Washington State is the second largest wine-producing state in the United States. With over 1,000 wineries and over 80 varieties of wine from Washington State AVAs, wine production has become a multi-billion dollar business in the state. Wine is big business in Washington State.
Learn more about the wines of Northwest Cellars in Kirkland.
The Northwest Cellars Story
Northwest Cellars, located in Kirkland, Washington, was started in 2004 by Bob Delf. The idea came to him to offer high-quality wines with the option of putting your own custom label on the bottle. He saw a gap in the market and it was an appealing offer to businesses, restaurants, and hotels as it was the perfect gift for special occasions or award for staff.
Now, nearly 20 years later, Northwest cellars continues to offer the option to purchase their wines with your own customized label. In addition to this, the Washington winery has won various awards for their wines and produces award-winning Washington State wine. Northwest Cellars stays true to its heritage and only uses grapes from the region to produce their award-winning wines and they are available to purchase from the cellar, and in limited retail locations around the state.
The Northwest Cellars Wines
When we visited, the following wines were on the tasting lineup. Your tasting lineup will most likely be different. We visited several months ago and since we were the only ones there our server poured tastes of a few extra wines. There’s always a solid lineup, though, and these tastings notes should help you decide if there’s an appealing profile to make a visit.
Cadenza 2019 ($29)
The Cadenza 2019 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Merlot (25%), and Carménère (25%). The nose displays notes of dark berry with added herbaceous characters and earthiness thanks to the predominant portion of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Following through onto the palate, the Cadenza blend displays notes of subtle sweet spices and black cherry to compliment the smooth, earth-driven tannin structure. A definite must for those who love bolder wines, that can be enjoyed now but will benefit from some time in the cellar.
We enjoyed this a purchased a couple bottle for our cellar. Will be opening one up soon, and calendaring the remaining one for a year (or so) from now.
Carmenere 2017 ($48)
Made using 100% Carménère grapes, the 2017 vintage has wonderful berry notes that are complemented by subtle paprika notes and cocoa. Following through onto the palate, the Carmenere has beautiful herbaceous notes coupled with vanilla and berry characters. This combination together with silky tannins results in a ridiculously smooth wine that can be enjoyed for many years to come.
The 2017 Carmenere won a gold medal in the Seattle Wine Awards.
Madrigal 2018 ($34)
The Madrigal 2018 is a Rhone-inspired red blend, comprised of 40% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre, and 20% Syrah. This classic blend of noble Rhone varietals is lighter in style, but still packs a punch. Beautiful floral and red fruit characters are coupled with subtle earthiness and anise. The palate is both balanced and fruit-forward, with soft tannins and predominant berry characters.
The 2018 Madrigal won a Double Gold medal at the Seattle Wine Awards,
Malbec 2019 ($32)
Made from 100% Malbec grapes, the 2019 vintage is like Christmas in a bottle. Beautiful warm spices with black cherry and mocha together with well-integrated tannins make this noble Argentinian varietal a firm favorite amongst all who taste it.
‘R” Red Blend 2017 ($24)
The “R” red blend is a delicious red blend made up of 40% Merlot, 30% Petit Verdot, 20% Syrah, and 10% Carmenere. A new-world style red blend, the “R” displays notes of minerality, dark fruit, and some herbal notes, following through onto the palate with added red cherry and plum notes. “R” is very much approachable, and an amazing everyday wine fit for all occasions.
The 2017 “R” Red Blend won a Gold medal at the Seattle Wine Awards.
Chardonnay 2021 ($21)
The only white wine available from the estate is the Chardonnay, 100% unoaked but 100% delicious. The nose screams summertime with notes of stone fruit, green apple, and banana while the palate is balanced and saline, with notes of tropical fruit.
It can be enjoyed on its own on a hot summer day or paired with some al fresco-style cuisine for a delicious lunch.
Legiero Rose 2021 ($21)
This rose is made up of five varietals – 39% Syrah, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot, and 3% Grenache. It’s a fruit bomb on both the nose and the palate – I’m talking mango, apricot, orange, watermelon, and nectarine all coming together into a seamless and delectable daytime wine.
Need to Know
Location: 11909 124th Avenue N.E., Kirkland
Website: here
Hours: Wine tasting at Northwest Cellars is available on weekends, Friday and Saturday noon-7 pm and Sunday noon-5 pm.
Reservations: Not required unless a group of 10 or more.
Special Policies: Tasting fee is $15.00 (sales tax included), waived with wine purchase.
Wine Club: Cellar Rats Wine Club offers differently than most wine clubs. Upon the purchase of any 12 bottles during the year, you automatically become a member of the wine club. Membership brings discounts on wine and merchandise, along with invitations to special events. No auto-shipping of wine, you choose what you want, when you want it, and the club rewards your loyalty.
Remember
Drink responsibly. Limit your tastes, select a designated driver, or take a cab or ride service when doing wine tasting.
We’re not wine experts, we just have a love of wine. We enjoy tasting, learning about, and buying wines for our home cellar. We learn something new every time we visit a winery or tasting room, and we’re interested in visiting different wineries here at home (join us a we search for Washington’s best wines) as well as when we travel.
In other words, we’re probably just like you. Cheers!
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