November 13 - Around the World in 5 Merlots

Please join us on November 13th as we present to you, Much Maligned and Magnificently Memorable: An Introduction to Merlot. Where we'll be tasting Merlots from around the world

The classic Bordeaux varietal is one of the most versatile that exists; it can grow under many different situations, changing personality depending on whether it’s grown in a warm climate or cold. Merlot is the third most grown grape variety and is grown in wine regions all over the world.

We’ll taste the following, all 100% Merlot:

2016 Tenuta Santa Maria Decima Aurea Verona, Italy
From the Bertani family in the heart of Veronese wine country. Intense Ruby Red. Complex scents of wild red berries and dried plums. Well-structured, soft tannins, well-balanced acidity, hints of red berry fruit, sweet spices and licorice on the finish. Some of the grapes are left to dry for about a month, while the rest are harvested in October during overmaturation. The grapes are macerated at low temperature and fermented in steel. The wine is then aged for 14 months in French oak barrels.

2019 Chateau Monregard La Croix Pomerol, France
From a single plot of Merlot, around 50 years old, planted in sandy soil on Bordeaux’s Right Bank. The nose is immediately floral, the attack fruity and juicy with a velvety, sensual texture. In the mouth the wine is balanced, with ample tannins and a magnificent aromatic expression, made of fleshy red fruit, flowers, licorice, vanilla notes. Aged 18 months in French oak barrels.

2020 Finca La Capilla Castilla Y Leon Merlot, Spain
Grown in one corner of the estate from 40 year old Merlot vines, the soils have a loamy texture which contributes to the wines strong personality. A deep, full-bodied wine with a very expressive nose, with a wide range of red fruits, currants, and plums, accompanied by fine notes of honey, toast, spices, and dark chocolate. The palate is full and harmonious with polished tannins that exude elegance and distinction. Called a "different" wine by the winery. Aged 14 months in barrel, followed by several months of bottle aging before being offered for sale.

2021 Gundlach Bundschu Sonoma Valley Merlot, CA
One of Sonoma Valley’s most historic (founded 1858) and quirkiest wineries, it was one of the first wineries in California to produce a varietal Merlot. Drawing from three different plots, Merlot from “Rhinefarm” takes on a robust personality. It is distinctively dark and weighty with aromas and flavors of blueberries, black tea and cocoa and spice box. Aged 17 months in French Oak.

2022 Pepper Bridge Winery Merlot, WA
One of the “OG” wineries in Walla Walla Valley. A nine-time Wine & Spirits Top 100 winery. Merlot has been produced every year since 1999. Open, expressive aromatics. Scents range from dark fruit to earthy tones, with subtle oak qualities of chocolate and warm baking spices. The forefront of the palate is a fruit basket of plum, black cherry, and blackberry, with hints of olive tapenade. Supported by mouthwatering acidity and powerful but refined tannins, this is a classic Walla Walla Merlot.

September 11, 2025 - Amarone Tasting

WAC Wine Club members, you are in for a treat—five outstanding Amarones! Amarone della  Valpolicella is a bold, full-bodied red from Veneto, Italy, made with partially dried grapes  yielding rich flavors of dried fruit, cherry, and spice. Grown in the hills near Verona and Lake  Garda, the region’s warm days and cool nights give balance and elegance. It’s a type of wine  that is perfect with braised meats, mushroom risotto, and aged cheeses just for starters. 

2008 Zýmē Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 

Zýmē is one of the newer stars of Valpolicella, founded in 2003 by Celestino Gaspari, who  blends respect for tradition with a restless curiosity for innovation. The 2008 Amarone is a  perfect example. 

Made from a blend of Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Oseleta, and Croatina, the wine follows  the classic appassimento method—grapes dried for months in airy lofts before a slow, cool  fermentation. It then spends years resting in large oak barrels to build complexity. 

In the glass, the 2008 is deep garnet, with aromas of dried cherries, figs, leather, and warm  spice. On the palate, it’s rich and layered: dried fruit and cocoa mingle with savory herbs and a  gentle balsamic note. Tannins are polished, acidity still vibrant, and the finish lingers with hints  of licorice and tobacco. 

2009 Masi Campolongo di Torbe Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 

Masi’s Campolongo di Torbe is one of the most prestigious single-vineyard Amarones, grown  on volcanic soils in Negrar. The site has been celebrated for centuries, and the wine captures  equally both power and finesse. 

The 2009 vintage leans into its richness. Made from the traditional blend—Corvina, Rondinella,  and Molinara—the grapes are dried through the winter, concentrating their sugars and flavors.  Fermentation is slow, and the wine spends about three years in oak before release. 

On the nose, it’s decadent: figs, raisins, chocolate, and baking spices, with a touch of vanilla and  coffee from the wood. The palate is full-bodied, dense with dried fruit, plum compote, and  hints of cinnamon, yet held in check by balanced acidity. The finish is long, warming, and  velvety. 

2011 Masi Campolongo di Torbe Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 

Just two years later, the 2011 Campolongo di Torbe shows a slightly different face—still  opulent, but with fresher fruit and more vibrancy.

Here, the nose offers ripe cherries, dried figs, violets, and hints of cocoa. The palate is round  and plush, with notes of plum, blackberry jam, and warm spice. Tannins are silky, giving it an  elegant structure, and the acidity keeps everything lively. 

2012 Farina Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 

The Farina family estate is one of Valpolicella’s classics, crafting approachable yet refined  Amarones for generations. Their 2012 Amarone Classico shows a softer, more fruit-forward  style than some of its powerhouse neighbors. 

Made from Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, and Molinara, the grapes are dried for about four  months before fermentation and aged for two years in oak. The result is a wine with a  generous, open character. 

In the glass, you’ll find notes of cherries in liqueur, dried figs, chocolate, and hints of spice. On  the palate, it’s full-bodied but smooth, with velvety tannins and a lingering finish of sweet fruit  and subtle tobacco. 

2016 Serego Alighieri Vaio Armaron Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 

The jewel of the Serego Alighieri estate, the Vaio Armaron is Amarone with a pedigree  stretching back to Dante’s descendants. The 2016 vintage balances richness with elegance,  making it one of the most striking expressions of Amarone in recent years. 

Deep ruby in color, the wine shows aromas of preserved cherries, dried plums, cocoa, and a  touch of spice. The palate is powerful yet polished, with silky tannins framing flavors of ripe  cherries, chocolate, and sweet herbs. Critics swooned over it—Decanter gave it 95 points,  praising its grace and longevity.

June 12, 2025 - A Spectacular Burgundy Tasting

The WAC Wine Club presents… A Spectacular Burgundy Tasting - An Experience to Remember 

Since 1350, the Bichot family has called Burgundy home. In 1831, Bernard Bichot founded a merchant house bearing his name a couple of kilometers south of Beaune. At the end of the 19th century, his grandson Albert Bichot took the family business in a new direction and created the winery, Maison Albert Bichot as we know it. The family heritage has been perpetuated since then. Albert Bichot has acquired 250 acres of vineyards in the most reputed growing areas throughout Burgundy. Over the years they’ve built one of the most enviable collections of vineyards and have an uncanny knack for getting amazing value from sought-after regions while keeping quality sky-high. The family crest, consisting of a deer and antlers, has been synonymous with the winery since its inception. 

Of note in descriptions below:

• A climat is a specifically delimited vineyard plot with particular geological and climatic conditions where human intervention is also strictly regulated. 

• A monopole refers to a vineyard or designated area that is entirely owned and controlled by a single winery or wine company.

• A clos is a vineyard that is completely surrounded by a wall, typically made of stone, creating an enclosed space.

2018 Chablis Premier Cru ‘Montée de Tonnerre’ Domaine Long-Depaquit

The name of this Climat is derived from that of the ancient Roman road that went up the hill towards Tonnerre.  Located on the right bank of the Serien river, facing the Grand Cru ‘Blanchots’ Climat, the purity of the subsoil lends the wines their noble kinship.

The captivating nose swells with aromas of dried and fresh lemon, white-fleshed fruit and marked minerality, as well as spiced pastry. The palate shows a great depth of lemon-cream flavor with a cool, intense, chalky core--a super smooth resolve. This is a refined, powerful and attractive Chablis.

2016 Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru ‘Lavaux Saint-Jacques’ Maison Albert Bichot

A great appellation in the Côtes de Nuits, both for its size and renown, Gevrey Chambertin stands out for the impressive diversity of its terroirs. The ‘Lavaux Saint-Jacques’ Climat is located on slopes that border the exit of the Lavaux valley. This valley has a strong influence on the growth cycle of the vine and the ripening of the grapes, lending considerable boldness and precision to the wine.

The deep nose puts forth aromas reminiscent of ripe red and black fruit (strawberry, raspberry...) and mild spices mingled with a delicate hint of oak, which will evolve toward scents of leather over time. This powerful, concentrated wine boasts nice structure on the palate, along with well-integrated tannins and good balance. Its finish is very long and intensely fragrant. 

2016 Nuit-Saint-Georges Premier Cru ‘Château-Gris’ Monopole  

Built in the early 19th century, Château-Gris sits on a slope to the southwest of Nuits-Saint-Georges, at the heart of a large clos. Back then, the locals named it as such because its roof is covered with grey (gris) slate whereas glazed tiles are more common in Burgundy. The name hasn't changed to the present day.

The extremely elegant nose combines scents of red and black fruit (raspberry, strawberry, blackcurrant...) with subtle floral notes (rose, violet, peony...) and a delicate hint of oak. This wine is smooth on the palate and features rich, fleshy fruit flavors and structure owed to sophisticated tannins. This distinguished wine offers a lovely sensation of freshness on the finish. 

2017 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru Maison Albert Bichot

One of Burgundy's 33 Grand Crus, the "Bonnes-Mares" climat is divided between the co67yymmunes of Morey-Saint-Denis and particularly Chambolle-Musigny. This flagship wine of the Côte de Nuits lends the Pinot Noir grapes that grow on this exceptional terroir their unique characteristics--power and body without sacrificing finesse and elegance, as well as exceptional cellaring potential.

The superb nose combines notes of red and black fruit, flowers (peony, rose, violet...) and spices, which will evolve over time towards more complex scents (forest undergrowth, leather...). The rich, full-bodied, fleshy palate is supported by velvety tannins. Its classy finish boasts remarkable length. 

2018 Corton Grand Cru ‘Clos des Maréchaudes’ Monopole Domaine Du Pavillon  

The name ‘Maréchaudes’ is derived from the name of a vineyard mentioned in the 13th century as ‘En Mareschaut’, which comes from the Old French ‘m544aresche’ (marshland). The lower part of Aloxe-Corton was indeed marshy due to its proximity to the source of the Lauve river.  Major work was undertaken to drain the soil to make it suitable for viticulture.  ‘Clos des Maréchaudes’ is a monopole of Domaine du Pavillon, which is extremely unique in that it boasts two levels of appellation, a Grand Cru and a Premier Cru, within the same 5-acre clos.  

This wine features well-balanced notes of vanilla and toast on the nose along with nuances of raspberry fruit and sweet strawberries. It starts off very round, rich and powerful, a harmonious combination of richness and the finesse of the terroir. The tannins are dense, mature and round with a velvety tannic structure. Nice intensity and length come through with red fruit on the finish.

2018 Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru ‘Les Malconsorts’ Domaine Du Clos Frantin 

Les Malconsorts is an exceptional Premier Cru from Vosne-Romanée. This jewel of a Climat is located close to legendary vineyards (less than 400 metres from Romanée-Conti and less than 600 metres from Richebourg, actually lying adjacent to ‘La Tache’). Its Climat’s name is thought to refer to legal disputes between litigants who did not exhibit fair behavior – hence the ‘mal’ – to gain ownership of this magical piece of land that they held as common property (‘consorts’ in Latin). 

This wine expresses the exceptional character of a great terroir combined with a great grape variety. The fine, complex nose features notes of red and black fruit (cherry, raspberry, blackcurrant) combined with delicate nuances of oak and subtle hints of spices. On the palate, the wine's smooth, full-bodied texture is supported by elegant tannic structure. An exceptional, classy wine that is endowed with remarkable length. 

May 8, 2025 - Fidélitas Wines

Featuring Fidélitas

Presenter: Will Hoppes, Fidélitas Managing Director
In the spring of 2016, Will Hoppes left his desk job to pursue a career in winemaking - something he once vowed never to do after enduring a sweltering summer on the bottling line as a teenager. Over time, however, his interest in wine and the opportunity to work alongside his father, Charlie Hoppes, proved too compelling to resist. The timing was ideal: Fidélitas was preparing for its 20th vintage, and Will returned to Red Mountain to begin his apprenticeship. Today, he loks ahead with excitement to the future of Fidélitas and the continued evolution of Red Mountain over the next two decades and beyond.

Tasting Flight

• 2021 Fidélitas Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

• 2021 Fidélitas Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Clone 169

• 2021 Fidélitas Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Clone 412

• 2020 The Canyons Vineyard Malbec

• 2021 Quintessence Vineyard Malbec

March 13, 2025 - Spring Valley Vineyard

The WWC is celebrating Women’s History Month by featuring a dynamic female winemaker for the March 13th tasting.

Kate Derby of Spring Valley Vineyard is the great-granddaughter of Spring Valley founder, Uriah Corkrum. Named after Corkrum’s wife, Katherine, Kate continues to build the legacy of the highly acclaimed winery as their leader of winemaker operations.

Kate took the helm as winemaker in 2023, and she continues to make beautiful estate wines that are unique to Spring Valley.

We’ll taste through five of Spring Valley’s estate varietals and talk to Kate about her journey from Minnesota to Walla Walla, her winemaking philosophy and what she thinks makes a perfect trip to Walla Walla.

Register in the WAC app!

January 9, 2025 - Pauillac, Margaux and Walla Walla

Pauillac, Margaux and Walla Walla—A Great Way to Start off the New Year!

One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends, have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. 

We’ll explore the Margaux Appellation. Silky, seductive and polished are the words that characterize the best wines from Margaux, the most inland appellation of the Médoc on the Left Bank of Bordeaux. This appellation was the first Bordeaux area cultivated for wine production and contains 21 cru classé properties from the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. 

The Pauillac Appellation is considered one of the most famous regions in Bordeaux due its star power. Three out of the five First Growths are found here. Situated north of Saint-Julien and Margaux, Pauillac is all about powerful, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines grown on gravel soils.

Walla Walla Valley is home to many of the Pacific Northwest’s oldest and most acclaimed vineyards dating back to the 1850s. Its ideal conditions are perfect for growing and producing an elegant and beautifully aromatic Cabernet Sauvignon, with bright acidity. Wines sourced primarily from Red Mountain, display structure, richness and a focused mouthfeel that have come to characterize Red Mountain Cabernet.

2011 Château Lynch-Bages Pauillac

71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot

The history of Lynch-Bages, situated in the lands of “Batges” at the entrance to Pauillac, is emblematic of the Médoc region. Its vineyard (1855 Grand Cru Classé) overlooks the Gironde estuary and stretches over a beautiful gravelly hilltop. The wine displays deep and complex notes of cassis, black cherries, espresso, gravelly soil tones, a touch of anise and lead pencilly new oak. On the palate, the wine is deep, full-bodied, quite well-balanced, with fresh acidities a very good core of fruit, fine focus and a very long, tannic and chewy finish. 

2012 Château Pontet-Canet Pauillac

65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot

In the early 18th Century, Francois Pontet bought and consolidated several plots of land located northwest of Pauillac. Several years later his descendants bought neighboring vineyards in an area named "Canet", thus creating one of the largest estates in the entire Medoc (1855 Fifth Growth Grand Cru Classé). The 2012 vintage is considered one of the top Left Bank wines with aromas of cigar box, underbrush, leafy herbs, black currants, and tobacco wrapper, with a creamy quality to the sweet, red fruits. On the palate, there is a presence of dried meat, blackberries, blueberries, and hints of mushroom, very polished silky tannins and a chewy finish.

2015 Les Forts de Latour Pauillac

63%Cabernet Sauvignon, 35.6% Merlot with minor additions of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc

Les Forts de Latour is produced with the same meticulous care as the Grand Vin, Chateau Latour, both in the vineyard and in the winery. The wine was first labelled with this name in 1966 and constant work on developing its quality has resulted in its achieving the level of a Médoc Grand Cru Classé. In the glass it reveals a bright crimson color with aromas of chocolate coated currants, cigar box, flowers and tobacco leaf. On the palate, fabulous notes of cassis, jammy currant and black fruits come through with a medium/full-bodied, concentrated, firm, fresh, juicy and lively, with a creamy textured, sweet finish.

2016 Chateau Giscours Margaux

81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot 

Located in the famous Margaux appellation, this estate was first mentioned in a document dating back to 1330, although it wasn’t until 1847 that the cornerstone of this remarkable château was laid.  Giscours' quality was confirmed by its inclusion as a Third Growth in the 1855 classification. It is seductive on the palate thanks to its refined, silky tannins. It is a powerful, enchanting, hugely charming wine. The wine offers beautiful, complex (and classic Margaux) perfume of smoke tobacco, black currants, truffly earth, and spring flowers with a palate of ripe red plum and red berries. It is finesse-driven, medium-bodied, and seamless on the palate, with ultra-fine tannins and no hard edges.  

2014 Long Shadows Winery Pirouette

58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Petit Verdot, 17% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc

Long Shadows Winery is a collection of seven ulta-premium Columbia Valley wines.  Napa Valley’s Philippe Melka partnered with Long Shadows’ winemaker, Gilles Nicault, to produce this old world style blend. Using small lots from Washington State's finest vineyards they crafted this enticing red blend into a stunning wine. The 2014 Pirouette is multi-layered with aromas of plum, cranberry, cigar box, blackberry, café au lait and smoke. The palate reveals flavors of dark red and black fruits, hints of sweet oak, licorice and cocoa that gain complexity with every sip. The wine is richly textured, with refined tannins and a beautiful mouthfeel that provides a lengthy finish.