4 L'Ecole Wines

While I liked these wines the Davenport wines are far superior for the money. Paid $27.50 for the Merlot & Cabernet, $33 for the Perigee which is one I would buy again and the Rose at $11 was a nice deal.

2018 L’Ecole No. 41 Grenache Rosé Alder Ridge Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Horse Heaven Hills (11/1/2021)
Day 1: Paid $11 and worth about $11.00. Very light Rose featuring floral, mild spices, orange and chalk. Short finish.
Day 2: A bit better on day 2 (even Rose wines can improve over a few days). Spice is more evident, rose petals, minerals and cherry. A nice improvement and now certainly worth $10. 87 points
Day 2.5: This is even better. Never give up on a wine people! Watermelon, spice, dust, minerals and cherry. Short to medium finish and decant acidity. Going to get some more for Thanksgiving. 88 points
Day 3: Similar to day 2 experience.
Recommendation: Paid $10 and would buy again. At full retail would not buy. (88 pts.)


2017 L’Ecole No. 41 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (11/4/2021)
Day 1: Cherry, spice, oak, graphite, tea leaves and minerals. Concentration is good and medium plus finish. Should age for many, many years. 91 points
Day 2: Spice, graphite, oak, tea leaves, cherry and earth. This wine is not revealing its full self yet and we will see if that happens down the road. Hold these for 5 plus years. 90 points
Day 3: Opening up some from day 2. More fruit present featuring cherry and plums. Oak has dissipated some and also showcases graphite, tea leaves, earth and minerals. A true day 4 wine for sure. 91 points (91 pts.)


2016 L’Ecole No. 41 Perigee Estate Seven Hills Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (11/5/2021)
Day 1: This is far superior to the Merlot & Cabernet Walla Walla! A savory wine featuring roasted chestnuts, minerals, wood, cherry, celery, stone and dust. Very rustic in nature but really nice on a pop and pour. This should improve over time. 93 points
Day 2: Less intense but more balance featuring roasted chestnuts, minerals, red currants, dust, dried rose petals and celery. Medium finish and good acidity. Still holds up to the 93 points. 93 points (93 pts.)


2016 L’Ecole No. 41 Merlot Estate Walla Walla Valley - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (10/31/2021)
Day 1: Still young and will benefit from day 2/3. Blueberries, boysenberries, smoke, mild oak, soy and spice. Good concentration and should improve with age. 90 points
Day 2: Jury is still out on this wine. Tight but underneath that does have some nice fruit, spice, floral, minerals and wood. I am going to do a 4 day review on this to see if it opens up more. 90+
Day 3: Improvement and that is encouraging. Cherry, plum, spice, floral notes, chocolate and minerals. This wine is young! I see at least 4 years or more of aging this wine before it blossoms. 90-93 points
Recommendation: Hold. 90 points today but could go up several points over time. (90 pts.)

Great TNs and wines, John, thank you for posting. The single-vineyard wines currently coming out of L’Ecole (Perigee, Ferguson, and Apogee) are now being made in a style that will certainly demand pretty significant cellaring. I opened a 2016 Ferguson in February of 2020 and it was hard as nails and flat-out not enjoyable. Unfortunately, it was a crowd and I wasn’t able to have any the following day(s). Betz Winery’s Bordeaux-style blends are (were?) like this, too. It’s a departure from how they were made even 7+ years ago when the Apogee and Perigee were pretty approachable right away. I’m torn between whether or not I like this development.

2016 L’Ecole No. 41 Merlot Estate Walla Walla Valley - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (11/21/2021)
Day 1: More approachable that the last bottle. Classic Washington Merlot with blueberries, cherry, plum, dust, minerals and mild oak. Medium finish and very satisfying. 92 points
Day 2: More intense on day 2 with wood, minerals, dark cherries, spices and floral notes. Equally pleasing as day 1 but completely different wine. Would pair well with a steak. 92 points
Day 3: Outstanding on day 3 with cherry, blueberries, minerals, spice, floral, dust and earth. Everything you would want in a Washington State Merlot. 93 points (93 points)