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.

163 cs. made. $52/btl.
94 Points - Owen Bargreen 

100% Syrah sourced from Lawrence Vineyard (the longtime home of our Roussanne) in the Royal Slope AVA. All native, loads of whole cluster, hand punched down, and basket pressed; this wine carries Rhone aromatics coupled with Washington intensity. The nose opens with tapenade on grilled bread moving to macerated blackberry, rosemary, and cracked pepper that continues on the palate. A seamless wine with polished tannin and a finish that goes on and on. 

Lawrence vineyard is a cool site overlooking the Royal Slope and the Saddle Mountains to the south. The Syrah block sits at 1375 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 season at Lawrence gives us intense flavor and color while retaining freshness and vitality. 

149 cs. made. $55/btl.

199 cs. made. $75/btl.

94 pts. Jeb Dunnuck 

Virginie Boone starts her review, "The producer’s second vintage from this site, the 2021 Syrah Piece WeatherEye Vineyard is also his first Red Mountain Syrah in decades. Dense, brooding, and intense, the berries are tiny and lend tremendous concentration to this firm, full-bodied wine, fermented with 5% Viognier. Smoky game and garrigue punch through bright acidity and a weighty structure. This should be cellared for a good half decade before enjoying and should last another 15-20 years." 

126 cs. made. $60/btl.

93 Pts. Jeb Dunnuck 

This blend is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Syrah from Freewater Rocks Vineyard in Walla Walla. We co-fermented these grapes with the Syrah whole cluster and the Cabernet Sauvignon destemmed over the top. We have the framework and structure of Cab complimented by the flesh and funk of Rocks Syrah. A dark nose driven by graphite and black fruit peppered with a funky depth. The polished but firm tannin in the palate asks for venison.

Our Cab/Syrah is inspired by the illicit blending of Bordeaux and Rhone varieties that has been quietly going on for centuries. Arguably the most famous of these unholy unions (and certainly the most inspirational to us) are the wines of Eloi Dürrbach at Domaine Trevallon. When new rules sought to limit the inclusion of Cabernet Sauvignon within their certified growing area they simply walked away from the certification and kept making their wine their way. We applaud their wines and resolve and we hope to echo Eloi’s magic in our new blend. Cheers!

213 cs. made. $60/btl.
93 Points - Owen Bargreen 

This blend is 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Malbec all from Lawrence Vineyard in the newish Royal Slope AVA. The integration of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and 60% new French oak puncheons is seamless and ready for your consumption now or for many years to come. A dense blend wound with currant, clean leather, and tobacco from the Cab Sauv. Fruit density and full body from the Malbec. When tasting this wine from barrel the texture often reminded me of suede leather, the tannins are present and serious but polished and supple. This wine is squarely in the bold red category, pair with hearty meaty fare.

A note on the somewhat out-there name! I don't think the request was made on our first date but pretty soon after, my wife (I think mostly facetiously) wanted to know when I was going to name a wine after her. As I climb the barrel stacks, I taste and think about our wines through the months and years. How they are maturing and what they may become. For this wine, a suede textural note kept coming to my mind and each time brought me a smile as I thought of my wife. Swade, is my wife's nickname, born out of efficient collegiate brevity. Sara Wade > S.Wade > Swade. So these barrels kept making me think of her nickname and when we made it legal and married in 2017, I decided this was it, the fates wanted this wine to be hers. Naming it "The Fantastic Sara Wade" would have been a bit on the nose for her taste so a 1800's Parisian fashion craze for Swedish made gloves gave us the root for suede type leather and the name of this wine, Gants de Suède. This one is for you Sara Wade. Thank you all for putting up with this long-winded intro and, Sara, thank you for putting up with me. I love you. Enjoy the wine!

201 cs. made. $52/btl.

100% Malbec fermented whole berry without any crushing of the fruit. Punched down by hand for 35 days on the skins then basket pressed to 60% new 500L puncheons for 22 months of aging. The nose is full of blue fruit, tar, and violets. The dense palate is intensely flavored but retains a sense of freshness and elegance through to delicious finish. A wine equally enjoyable to make as it is to drink.

Weinbau Vineyard is in the Wahluke Slope AVA, just outside of Mattawa, WA. Weinbau was planted in the late 70s, a truly historic and pioneering vineyard for the area. These Malbec vines were planted in 1990 amid a modest expansion. We could not make this standout wine without the involvement of Miguel Rodriguez, the grower who has guided Weinbau from its very first days to its celebrated place among the great vineyards of Washington. It’s an honor to walk the rows with Miguel, now in his 45^th vintage at Weinbau. We hope you enjoy!

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!

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!

1,921cs. 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!