EFESTĒ (pronounced eff – ess – tee) is a true family winery: two generations of the Ferrelli family work in it and they learned the trade from a third. When you go to visit them at their Woodinville, Washington tasting room, as we recently did, the sense of family comes through loud and clear.

EFESTĒ takes its name from the first initials of the last names of the wineries three founders: Ferrelli, Smith and Taylor. Their original concept was to make just two barrels of wine per year and to make the wine in the tradition of the Ferrelli family as they had done it back in Italy. Daniel Ferrelli learned this tradition from his father before he left Italy and moved to America. His father was affectionately referred to as “Big Papa” and now Daniel has inherited that name. Helen, Daniel’s wife, originally hails from Greece. EFESTĒ makes their wines to go with food and Helen is in charge of all things food. Their beautiful tasting room has a full working kitchen that allows the space to be used for parties and winery events.

Daniel and Helen’s daughter Angela married Kevin Taylor and they are part of the winery operations as well. The two recently planted three vineyards in Washington’s Yakima Valley to produce Estate wines.

Peter Devison is the winemaker. Originally from Nova Scotia he moved to British Columbia for schooling and worked part time in restaurants where he developed his love for wine. To pursue his passion he took work down in New Zealand where he learned the wine making craft. Returning to the Pacific Northwest in 2004, he settled in at EFESTĒ in 2012 and has proceeded to win numerous awards for the wines he has made there. Peter favours old world winemaking techniques and in particular likes a reductive winemaking style where contact with oxygen is minimized to enhance the fresh fruit flavours and aromas in the wine.

We sat in EFESTĒ’s beautiful tasting room in Woodinville and tasted through the wines with Daniel. The room is modern and bright but uses plenty of barrel staves and natural wood in its décor to give it a sense of old world tradition. It is a very comfortable and very attractive tasting room. We were joined for a time by his wife Helen and daughter Tina. Pictures of the Ferrelli family and friends adorn the walls, as well as pictures of other winemakers who have helped influence and shape the direction of EFESTĒ’s wines. These include photo’s of DeLille’s Chris Upchurch as well as David Powell, founder of ultra-exclusive Torbreck Wines in Australia.

A key family member is 13 year old Joe Taylor. Joe was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2007, when he was just 5 years old. He toughed it through that disease and the exhaustive treatments and kept telling everyone around him he was doing fine. He showed amazing courage, particularly for being just 5 years old! As an homage to his enduring strength and spirit, EFESTĒ’s big and brawny Klipsun Vineyard Cabernet is named after Joe: it is called Tough Guy. EFESTĒ is a big supporter and this year has raised over $23,000 for Leukemia research. Profits from Tough Guy are donated to Lymphoma and Leukemia research.

Tasting Notes

2013 Evergreen Reisling

Medium gold colour. Nose of pear and apple. Medium body with medium – acidity. Nicely balanced. Flavours of apple and lime, slightly off-dry.

Very Good/Excellent

2013 Bobbitt Rosé

This delicious rosé is made from 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Mouvedre. Notes of strawberries and spice combined with a juicy acidity make this a delightful rose, perfect for summer sipping or pairing with seafood. There is an intensity to the flavours in this wine that we seldom encounter in a rose.

Excellent

2013 Sauvage

100% Sauvignon Blanc, all from the heralded Boushey Vineyard. Apple and lime are delivered in a soft, balanced style that is juicy without being too tangy. Medium body, the style is very food friendly and reminded us of a good quality Pouilly Fume.

Very Good –  $25 USD at their tasting room

2010 Upright Merlot

The name is a twist on Sideways, the movie that almost killed the Merlot varietal. Upright is definitely reviving it! Bright cherry with dusty tannins, tea and a long spicy finish. There is plenty going on in this wine and it is yet another example of how well Washington does with this varietal. Ready now but no doubt would see its tenth birthday in fine form.

Excellent – $39 USD at their tasting room

2011 Ceidleigh Syrah

This wine uses 40% estate fruit (Angela’s Vineyard) with the balance coming from two of Red Mountain’s finest vineyards: Klipsun and Ciel du Cheval. Red Mountain generally produces big, structured, tannic reds and this is no exception. Dark red fruits are accompanied by savoury notes of earth and black pepper. The wine is complex, balanced and has a generous mouthfeel.

Excellent – $39 USD at their tasting room (particularly good value as many of the State’s top Syrahs are now selling for $50 – $70 a bottle, and this is their qualitative equal)              

2011 Jolie Bouche Syrah

100% Syrah from Boushey Vineyard. Wow! This wine shows exquisite balance. Softer, rounder and more fruit forward than the Ceidleigh this wine has a terrific, plush mouthfeel. The wine’s medium body conveys an understated elegance. Earthy notes come through on the long, savoury finish.

Excellent/Extraordinary – $39 USD at their tasting room (excellent value for high quality Syrah)

2011 Big Papa

Appropriately named, this is a big wine! 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Red Mountain, a blend of Klipsun, Bacchus, Sagemoor and Kiona. Red and black fruits greet you in a high-impact style on a tannic frame. Full body, notes of cedar poke their way through rich currant and blackberry. Still needs time, put this one down in your cellar for another 3 – 5 years to let it really shine.

Very Good/Excellent – $56 USD at their tasting room

2007 Ceidleigh

This one we pulled from our cellar to see how these wines have aged. And it had aged beautifully! The mouthfeel was soft and smooth and the tannins, while still present, were polished and unobtrusive. Black cherry and blackberry flavours dominate and receive supporting notes from earth and a little spice. Long finish and impeccable balance. Well worth the wait!

Excellent