Recently, My Wine Tribe took its first-ever field trip. Fifteen of us met in the SoDo neighbohood of Seattle, which is home to a growing group of artisan urban wineries. Along the way we crashed a wedding reception, played with some adorable pups and drank amazing wines.
We called our trip a winery crawl, and while we only visited two Seattle wineries, we tried a lot of wine and would have had to crawl home had it not been for Uber.
Hospitable Washington Wineries
To give you an idea of how hospitable Washington wineries are, our visit landed smack dab in the middle of crush, which is one of the busiest times of year for winemakers. And yet the winemakers at Kerloo Cellars and Stucture Cellars each hosted us and spent a good deal of time with our group. They had their work boots on, they were growing their harvest beards and it was the real deal. I am fairly certain this wouldn’t happen in Napa . . .
Wine Makes the Man—or Vice Versa
What did we think of the wines? As usual, it varied by tribe—and winemaker. Our crew noted that the wines seemed to match the vibe of the men who made them. Ryan Crane of Kerloo, which has been operating since 2007, is an intense dude and his wines reflect that. His philosophy is to make distinct wines. He doesn’t blend varietals so there is no room for error. His wines reflect his character and if you are in the Developed or Complex tribes chances are you will like the intensity and focus of these wines.
Brian Grasso of Stucture, a garage winery since 2008 that launched professionally in 2011, has a more laid back vibe. He answered a zillion questions, made cheese plates for us and was really approachable, as were his wines. If you are in the Accessible or Balanced tribes these wines are likely more your style.
A Whole Lotta Love
There was a lot to love at both wineries. At Kerloo, the Balanced Tribe preferred the bone dry 2014 Grenache Rose ($24) and both the Developed and Complex tribes dug the gutsy, spicy, toasty 2013 Art Den Hoed Mourvedre ($32). The crowd pleaser at Kerloo, however, was the 2012 Walla Walla Syrah ($40). I heard descriptors including plummy, smoky, creamy, mulchy, vanilla-y and BIG! Trust the wisdom of the crowd on this one and buy it here.
Next, we headed to Structure Cellars. I have to pause and tell you that they had a puppy. And two sweet winery dogs. The welcome was warm, the cheese plates were a godsend and the wines were lovely, but the pups stole the show.
What about the Wine?
Anywho, once we got to it, we sampled a variety of delicious wines. The Balanced and Accessible tribes dug the 2013 Piloti Cabernet Franc ($22) and the 2013 Cloister Cabernet Sauvignon ($25). Members of these tribes, with their lighter palates, appreciated the peppery spice of the Cab Franc while at the same time enjoying the mellow smoothness of the Cabernet.
The Developed Tribe also liked the Cloister Cab. And they appreciated the 2013 Spire Merlot for its full- bodied depth and richness. The Complex Tribe (these are the folks with the heavier palates) found a winner in the 2013 Foundation Cabernet Sauvignon ($38). They liked the rich tastes of burnt marshmallow and smoke. The 2014 Blueprint White ($20) was the second runner up for the Complex Tribe, whose members appreciated the complexity of this Roussane/Viogner white blend.
Don’t Forget the Beer
After all this wine we headed to Schooner Exact Brewing as we needed food and something other than vino to drink. The food at Schooner Exact isn’t your average bar food and while I would have given my right arm for a French fry, I was pretty damn pleased with the pork shoulder tacos.
All in all it was a wonderful night out and the first, I hope, of many field trips. In the meantime, my advice to you is head to south Seattle soon to visit these two winemakers and enjoy what they are doing with Washington grapes. Cheers!