Founded on the former site of a blacksmith shop, Forgeron Cellars Winery in Walla Walla takes its name from the French word for blacksmith while at the same time paying homage to winemaker Marie-Eve Gilla’s French heritage.
Forgeron also has a quaint tasting room in an old house, just off of the second traffic circle in Woodinville’s Hollywood wine district. As he takes us through the current releases, Hospitality Manager Neil Maertens explains that buried for good luck, hundreds of horseshoes that were unearthed during the winery’s construction, have been re-buried under that buildings foundation. But after tasting Forgeron’s wines it is clear that there is no luck involved, but instead a deliberate winemaking style focused on elegance and complexity that is producing consistently terrific results.
Originally from France, Marie-Eve moved to the United States in 1991 and spent a decade honing her method at some of the most well known and well respected wineries in the Pacific Northwest including Argyle Winery and Adelsheim Vineyard in Oregon, and Covey Run Winery and Gordon Brothers Winery in Washington State. In 2001, she established boutique Washington winery Forgeron Cellars, and hasn’t looked back. Her husband also happens to be Gilles Nicault, former winemaker for Woodward Canyon and now Director of Winemaking and Viticulture at Long Shadows Vintners…wouldn’t you love to be part of their dinner conversation on any given evening!
Producing just 6,000 cases per year, Marie-Eve’s wines feature fruit from Washington’s most acclaimed vineyards such as Boushey, Klipsun, and Kiona. According to Maertens, she produces blends of different varieties from various vineyards and, when possible, produces single-vineyard varieties and a varietal blend. Her “ANVIL” label is reserved for special projects dedicated to wines from the top Washington vineyards in their best vintages. The 2012 Anvil Malbec from Stonetree Vineyard was recently rated 92 points by The Wine Advocate.
Surprisingly for us it was her white wines that we discovered last year that brought us back for more. While we’re definitely fans of her red wines, Marie-Eve’s Chardonnay ranks among our absolute favourite white wines along with her Façon Blanc, a white Rhône blend featuring 33% Roussane, 30% Grenache Blanc, 22% Viognier, & 15% Marsanne (formerly known as “Ambiance”).
Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to meet with Marie-Eve this time around to hear more about her winemaking philosophy directly but we will look forward to another reason to return as soon as possible to one of our favourite wine regions.
2014 Rosé
100% Sangiovese. Bright pink colour. Strawberry and spices come through in a medium+ body that offers a bit more depth than the average Rosé. Crisp and clean on the finish it refreshes and gives you just what you want in a rose: dry and thirst quenching with a freshness that is just right for this hot summer. Available only at their tasting room. Very Good – $22 at their Tasting Room
2013 Façon Blanc
This is their whiteRhône blend and this year it is a winner once again. In previous vintages this was called Ambiance, but it’s still a blend of Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Viognier and Marsanne. Melon and apricot with a hint of grapefruit combine with a rich, mouth-filling body that gives this wine a special substance. The medium acid finishes the wine and gives it balance. Mostly Yakima fruit and from some of their finest vineyards: Boushey, Den Hoed and Crawford, and their pedigree shows. A bargain compared to what you would have to pay for this quality level from the Rhone Valley.
Very Good/Excellent $25 at their Tasting Room
2013 Chardonnay
This wine has 4% Rousanne blended from Art Den Hoed Vineyard with a bevy of different vineyards from around the state contributing to the Chardonnay. Pear and stone fruits dominate the nose of this fragrant wine. The medium body carries those flavours with the addition golden delicious apple and a touch of grapefruit. There is a lovely balance in this wine, with a mix of fruit, oak and acid where each component blends with the others and contributes to the overall complexity. Among the finer Chardonnays in the state.
Excellent $28 at their Tasting Room (particularly good value for this quality level)
2012 Barbera
As we have come to expect from this varietal (which we have not had that much experience with) you get plenty of fruit! Plum with red and black cherries are up front with hints of spice in the background. Medium in body, there is not much tannin or acid resulting in a wine that is quite approachable and comes across as more fun rather than serious or complex. At least to us. I know the winery has a different take on this wine. Drink now. Available at Tasting Room only.
Very Good $35 at their Tasting Room
2012 Merlot
Very dark colour. You know just by looking that this is going to be a big wine. Terrific nose that shows dark fruits of cherry and plum with a baking spice undertone. Medium to full body, there is a richness to the mouthfeel. We pick up earthy notes in the lingering finish and they provide a complex counterpoint to the fruit slight mocha and coffee tastes. Very long finish on this delicious wine. We would suggest giving it two years.
Excellent $30 at their Tasting Room
2012 Façon Rouge
We are encountering more and more of the traditionally Southern Rhone blend of Grenach, Syrah and Mouvedre in Washington and for us, this is a good thing! Here the fruit is 100% Boushey from Yakima. Interestingly, the grapes are co-fermented, not blended. Whole clusters were used of both the Grenache and the Syrah which contributes to the spiciness of the wine. This is big and full-bodied, offering black cherry, black berry together with herbs and spices that make for a powerful and complex wine. We suggest giving this wine two years as well.
Very Good/Excellent $35 at their Tasting Room
Recent Comments