630 cs. made.  $40/btl.

94 pts. Wine Enthusiast (Cellar Selection) | 93 pts. James Suckling | 92 pts. Vinous

The 2020 is 62% Grenache, 25% Syrah, and 13% Mourvèdre from Upland, Lawrence, and Freewater Rocks vineyards with 55% whole cluster/45% whole berry. Garnet hued blend with aromatics of black cherry macerated with black pepper, gun metal, sanguine. Crackling palate with solid acid and polished tannin. Grenache gives the red fruited framework and garrigue, Syrah the gamey depth and expansive mouthfeel, Mourvèdre holds down the bottom with bloodied blackberry and spice. 

Fermented on native yeast and punched down by hand for an average 28 days before pressing. This blend is aged in neutral 500L and 228L barrels for 22 months before bottling. 2020 gives us tremendous freshness and tension in our "Latta Latta" blend, this is one to enjoy for years to come.

43 cs. made. $140 bottle.

94 pts. James Suckling, 93+ pts. Vinous 

Andrew began working with Todd Newhouse and Upland Vineyard twelve years ago with Grenache for us and Syrah for another winery. These blocks are highly desired and never change hands. We finally talked Todd into a small section of the old Syrah block in 2018 and now the wine is finally here! Deep, dark color and matching brooding aromatics are the first impression. It continues with dark berries, sage, and grilled rare ribeye. This is serious broad-shouldered red wine, tannin and supporting freshness are firm and this wine has a long future ahead of it. 2.8 tons/acre. A lengthy maceration with 65% stems and 35% whole berries lend depth to the aromatics and a savory note to the finish. This 100% Syrah is aged in second-fill 500L puncheons for 22 months before bottling.

Upland Vineyard is a rolling extremely sloped site located in the Snipes Mountain AVA.  Snipes Mountain was named for Ben Snipes, an early Yakima County pioneer who built a house at the base of a mountain in the 1850s. The area was first planted in 1917 by Washington State wine pioneer William B. Bridgman, twice elected Mayor of Sunnyside. The vineyard on Snipes Mountain was the first to plant Vitis vinifera commercially in Washington. Snipes Mountain is a seven-mile-long anticline ridge created by fault activity. The "peak" is 1,290 feet high, rising from the floor of the Yakima Valley with unique, rocky alluvial deposits then forming aridisols on the hill. These rocky deposits are composed of gravels and sediments left by ancient river beds, the ubiquitous rocks range in size from a fist to a football.

132 cs. made.  $60/btl.
93 Points - Jeb Dunnuck 

The 4th iteration Mayor Bill is 69% Grenache, 17% Mourvèdre, and 14% Syrah all from Upland Vineyard. This micro-production single vineyard GSM leads with piercing aromatics of bright bramble fruit, garrigue, and incense. An intense palate with balanced acidity and refined long tannin. We selected our most robust Grenache puncheons as the center here with Syrah and Mourvèdre supporting a blend built to age. Fermented on native yeast and punched down by hand for an average 27 days before being basket pressed to neutral 500L puncheon for 22 months.

Who is Mayor Bill again? Upland Vineyard in Sunnyside, WA was planted in 1917 by William “Bill” Bridgman making it the first commercial planting of Vitis vinifera in our fair state. Bill is the visionary grandfather of Washington wine and all of us that make wine here now owe a debt to the twice elected former Mayor of Sunnyside. We are honored to work with the Newhouse family farming the same hill of rocks and dirt that “Mayor Bill” saw potential in over 100 years ago.

150 cs. made.  $52/btl.

93 pts. James Suckling

Our Upland Grenache is a silken mix of red fruit and wild herbs. This brilliant ruby wine opens with wild strawberry, rosemary, and cardamom accents. The expansive palate is deeply saturated with lengthy soft tannins. Long maceration with 50% stems and 50% whole berries lends wildness to those aromatics and length to the finish. This 100% Grenache is aged in neutral 500L puncheons for 22 months before bottling.

Upland Vineyard is a rolling, extremely sloped site located in the Snipes Mountain AVA. Snipes Mountain was named for Ben Snipes, an early Yakima County pioneer who built a house at the base of a mountain in the 1850s. The area was first planted in 1917 by Washington State wine trailblazer William B. Bridgman. The vineyard on Snipes Mountain was one of the first to plant Vitis vinifera in Washington. Snipes Mountain is a seven-mile-long anticline ridge created by fault activity. The "peak" is 1,290 feet high, rising from the floor of the Yakima Valley with unique, rocky soils.  Soil deposits below the area are composed of gravels and sediments left by ancient riverbeds, deposits range in size from a fist to a football. A truly unique site in Washington and a standout for Grenache.

396 cs. made.  $36/btl. 

Bright yellow gold white wine, with meyer lemon, notes of hay, pronounced salinity, and petrichor. We sprawled the west side of the vine rows to keep sunburn out and freshness in. A cropload of 3.6 tons/acre kept acid and sugar in balance with Lawrence vineyard’s trademark intensity. The Roussanne was whole cluster pressed and fermented native in barrel, a mix of barriques and puncheons with 15% new French oak from Jupille. The wine rested in barrel for 16 months until bottling.

Lawrence vineyard is a cool site overlooking the Royal Slope and the Saddle Mountains to the south. The Roussanne block sits at 1450 feet of elevation in Taunton silt loam soils that give way to broken basalt. The sloped elevation of Lawrence gives it protection from frost that wreaks havoc in vineyard sites lower on the slope. The long cool growing season is ideal for serious white wine such as this Roussanne.

192 cs. made.  $30/btl.

94 pts. Vinous, 93 pts. James Suckling

These grapes are from Stoneridge Vineyard, a site I spent much time in for many many years. 2022 was a long late season that resulted in the classic dark expression I remember well. This hand harvested fruit was gently sorted into the fermenter and sealed with loads of carbon dioxide starting the carbonic maceration process. We didn't peak for 11 days, then opened it to foot stomp the whole clusters and kicked off primary fermentation with basket pressing four days later, much in the fashion of the elevated crus of Beaujolais but with the robust Rhone-esque Syrah from Stoneridge. A wild wine.

Lucius Joseph Latta was my great-grandfather's name, one that always captured my imagination. My grandfather told tough tales of his hardworking father, a farmer & blacksmith in Virginia who took up machining as time marched on. Lucius is our space to adapt to new varietals, techniques and vineyards. A place to learn and explore Washington's incredible terroir with an eye on the horizon. These wines are made from sustainable sites with minimal intervention.

1,921cs. made. $17/btl.

91 pts. James Suckling

48% Solaksen Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Freewater Rocks Vineyard Syrah, and 14% Scarline Vineyard Malbec

Blending is nothing if not an excercise in change, creating a new sum. The parts here are three varietals from outstanding vineyard sites to produce this robust Washington red. Cabernet vines grown in the basalt derived gravel of Royal Slope give excellent depth of fruit and ample structure. Scarline Malbec brings concentration, spice notes, and fruity volume to the palate. Funky Freewater Syrah layers on dark-fruited intrigue and breadth to the finish. Label artwork is by Kris Chau, based on a work titled, "Alter of Labor + Love."

We're inspired by taking the name KIND STRANGER quite literally and turning toward others around us. We've seen our national landscape shift over the last few years and we feel it's as important as ever to be a real kind stranger in the world. Proceeds from this wine benefit Mary’s Place at the local level here in Seattle and the International Rescue Committee on a broader scale, please click the links to see the important work they do. Cheers!

3,012cs. made. $17/btl.

90 pts. James Suckling

Solaksen Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Weinbau Vineyard Malbec 

Washington Cabernet vines grown in basalt derived gravel on the long rise of Royal Slope give excellent depth, intense fruit and ample structure from this awesome site. Weinbau’s 30 year old Malbec vines pile on the concentration and spice notes. This stunner was fermented whole berry with indigenous yeasts, then macerated an average of 28 days between the lots. Basket pressed to barrel for 15 months, 15% new french oak barrels.  

We're inspired by taking the name KIND STRANGER quite literally and turning toward others around us. We've seen our national landscape shift over the last few years and we feel it's as important as ever to be a real kind stranger in the world. Proceeds from this wine benefit Mary’s Place at the local level here in Seattle and the International Rescue Committee on a broader scale, please click the links to see the important work they do. Cheers!

1243cs. made. $17/btl.

90 pts. James Suckling

Evergreen Vineyard Chardonnay, Lawrence Vineyard Roussanne

Fermented with indigenous yeasts in neutral barrels then aged sur lie for 14 months. High elevation sites littered with caliche and broken basalt contribute freshness and minerality to the wine. Crisp Evergreen Chardonnay does the heavy lifting, providing structured acidity and citrus notes. The touch of Lawrence Vineyard Roussanne accents with exotic fruit, richness and complexity.

We're inspired by taking the name KIND STRANGER quite literally and turning toward others around us. We've seen our national landscape shift a bit recently and we feel it's as important as ever to be a real kind stranger in the world. Proceeds from this wine benefit Mary’s Place at the local level here in Seattle and the International Rescue Committee on a broader scale, please click the links to see the important work they do. Cheers!

1,342cs. made. $17/btl.

90 pts. James Suckling

High elevation Pinot Gris from rocky soils littered with caliche and broken basalt. This fresh new wine is primed for summer drinking. Full of citrus blossom and tosca pear, the palate is thirst-quenching and demands another sip. Fermented dry in stainless steel without malolactic conversion and aged sur lie for six months prior to bottling. Artwork, as always, by Kris Chau.

We're inspired by taking the name KIND STRANGER quite literally and turning toward others around us. We've seen our national landscape shift a bit recently and we feel it's as important as ever to be a real kind stranger in the world. Proceeds from this wine benefit Mary’s Place at the local level here in Seattle and the International Rescue Committee on a broader scale, please click the links to see the important work they do. Cheers!