WeatherEye Vineyards

Great new wine reviews from Owen Bargreen. Thank you, Owen!

WeatherEye Vineyard

One of Washington State’s great wine brands, WeatherEye Vineyard is the brainchild of Cameron Myhrvold, longtime advocate for the Washington Wine Industry. It was 20 years ago back in 2004 that Cam purchased this property based on an idea to grow grapes where no one had attempted before — on the top and north face of Red Mountain. Today most of the fruit is sold to 10 different wineries and a small portion is held back for WeatherEye Vineyard. The site is farmed by Ryan Johnson former vineyard manager at Ciel du Cheval Vineyard. Ryan also co-founded the Force Majeure Vineyard and has unparalleled knowledge of Red Mountain’s upper slopes. With WeatherEye he utilized everything in his 20 years of vineyard management experience to create a vineyard space that is unlike anything in the Pacific Northwest.
Winemaker Todd Alexander needs no introduction, formerly with Bryant Family before transforming the Force Majeure Vineyards program. I had the pleasure of tasting the recent wines with Todd and he made some incredible new wines from the 2022 vintage. — one that showed good warmth but also maintained excellent freshness. I am enamored by the new 2022 WeathereEye Vineyard Roussanne (OB, 97) which is arguably the finest Washington white wine that I have tasted in the last year. This is deep and concentrated stuff that has beautiful underlying finesse. . Rich, layered and polished with an unctuous texture, this beauty is absolutely singing right now. I was blown away with the new 2021 WeatherEye Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 99) which is definitely one of the finest Cabernet wines made in Washington. This held incredible weight and underlying finesse. Learn more about this famed property at https://www.weathereyevineyard.com/ and here are my reviews of the new WeatherEye Vineyard wines.

2022 WeatherEye Roussanne- The 2022 Roussanne was stored in 30% new French oak with the remainder amphora and neutral oak for 10 months before bottling. Bright honeydew melon fruits combine with honeycomb, lychee and pineapple notes on the nose. The texture is insanely good with good freshness and beautiful sense of weight. Finishing exceedingly long, this is a heady, dense and delicious Roussane bottling that is drinking marvelously right now. Drink 2024-2034- 97

2022 WeatherEye Marsanne- This 2022 Marsanne has 14% Roussanne blended in. Stored in 20% new French oak with the remainder stored in neutral and amphora prior to bottling. Marzipan and rich cantaloupe tones combine with Macadamia nut and lychee tones on the nose. The palate is plush and soft with a refined texture, as this deftly walks the tightrope between weight and underlying finesse. Drink 2024-2036- 97

2022 WeatherEye ‘L’Atomique’ White Wine- The 2022 ‘L’Atomique’ combines Viognier (36%) with 32% Roussanne and the remainder Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Marsanne. This was unfined and unfiltered. This is a massive white wine that is gorgeous to consume right now. Tangerine zest, lemon curd, almond paste and shades of mango all combine on the palate. Refined and deep, with serious concentration, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2024-2036- 97

2021 WeatherEye Grenache- The 2021 WeatherEye Grenache underwent 30% whole cluster fermentation. Stored in large format French oak for 18 months. This comes from several blocks of Grenache across the property. Soft, refined and plush, this delivers very concatenated red and dark fruit flavors alongside coffee grounds and sagebrush tones. Totally stunning and generous in its fleshy youth, enjoy now and over the next twelve years. Drink 2024-2036- 96

2021 WeatherEye Mourvedre- The 2021 Mourvèdre underwent 15% whole cluster fermentation. Stored in large format used French oak, this offers smoked meats and anise notes alongside black olives and rich dark fruits. This is really dense and delicious wine with plenty of nuance. Very herbal with loganberry, beef drippings and wild blackberry fruit flavors, alongside scorched earth, this is a gorgeous, generous effort that is drinking marvelously right now. Drink 2024-2036- 97

2021 WeatherEye Syrah- This deep, viscous and downright stunning 2021 Syrah has 3% Graciano blended in. Stored in all French oak (60% new) before bottling, this delivers heady aromatics of black currants, orange blossom, white pepper and venison drippings. The palate is incredibly tense and tension-filled with intense black and blue fruits alongside copious minerals and tar notes. Drink 2024-2038- 98

2021 WeatherEye ‘The Ravens Share’ Red Wine- The 2021 WeatherEye ‘The Ravens Share’ Red Wine combines Cabernet Franc (36%) with 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and the remainder Merlot. This is beautifully floral on the nose with dark rose petals alongside potpourri and garrigue notes alongside dark chocolate, creosote and shades of boysenberry liquor. The palate is ultra-refined and fresh with refined tannins and a pillowy texture. Light on its feet with serious weight and verve, this powerful wine is a total stunner that will drink well for decade to come. Drink 2024-2040- 99

2021 WeatherEye Cabernet Sauvignon- The stunning new 2021 WeatherEye Cabernet Sauvignon combines 5% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Stored in 75% new French oak barrels, this offers amazing texture, weight and underlying finesse. Deep and concentrated, with very concentrated black and blue fruit flavors, sweet pipe to***co, with pencil lead and garrigue notes, this is going to be a really long-aging wine that is best enjoyed a year from now and over the next twenty years. Drink 2025-2050- 99

Balsamroots and bunchgrass.

The 2020 Estate Syrah joins some great company with Sean P. Sullivan’s Top 60 Northwest Wines of 2023. A huge THANK YOU to Sean and our WeatherEye team!

Top 60 Northwest Wines of 2023 Below are Northwest Wine Report’s Top 60 Northwest Wines of 2023! These wines were selected from over 1,100 wines reviewed this past year from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia. I selected the wines based the following factors: score, overall excitement, and, to a lesser extent, pric...

Thankful for our team, this weather, and the opportunities in front of us.

“Mountain Monster” Mourvedre block at sunrise for .

It was a mighty fine day to pick some grapes.

Looking across the canyon: southeast aspect echalas Syrah for , terraced bushvine Grenache for , and the meter x meter Syrah for our WeatherEye Estate program.

Wow! Huge thanks to Owen Bargreen for the fantastic reviews.

WeatherEye Vineyard

Today we share one of the electric wine brands of the Pacific Northwest. WeatherEye Vineyard is the brainchild of Cameron Myhrvold, longtime advocate for the Washington Wine Industry who in 2004 purchased this property based on an idea to grow grapes where no one had attempted before — on the top and north face of Red Mountain. Today most of the fruit is sold to 10 different wineries and a small portion is held back for WeatherEye Vineyard. The site is farmed by Ryan Johnson former vineyard manager at Ciel du Cheval Vineyard. Ryan also co-founded the Force Majeure Vineyard and has unparalleled knowledge of Red Mountain’s upper slopes. With WeatherEye he utilized eve4rything in his 20 years of vineyard management experience to create a vineyard space that is unlike anything in the Pacific Northwest.
Winemaker Todd Alexander needs no introduction, formerly with Bryant Family before transforming the Force Majeure Vineyards program. Sitting with Todd and tasting the new WeatherEye wines he was extremely excited about the new wines from the 2021 vintage — one that showed good warmth but also maintained excellent freshness. I am enamored by the new 2021 WeathereEye Vineyard Roussanne (OB, 97) which is amongst the finest renditions of this varietal that you will find on the west coast. Rich, layered and polished with an unctuous texture, this beauty is absolutely singing right now. A totally stunning new wine is the 2020 WeatherEye Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 98) which is one of the best wines made this vintage. Decadent and chewy with beautiful structure and flavor density, this beauty really needs about an hour in the decanter prior to savoring. Learn more about this famed property at https://www.weathereyevineyard.com/ and here are my reviews of the new WeatherEye Vineyard wines.

2021 WeatherEye Vineyard Clairette- The 2021 Clairette was stored in all neutral oak barrels for 15 months. This comes off very nutty with roasted Macadamia nut alongside white peach and Japanese pear with light baking spice notes. The palate comes off wonderfully salty from this unique high-elevation terroir, with loads of mouth-watering acidity. This is world-class stuff. Only 50 cases made. Drink 2023-2031- 95

2021 WeatherEye Roussanne- Stored in neural oak as well as sandstone amphorae, the 2021 Roussane shows cantaloupe alongside star jasmine, nectarine and kiwi notes with pastry crust accents. The palate is seamless and silky as this effortlessly glides throughout the drinking experience. Rich and viscous with bright underlying acidity, this is simply sumptuous stuff that will cellar easily for another ten years. Drink 2023-2031- 97

2021 WeatherEye Vineyard Marsanne- This 2021 Marsanne comes from a well-shaded block on the south side of the vineyard. The wine was destemmed and sat on the skins for seven days and then was placed in barrel to finish its fermentation. The palate is plush and seamless with plenty of rich orchard fruits and nutty flavors. Showing amazing weight and length, this is absolutely stunning wine to enjoy over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2023-2031- 97

2021 WeatherEye ‘l’Atomique’ White Wine- This sat on the skins to dryness and combines mostly Viognier and Roussane, with smaller parts Clairette, Marsanne and Grenache Blanc. The color is extremely intense, as is the nose which displays heady kiwi, kumquat and hazelnut tones, alongside baking spices. This is relatively high-alcohol but comes off very fresh. Enjoy this beauty now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2023-2031- 96

2021 WeatherEye ‘Hillfighter’ Roussanne- This was stored in neutral oak for 15 months before bottling. The palate is soft and round with a refined texture. Papaya and peaches combine with nutty undertones on the palate. This is outstanding stuff for the price. Drink 2023-2029- 93

2020 WeatherEye Vineyard Grenache- This 2020 Grenache comes from vines that neighbor copious sagebrush. This was stored in neutral puncheons for 19 months before bottling. This is extremely perfumed on the nose with red rose petals, Mandarin orange rind, white pepper and shades of beef drippings. The palate is rich and concentrated with bright underlying acidity. Clean and dense, showing beautiful finesse. Drink 2023-2033- 96

2020 WeatherEye Vineyard Mourvedre- This wine comes from the northern part of the hill, as the Mourvèdre underwent 30% whole cluster fermentation and then was stored in neutral puncheons for 19 months prior to bottling. This comes off very savory with bacon fat, garrigue, iron, beef drippings, white pepper dusted bacon and black currants on the palate. The palate is very fresh and polished with a soft mouthfeel and wonderful love of finesse. This is just starting to hit its stride. Drink 2023-2031- 96

2020 WeatherEye Vineyard Syrah- Coming from the northern slope of this vineyard which is set on sandy loam over fractured basalt, this 2020 Syrah shows off yarrow, kirsch cordial, wild blackberry and shades of wet stone. The aromatic range is insanely good. The wine shows beautiful balance and weight on the palate, with immense underlying finesse and a stony, citrus and black fruit core. This is delicious, immensely complex wine that is drinking marvelously right now. Drink 2023-2031- 98

2020 WeatherEye Tempranillo- This 2020 Tempranillo was stored for 22 months in all neutral French oak before bottling. The palate is very concentrated and deep with immense texture and finesse. Boysenberry and crushed mint flavors combine with bulls blood and stony undertones. This is insanely good wine that has brilliant complexity and is irresistible to consume right now. Drink 2023-2031- 96

2020 WeatherEye Cabernet Sauvignon- Juicy, bright and a total knockout, the 2020 WeatherEye Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from from three different sites in the WeatherEye Vineyard. Stored in 70% new French oak before bottling, this delivers fantastic freshness and balance, with deep concentration. Iron and black currant cordial with violets, alongside firm tannins and shades of Black Forest Cake all brilliantly combine on the palate. Plush and soft, showing beautiful refinement, this is just an infant right now so be sure to give this two hours in the decanter before consuming. Drink 2023-2033- 98

2020 WeatherEye Vineyard ‘Hillfighter’ Red Wine- The 2020 ‘Hillfighter’ combines mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache with smaller portions Merlot, Tempranillo and Syrah. This shows milk chocolate notes on the nose alongside rich dark fruits, to***co leaf and scorched earth notes. The palate is fresh and viscous with a soft mouthfeel and good verve. Drink 2023-2029- 93

Sunday observations:

Vines are dialed in. Now, if we can just avoid any heat spikes, wind storms, pest or plague outbreaks, wildfires, hail, lightning, or flaming meteors we’ll be in good shape for .

Perfume.

It’s not the easiest block to farm, but it sure is pretty right now.

Mourvedre, north/northeast aspect, 1220 ft elevation, very sandy soils over caliche.

Cam and Linda will be pouring our Hillfighter Red and Hillfighter White wines on March 11 & 12–stop by and say hi!


Taste Washington

***We interrupt our pruning to bring you the following important message***

The WEATHEREYE ESTATE winter offering is now available!

2021 CLAIRETTE

2021 MARSANNE

2021 ROUSSANNE

2021 L’ATOMIQUE

These four white wines were made by Todd Alexander and feature some rather nifty viticultural and winemaking aspects (including meter x meter vine spacing, north/northeast slopes, echalas training, sandstone amphora, a co-fermented field blend, extended skin contact…)

Please check your inbox for details, or sign up at www.weathereyevineyards.com for more info.

Wow! Well, that sure is a nice way to start the New Year:

We are honored to be chosen by Sean P. Sullivan's Northwest Wine Report as the 2022 Northwest Winery of the Year.

A debt of gratitude goes to Sean Sullivan, as well as to our incredible WeatherEye team, family, friends, customers, and supporters—thank you all.

And now…back to work!

2022 Northwest Winery of the Year - WeatherEye Vineyards Even when WeatherEye Vineyards was just a whisper in the Washington wine industry, the potential was clear. Legendary grower Ryan Johnson, w...

We’re honored and very pleased to report that *FOUR* wines sourced exclusively from WeatherEye Vineyards made it into Owen Bargreen’s “Top 100 of 2022” list, including our 2019 Estate Grenache!

A huge THANK YOU goes out to Owen, and a special congratulations to our friends at , LIMINAL Wines, and .

https://owenbargreen.com/blog/2022/12/12/owen-bargreen-top-100-of-2022?fbclid=IwAR3h2wasXz0INiJvk-SgjqKjG2a63eWI5MtMSEKBRha0MxQUMkAKYdtu2GE&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

Owen Bargreen Owen Bargreen Top 100 of 2022, Owen Bargreen Top 100, Top 100, Washington wine, Oregon wine, California wine

Introducing the inaugural release of the WeatherEye Estate white wines, available November 1st:

2020 MARSANNE
2020 ROUSSANNE
2020 L’ATOMIQUE

Offers go out today via email, or please sign up at www.weathereyevineyards.com for more info.

The meter x meter “Sagebrush Block” Grenache. One of our most unique and singular parcels, when you lean over a macrobin to inspect the fruit you’re met with the pungent, savory aroma of Red Mountain’s version of garrigue.

It’s certainly a challenge to farm, but it sure is cool.

Wow! We’re truly grateful (and really excited, too) for Sean P. Sullivan’s latest write-up on WeatherEye. Thank you, Sean!

WeatherEye Vineyards will change the way Washington makes wine Back in 2018 I wrote in Wine Enthusiast about a new project from Cam Myhrvold and Ryan Johnson atop Red Mountain called WeatherEye Viney...

The WeatherEye Fall Release is now live. We’re so excited to share these wines with you!

2019 SYRAH
2019 GRENACHE
2019 TEMPRANILLO
2019 MOURVÈDRE

For those interested in our story, here’s a fun and thorough look at WeatherEye by Alder Yarrow.

https://www.vinography.com/2022/08/carved-from-the-mountain-the-wines-of-weathereye-vineyard

Carved From the Mountain: The Wines of WeatherEye Vineyard : Vinography Introducing Washington State's most compelling and audacious vineyard side: WeatherEye Vineyards, atop the windy ridge of Red Mountain.

and morning sun are a good combination.

The meter x meter is behaving itself…..so far.

The coldest Spring season in WeatherEye’s existence has been an unfolding story of slow (yet fruitful) vine growth, epic outbursts of wildflowers, mustards, and grasses, and the occasional sky drama. is certainly marching to the beat of its own drum.

January, er…umm…April 14, 2022.

HERE WE GO…

Who: WeatherEye Estate

What: Inaugural release of the 2018 SYRAH and 2018 GRENACHE

When: Monday March 7, 2022

Where: www.weathereyevineyards.com (and your inbox if you signed up)

Why: because we probably shouldn’t drink it all by ourselves

The day started with a rather brisk windchill but ended with a balmy 57°F and clear blue skies—great for pruning and working on a couple of special projects.