My wife Carol Bryant and I crushed our first grapes at :Nota Bene Cellars in the fall of 2001. We particularly enjoy crafting wines in the styles of the Bordeaux and Rhône regions of France. We have been blessed with the opportunity to craft wines from several vineyards in Eastern Washington almost since opening; Arianses Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope near Desert Aire, Ciel du Cheval Vineyard and Heart of the Hill Vineyard on Red Mountain, and Dineen Vineyard in the Yakima Valley near Zillah.
We raise our red wines in barrel sûr lies and have become comfortable with a 22-month barrel aging cycle. For a number of vintages we have moved toward oak infusion from a Canton Cooperage French oak product called Xoakers. They are 1” diameter solid French oak balls that allow us the flexibility of dialing in oak profiles while still affording us the opportunity to stir lees in barrel and easily remove the oak when extraction suits our palate. Oak infusion lets us extend the life of our barrels and adds to the sustainable nature of Washington State wines.
Small lot whites and rosés also crafted in barrel are also in our past and future.
We hope you will visit with us in the future and taste the wines we so love to make and enjoy.
Taste at the winery on the 2nd Saturday of the month from 1:00 – 5:00 pm.
Cheers,
Tim Narby and Carol Bryant