We're not just trying to make a good wine; we're trying to show how this dirt varies from that dirt. I want to showcase the vintage and the site in a way that's also very pleasurable. At the end of the day the wines do need to be delicious."
At a broad tasting encompassing wines from all his projects – Force Majeure, The Walls, Pášxa, Weathereye and Holocene (wholly-owned by the Alexanders) – it was clear that each one meets specific goals and is well-differentiated from its companions. Force Majeure is where Alexander's Washington adventure began when he was hired in 2014 to oversee the evolution of that Red Mountain brand. Initially the vineyard management was in the hands of Ryan Johnson, who moved on to work on what is now Weathereye, a stunning site that is perched above the floodline on the cap of Red Mountain.
Hired by Mike Martin to oversee the expansion and re-concepting of The Walls, Alexander was able to explore grapes from vineyards further afield, particularly French Creek which is now an estate vineyard. Holocene is a separate entity owned by Todd & Carrie Alexander and focused on Oregon Pinot Noir, though its further expansion may include Grenache and maybe Syrah from farther south. Pášxa is the sister brand to The Walls, dedicated to estate grown, Rocks District Rhône varieties from the estate's RockGarden Vineyard. This was originally planted by Nina Buty in 2007 and is now owned by The Walls.
What is most impressive, apart from the overall scale, scope and quality of these young wines across the entire portfolio, is that Alexander and his team are often working with young vines – in the case of Weathereye, young vines from a new site atop Red Mountain that may prove to be as great in its own way as the Rocks District has proven to be since first being planted 25 years ago.
My previous reviews of the 2019 vintage are available on this website. I've gone back and added some further thoughts to some of them, and added notes on new and previously unreviewed wines from the 2019 and 2020 vintages. All are listed below. Of particular note are the Weathereye wines (due out in a month) and the 2020 releases from Pášxa which are due to be released this coming winter. Although these were tasted prior to their official release, they are finished wines and were given plenty of time and consideration. I want to write about them now while you still have a chance to reserve a few bottles, as many are made in tiny amounts and will be in high demand.
The Walls 2020 Stoney Vine Vineyard Wonderful Nightmare Tempranillo
Just out, this engaging single vineyard Tempranillo brings a whiff of the Rocks District funk, a mix of umami and wet underbrush and chamomile tea. It's got a wonderful intensity that carries on through the palate, with wild red berries, grilled meat and a dash of soy sauce. Great balance throughout; this seems like a real step up from the previous vintage.
374 cases; 13.5%; $48 (Walla Walla Valley)
The Walls 2019 Bellamy Cabernet Sauvignon
A full-flavored, sophisticated Bordeaux blend, this includes 19% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. The Cab Sauv dominates but is nicely rounded out by the Merlot, and the Franc brings a bit of spice. This is a most enjoyable wine with a mix of berry, plum, green tobacco, olive and rosemary, finishing with drying tannins and spicy toast. Drink now for its youthful energy, but cellar some for later evolution. CW
610 cases; 14.4%; $75 (Walla Walla Valley)
The Walls 2018 River Rock Vineyard Mahana Syrah
This well-appointed Syrah has a tight, tough structure with a mix of herb, pine needle, bark and brambly berry flavors. The earthy, lightly funky umami character of The Rocks AVA is also evident though it's labeled (by law) simply as Walla Walla Valley. Fruit lovers – give this extra breathing time in order to pump up the blackberries.
14.9%; $56 (Walla Walla Valley)
The Walls 2019 Stanley Groovy Red
No fewer than 10 red grapes are in this blend, including three Portuguese varieties. The risk of such kitchen sink confabulations is that the flavors just blend into generic - kind of like mixing left over paint in the hope of getting something brilliant and ending up with... brown. This is not that. I can't say you can pick out each and every grape, but you can find focus, length and spice, along with compact fruit flavors of blueberry and black cherry. There's a thin vein of dark chocolate also. This is the sort of wine that could spark a most interesting discussion, especially if you pour it for friends and ask them to speculate on what it is.
1238 cases; 15%; $35 (Red Mountain)
The Walls 2019 Curiositas Cabernet Sauvignon
Dark and what might be called 'brooding' this is tight, tannic and deep, with cassis fruit above an earthy, herbal bottom. It's classic Cab in a Bordeaux style, its flavors penetrating deeply while remaining tightly wound. Aerate aggressively or cellar another half decade.
475 cases; 15.4%; $75 (Red Mountain)
8/22 – the "flagship Red Mt. Cab from The Walls; fermented in concrete and stainless, then aged in 75% new oak. It's big and bold, loaded with blueberry and blackberry fruit, so ripe it touches on fig and raisin flavors. More Aussie than Bordeaux now that I revisit it.
Pášxa
Todd's take on this project: "Pášxa is my first foray into various sites within the Rocks District AVA. I have worked with SJR vineyard with Force Majeure but this was a chance to expand the palate and explore other sites, as well as help with acquisition and development of new vineyard sites from the ground up. It also gave us the opportunity to put together our own farming team. So, Pášxa and Force Majeure are farmed completely in-house, which gives us greater control in quality-focused capabilities. As for the wines themselves what has been very interesting for me to see are the subtle variations and nuances from site to site - even within The Rocks District AVA."
The 2020 wines were previewed but will not be released until this coming winter. Sign up now for the mailing list
Pášxa 2020 River Rock Vineyard Grenache
This is slightly funky, with touches of tea, tobacco, earth, fungus, soy and more. Expanding in the glass, bringing in plum and a minty note. Unique, expressive, sui generis – maybe the closest comp would be the GOK from Cayuse. A must-taste wine for anyone who loves Grenache.
170 cases; $85 (Rocks District)
Pášxa 2020 RockGarden Vineyard Grenache
This brings up the fruit, with a lovely mix of cranberry, plum and brown spices. There's an underlying earthy/leafy character but without the definitive funk of some sites within this AVA. It's a fascinating companion to the other Rocks District Grenache from Pášxa in 2020.
71 cases; $85 (Rocks District)
Pášxa 2020 RockGarden Vineyard Mourvèdre
The gorgeous fragrance introduces this terrific exploration of this grape as a standalone varietal wine. It's an explosion of soft red fruits, highlights of caraway seed, floral scents of cut flowers, incredibly expressive and long. Todd Alexander also makes pure varietal Mourvèdres for Force Majeure and Weathereye, but this is the standout among the three and not to be missed.
190 cases; 13%; $85 (Rocks District)
Pášxa 2020 RockGarden Syrah
Made from a selection of the best Syrah from this estate vineyard, this was fermented in stainless steel and aged in one quarter new French oak. There should be a photo of this wine in the dictionary under Rocks District Syrah – it's that specific and focused. Without going over the top, and maintaining impeccable balance, it captures the blue and black fruits, the earthy umami, the suggestions of bloody meat and herbal tea and on and on. All the things that make this AVA unique and iconic. Among the upcoming releases from Pášxa this has the biggest production and should be at the top of your list.
360 cases; $85 (Rocks District)
My original notes are from May, with updated comments from the August re-taste.
Force Majeure 2019 Épinette Red Blend
This proprietary red blend carries an interesting French name. Various sources define épinette as a black spruce, a tamarack, a cage used to fatten fowl, an alternative name for Chardonnay or Saint-Pierre Doré (another grape), a diatonic fretted zither and a spinet! The blend is 57% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot. It's chewy and dark, with gritty tannins around dense flavors of cut tobacco, black cherry, cola, espresso and cacao. Aggressive aeration is highly recommended, along with a thick cut of beef.
250 cases; 14.8%; $100 (Red Mountain)
8/22 – Big, bold, substantial and dark, this is a bonafide steak wine with great aging potential. The tannin management is spot on, and it's a fine representation of a Red Mountain Bordeaux blend.
Force Majeure 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon
Compact, forceful, complete and precise, this displays all the chief features of Red Mountain terroir, and makes it clear why it is the premiere site for Washington state Cabernet Sauvignon. Cassis and other black fruits, swathed in thick, ripe tannins, carry the palate. Highlights of tobacco, clean earth, peat moss, espresso and bitter chocolate contribute further complexity. Drink now through 2035 and perhaps beyond.
650 cases; 14.9%; $125 (Red Mountain)
8/22 – Good tannin management softens this up more than many Red Mountain Cabs. Definitely ageworthy. Drink now – mid-2030s as noted.
Force Majeure 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon
This Rocks District estate vineyard yields a rich and detailed Cabernet which is more fruit-driven than the winery's Red Mountain Cab. The aromas offer purple and black fruits along with a touch of pipe tobacco inviting further exploration. The wine is silky and smooth, with ample but soft tannins, and lingering highlights of toast, roasted coffee beans and baker's chocolate.
178 cases; 14.8%; $125 (Walla Walla Valley)
Force Majeure 2019 Parabellum Coulée
This Rhône-style blend is three quarters Syrah with the balance a mix of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Counoise. Wow! This is strikingly delicious, speared with a vein of minty tobacco, loaded with sweetly toasty flavors of blueberry, blackberry and marionberry fruit, and buoyed with natural acids. Essentially a GSM, it's fun to speculate on what the additions of the last two grapes contributed to the final flavors.
14.8%; $45 (Columbia Valley)
8/22– Lots of tobacco, broadly tannic, a kitchen sink blend of the highest order.
Force Majeure 2019 Parvata
This GSM blend is sourced from estate-grown Red Mountain fruit. It's 42% Mourvèdre,
32% Syrah and 21% Grenache along with a splash each of Cinsault and Counoise. It's much the same mix with different proportions as the Parabellum Coulée, and the two wines play out differently in the mouth. Here the Mourvèdre takes the lead and coats the palate broadly with flavors of Mediterranean herbs, wild berries and bramble.
250 cases; 14.6%; $70 (Red Mountain)
8/22 – This wine has evolved beautifully. It's rich, toasty and plays out broadly with a mix of cherries, brown spices, coffee grounds and terroir-specific accents.
Force Majeure 2019 Les Volés Mourvèdre
Pure Mourvèdre is rather rare, but winemaker Todd Alexander is a fan of the grape and determined to show how it fares as a varietal wine. This was vinified with wild yeast, fermented in concrete and aged in 30% new French oak. The fermentation vessels strongly influence the flavors, and the fruit needs plenty of aeration. Once it's open there's abundant blueberry and backing flavors of tart citrus, making it a tasty though sharply alcoholic wine.
120 cases; 15%; $85 (Red Mountain)
Force Majeure 2019 Syrah
This single varietal wine was co-fermented with 2% Viognier in a traditional Rhône style – 18% whole cluster, concrete and stainless fermenters, native yeast. It's estate-grown Red Mountain fruit, with subtle flavors of tart blackberry, chocolate, black licorice, tobacco, clove and espresso. It's complex and detailed with good balance throughout.
520 cases; 14.7%; $85 (Red Mountain)
8/22 – A spectacular rendition of Red Mountain Syrah, this has evolved nicely over the past few months. It's got pinpoint focus and a vast range of highlights (noted above). The flavors unfold in the glass as the wine breathes. This definitely should be decanted or opened hours ahead of your drinking window.
Force Majeure 2019 SJR Vineyard Syrah
SJR is the Rocks District vineyard of the Delmas winery, and this wine's aromas express the classic funk/umami notes for which the AVA is famous. The rich and expansive palate brings up compost, tea, blood sausage, tobacco, espresso and more... the details really pile on. It's got the subtle touch and balance of all the Force Majeure wines, and lingers gracefully across and down the palate through a massive, lingering finish. This is as good as it gets.
52 cases; 15%; $100 (Rocks District)
Weathereye
TA: "Ryan Johnson developed this vineyard; Cam Myhrvold is the owner. Everything is above flood plain (1200 feet). The Red Mountain AVA stops at the ridgeline. Vines on the north side (fewer than half) are Columbia Valley AVA. There is a big difference is the way the grapes ripen here – longer hang time, less intense sun and different clonal material than at Force Majeure. Plus there's a lot of variation in soil type. Everything is planted high density, meter-by-meter, so it gets a lot of shade. Even in this kind of heat it's doing really well."
PG: These are stunning wines from young vines. The three white wines are the most expressive at the moment, cellar-worthy and distinctive.
Weathereye 2020 Roussanne
Good balance, lightly peppery, firm, subtle, expressive. Citrus rind, native yeast.
25 cases; 14.5% $ TBD (Red Mountain)
2020 Weathereye Marsanne
Love this! Aromatic, complex, spicy and and packed with interesting fruits and a note of marzipan.
75 cases; 14.8% $ TBD (Red Mountain)
Weathereye 2020 L'atomique White
Intentionally intense, it gets its color from extended skin contact. It's not an oxidative style, not an orange wine, and has potential for aging. The blend is 55% Viognier, with equal parts of Marsanne, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc making up the balance. Grapes were picked together, de-stemmed, not pressed, and co-fermented on the skins until almost dry, then barreled down to finish. Admittedly an experiment, this is something truly brand new and unique, bursting with lovely scents and flavors of orange blossom, tangerine and fresh stone fruits.
38 cases; 15.3% $ TBD (Red Mountain)
Weathereye 2019 Estate Grenache
This is intense, concentrated, with dense raspberry and black cherry fruit. Tannins are drying but sanded smooth, and even when re-tasted on the third day this remains remarkably fresh and flavorful. The relatively high abv gives a liquorous trail to the finish..
80 cases; 14.8%; $85 (Red Mountain)
Weathereye 2019 Syrah
Sleek, steely, firm, tight, sculpted, this walks a fine line among various styles. The tart, lightly brambly fruits seem encased in cement. It's an ageworthy and definitive style that is set apart from other Red Mountain Syrahs.
140 cases; 15%; $85 (Red Mountain)
Weathereye 2019 Tempranillo
Light leather, cherry tobacco, graphite, black cherry and polished, soft tannins are all in the mix. All the Weathereye reds have a definitive twist to the tannins; all are impressive given that the vineyard was barely five years old in 2019.
100 cases; 14.7%; $85 (Red Mountain)
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NOTE: 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. Only exceptional wines are shown, no negative reviews. Non-digital publications face long delays between the time wines are tasted and reviews actually appear in print. My notes are posted immediately with links to the winery website, so you may purchase them directly from the producer before they are sold out. I take no commission, accept no advertising, and charge no fees for wines reviewed on this website. Please contact me at paulgwine@me.com with your feedback and suggestions for future posts.
Coming next week: Two Walla Walla wineries with broad and interesting portfolios.
Heads Up: In the coming weeks and months I am going to do features on Cabernet Franc, Syrah, GSM blends and other Rhône reds and blends. I am also planning a detailed look at the wines from the McMinnville AVA. Please send current and upcoming releases for these features no later than the end of September. Shipping information is published on this website or text me at paulgwine@me.com for details. Wineries seeking a full profile on this website may write me with your specific proposal and we'll put our heads together.
Thank you for your support! – Paul Gregutt
