A Visit To K Vintners

Seeking a quick sabbatical from the Wine Bloggers Conference, I headed west of downtown Walla Walla to visit the venerable K Vintners. K is one of Charles Smith's three primary brands, along with Charles Smith Wines and The Magnificent Wine Company. The story is well known- Smith comes from Northern California via Europe, where he managed rock bands. He somehow ended up in Walla Walla, WA as a rock star winemaker, both literally and figuratively. He's famous for Washington Syrah, mostly from the Walla Walla Valley and the Wahluke Slope.

His branding, modernist and surreal, is iconic. Fortunately his wines walk the walk. K Vintners and Charles Smith wines are not only among the most highly regarded domestic Syrah; they've established themselves among the most highly regarded domestic wines period. Smith's Syrah wines have been rated consistently in the classic range in the Wine Advocate and in Wine Enthusiast. Aside from high-end Syrah, Smith's more value oriented brands such as The Magnificent Wine Company's House Wines and Charles Smith Wines' Kung Fu Girl Riesling bring style and value to everyday wine drinking.

The K Vintners winery and tasting room is located inauspiciously among the Phil Lane estate vineyard in Walla Walla. It's marked by a life-sized "K" along the road. There's farm pasture land across the street, with curious cattle that scampered off when I walked up to take a picture. With an old farm house, quaint vineyards, tall trees, and the winery in a old barn off to the side; the setting reminded me of the rolling Midwestern farm land that David Lynch brought to life in "The Straight Story" film.

The tasting room further reminded me of surreal themes of David Lynch- stark and mostly bare with concrete-colored walls... tiny little windows into the barrel room cut in asymmetrical patterns... the wines laid out on a bare antique table accompanied by a lone candle... a random assortment of weird tunes blasting from behind a mysterious black door... and my host sitting on a tiny little chair behind the table. The scene tied the cinematic and surreal influence on K together for me. As great as the wines are, every little nuance of the overall aesthetic is part of the show.

-The Wines



Per their technical information- K foot-crushes their fruit, ferments with only native yeasts, manually punches down, uses basket presses, and are aged in French Burgundy barrels.

~2009 Viognier, Columbia Valley- Barrel fermented in neutral barrels. Rocky and floral aromas flushed with stone fruit. Lush on the palate with peach, honey, apple, and apricot. Crisp and balanced---very good---$20.

~2008 "Milbrandt" Syrah, Wahluke Slope- 90% Sundance and 10% Pheasant Vineyards, sustainably farmed and owned by the Milbrandt brothers. Unfined. Floral notes with leathery spice and red fruit. Gamey on the palate with earthy red and blue fruit notes, layed over a spicy structure and finish---very good to excellent---$25.

~2008 "Clifton" Syrah, Wahluke Slope- Another vineyards owned and sustainably farmed by the Milbrandt brothers. Unfined. Cured meats, leather, baking spice leading into brambly red and black fruits. There's a spicy rich structure, tightly wound, leading into a full silky finish---excellent---$35.

~2007 "Phil Lane" Syrah, Walla Walla- From the sustainably-farmed estate vineyard in Walla Walla. Cobbley loam soil with vines trained low to the ground. Large brambly fruit on the nose with smoked meat and pepper. Lush fruit, black pepper, black olive, and spice- firm with a beautiful finish. This one could be special---excellent to stellar---$70.