2019 Syrah Estate Seven Hills Vineyard

L'Ecole N° 41 is one of the standard bearers of Washington State wine. They were the third winery to officially begin operations in Walla Walla in 1983 and remain family-owned. The selection of wines I tasted communicate fantastic value and quality in nearly all price points. I was able to tour the renowned Seven Hills and Ferguson vineyards with Owner and Head Winemaker Marty Clubb. These two vineyards are a perfect representation of Washington State terroir.

Initially established by L'Ecole N° 41, in 1997, with the cooperation of Pepper Bridge Winery and Leonetti Cellar, Seven Hills was subsequently expanded to 170 acres. The Ferguson vineyard was created by L'Ecole N° 41 later, with its first vintage in production being in 2014. Seeing these two sites together is amazing; starting at the top of the Ferguson vineyard, between 1,350-1,450 feet, perched above Seven Hills, we are standing on shallow soils, a thin layer of loess, overlying fractured basalt. At the side of the vineyard, Clubb specifically left a large basalt wall to illustrate how complicated these soils are. The basalt results from lava flows that have been pushed up as the earth's plates shifted over time. Shafts run between the rock (ancient steam vents) encasing limestone and iron deposits. The vines of the Ferguson vineyard dig deep into this rock to find their nutrients, which explains why the wine is so full of character. Similar soils can be found in other high-elevation sites in Washington State, such as Red Mountain. As we move further down to the Seven Hills vineyard, the soil begins to represent more of the classic Washington State terroir. As the loess surface gains in-depth, as does a layer of flood silts beneath it. Further down, these well-draining soils become deeper, until reaching the riverbed beneath. Marty Clubb’s excitement and passion demonstrates the potential at L'Ecole N° 41.