Mark Ryan Columbia Valley Wine Tasting

Mark Ryan Columbia Valley Wine Tasting

One of the recommended producers to visit during our Seattle Culinary and Washington Wine Tour, Woodinville Wine Experience was Mark Ryan Winery. Mark Ryan wines are the artwork of Mark Ryan McNeilly a self taught winemaker who learned the craft working with well known producers, acquiring Bordeaux varietal grapes from renowned vineyards in the Columbia Valley Red Mountain appellation. He produces an extensive portfolio of wines from across the region, but is most notably known for several art crafted Bordeaux Blends. We tasted and acquired these wines at the Mark Ryan tasting room in Woodinville, Washington. 

Woodinville is a Seattle suburb that has become a wine mecca with several dozen tasting rooms of producers of wines sourced from vineyards in the Columbia Valley in the center of the State, three hours to the east. The tasting rooms inhabit numerous free standing sites as well as several commercial centers that resemble outlet malls but filled with wine producers. 

The wine flight offered at the Mark Ryan tasting room consists of Burgundian varietals, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Oregon, and several Bordeaux varietal blends sourced from the Washington State central Columbia Valley. Mark Ryan dutifully lists the vineyard sources for each of its wines accordingly. They represent the notable famous sites from the Central Washington State appellations. Vineyards and their applicable appellations that provide grapes for Mark Ryan Wines include Red Willow from the Yakima Valley AVA, the famous Ciel du Cheval vineyard from Red Mountain AVA, Klipsun, Red Mountain, Quintessence and Obelisco Vineyards from Red Mountain, Olsen Vineyard and Red Willow from Yakima Valley and Phinny Hill Vineyard from the Horse Heaven Hills AVA.

The fact that these famous vineyards source grapes to many producers, the differences in their various labels is the result of their handicraft of winemaking since they all come the same sites, rather than the difference of the vineyard sites themselves. Never-the-less, we were extremely impressed with the quality of wines coming out of the Columbia Valley producers. 

Many of these wines rival the premium wines from California notable regions such as Napa and Sonoma Valleys, some at relative bargain prices of up to half less, since they don't yet have the cache of the more historic areas. Seize the opportunity to discover these wines as this differential won't last as they become better known.

Like many of the Woodinville and region's producers, Mark Ryan sources its fruit from growers of the large established vineyards. Many of these are long established relationships under contracts for specific rows of a vineyard or blocks. While not Estate wines, where the grapes are sourced from producer owned sites, it offers the next best thing. This is important of course to reflect Terroir, the unique essence of climate, soil, site, as it manifests itself in the wine, consistently over time, from vintage to vintage. 

Tasting flight:

The scheduled tasting flight on offer for the day was as follows and as pictured. This is a great bargain to taste this range of quality wines for $15, which is refundable with purchase. As usual, we tasted, and acquired several wines beyond the standard flight. 

Megan Anne Cellars Chardonnay 2015, sourced from notable vineyards in Dundee Hills and Eola-Amity Hills in the Willamette Valley in Oregon

Megan Anne Cellars Pinot Noir 2015 from the Willamette Valley Chehalem Mountain 

Readers of these pages know we're fans and collectors more based on Bordeaux Varietal wines and have we focused the following wines that were comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Interesting, these wines were based on grapes sourced from the same vineyards, as noted above and were largely differentiated by the composition of the Blend of the grapes in each label.  

Mark Ryan 'Long Haul' Red Wine Blend 2015

The Mark Ryan Long Haul label is composed primarily of Merlot from Yakima Valley’s Red Willow Vineyard where the average vine age is 25 years. The vineyard site's ancient soils were above the Missoula flood plains of the river valley. Being predominantly Merlot, this is in the style of the Right Bank Bordeaux, or those produced in the appellations on the north and east sides of the Gironde River that bisects the region.

Vineyard Sources:

• Red Willow, Yakima Valley
• Ciel du Cheval, Red Mountain
• Klipsun, Red Mountain
• Quintessence, Red Mountain
• Olsen, Yakima Valley

Blend

• 84% Merlot
• 6% Cabernet Franc
• 8% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2% Petit Verdot

This was dark garnet colored, medium bodied, bright vibrant dark berry, accented by what some refer to as violet and spiced plum, we detected notes of dark mocha, spice, hints of cassis and cedar with firm but approachable tannins on the lingering finish.  

RM 92 Points, Wine Advocate gave it  (89-91) Points

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2781533

Mark Ryan Water Witch Red Wine 2015

Vineyard Source was the Quintessence Vineyards on Red Mountain

Producer's note:

Quintessence Vineyards is a 410-acre parcel of land with a base elevation of 675 feet, rising to 1,025 feet as it reaches Red Mountain AVA's southwest-facing slopes. Quintessence founders Dick Shaw and Paul Kaltinick planted their first vines as partners on Red Mountain in 2010. They launched Quintessence with a planting of 68 acres along Red Mountain's southwestern slope. Positive response was immediate, with customers pointing to "world class vineyard management" and "spectacular fruit" as some outstanding attributes. Additional planting followed, with similar success. Now, with the expansion along the eastern ridge and slop of Red Mountain, Quintessence will encompass some 300 acres in total. Quintessence is made up of premium land, a talent for farming, dedicated management, ideal growing conditions, and a love for what they do.

310 cases produced; aged in 70% new French oak barrels

Blend

• 60% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 30% Merlot
• 8% Cabernet Franc
• 2% Petit Verdot

Dark garnet and purplish colored, full bodied, rich concentrated bright forward extracted black raspberry fruit accented by layers of exotic spices, sweet mocha chocolate and notes of sweet oak and creme de cassis with silky polished tannins on a full long smooth polished finish. 

RM 93 points; Jeb Dunnuck The Wine Advocate (92-94) Points

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2892511

Mark Ryan 'The Dissident' Columbia Valley Red Blend 2016

Like the wines above, this is also a Bordeaux varietal blend, sourced from several Columbia Valley vineyards, distinguished largely by the composition of the blend. Like the others, we tasted and acquired this wine at the Woodinville tasting room. This label was $20 cheaper than those above representing great value QPR (Quality Price Ratio) in this Bordeaux Blend.

Winemaker's Notes on 'The Dissident'; 

Some of Washington State’s finest vineyards have provided fruit for the 2016 The Dissident. The Dissident is a wine that we create to complement the Dead Horse and Long Haul. People sometimes think The Dissident is made up of wines that don’t make the cut in the final blends of the Dead Horse and Long Haul, which couldn’t be further from the truth. The same vineyards, barrels and attention to detail go into crafting The Dissident as go into every wine in the Mark Ryan program. While the Dead Horse and Long Haul are crafted to be supremely ageeable, The Dissident is built to offer a more approachable wine younger in its development. 

Vineyard Sources:

• Quintessence, Red Mountain
• Ciel du Cheval, Red Mountain
• Klipsun, Red Mountain
• Obelisco, Red Mountain
• Phinny Hill, Horse Heaven Hills
• Red Willow, Yakima Valley

Blend

• 56% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 24% Merlot
• 17% Cabernet Franc
• 3% Petit Verdot

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, dark berry, black currant and black cherry fruits are accented with notes of spice, mocha and hints of cedar with subtle tannins on a lingering finish. 

RM 91 points; Wine Advocate (92-94) Points (June 2017)

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2914672

Mark Ryan Winery 'Lost Soul' Yakima Valley Red Willow Vineyard Syrah 2015

 

Mark Ryan Winery offers this extended barrel aged Syrah. Sourced from fruit from the Red Willow Vineyard in Yakima Valley, Lost Soul is a single vineyard representation of Red Willow Syrah and embodies the cooler side of Syrah. The wine was aged in 54% new thick staved 500L French oak barrels for an extended period of 30 months.

The Red Willow vineyard is one of the oldest vineyards in the state of Washington. It is a family operation owned and operated by Mike Sauer, his wife Karen, sons Jonathan and Daniel, and son-in-law Rick Willsey. The vineyard is located on the Yakama Indian Reservation, on steep south-facing slopes in the Cascade foothills, in the Yakima Valley AVA. The first wine grapes were planted in 1973 under the direction of Dr. Walt Clore, a legendary viticulturist and winemaker that helped found the early days of Washington State quality wines. 

This was dark inky purple, full bodied with black berry and black raspberry fruits accented by pepper, smokey, earthy leather with smooth sweet tannins.

RM 91 points; Wine Advocate, 93 Points

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2989932

https://www.markryanwinery.com/