EXTENDED! W.T. Vintners Single Vineyard Syrah & More NEWBIE OFFER! BONUS RAFFLE(S)!

[Jeff_Lindsay-Thorsen]

Helllloooo Berserkers!

It’s my first appearance on Berserker Day, so let’s make it rain incredible deals to introduce you to my wines!

I have 3 great offers & a few bonus drawing/raffles to sweeten and the already sickly sweet deals.

I am so delighted to be on the roster this year. I think about BerserkerDay around July every year, then harvest happens and I think about BerserkerDay again around Christmas and miss my window to introduce my wines to the gang here. I’ve met a ton of you over the years with my sommelier hat on as the wine director of several wine-centric restaurants and many of you at the winery. Most recently, before the world imploded, I was the wine director for the lifespan (2011-2020) of the grand temple to the wines of Burgundy, Michael Mina’s RN74 restaurant in Seattle. But I live in Washington, so to make terroir-driven wines, Syrah is the name of the game. I’ve dipped into my library to bring you some wines with a kiss of age in our offers. These are not big punchy Washington wines, we strive to make elegant and nuanced wines from our near desert terroir.

Thanks for checking out our offers, we are so excited for you to get to know our wines.

Jeff

CANNOT ship to AK, DE, HI, MS ND, NH, RI, SD and UT

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OFFER #1 - GETTING TO KNOW W.T. VINTNERS - SOLD OUT!!! Thank you

An exploration of our style/varietal range of wines without a big commitment.

• 1x 2017 Les Collines Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla, WA
  14.2%, 95% whole cluster, 95 W&S Top 100, 385 cases

• 1x 2018 Boushey Vineyard Mourvèdre, Yakima Valley, WA
  13.9%, 85% whole-cluster, 93 WE, 146 cases

• 1x 2017 Seven Springs Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills, OR
  13.2% abv, 30% whole cluster, Dominque Lafon interplanted 6 Dijon Clones in 2007, East Ridge, Block B, and H, dry farmed, bio, 94 OB, 284 cases

GETTING TO KNOW WTV TRIO
SRP $157 +shipping
Berserker Day 14 Price
$20 Shipping

ORDER HERE

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OFFER # 2 - SYRAH LOVE

You know you love Syrah as much as I do.

Washington State’s greatest grape is SYRAH, hands down. No, it’s not cabernet that tastes of somewhere-ville, it is Syrah that reverberates a sense of place like no other varietal in the state. I work with five vineyards across the PNW. This “flight” is my ongoing exploration of Eastern Washington/Oregon terroir. All from the same clone (Joseph Phelps), own-rooted, variable whole-cluster (70-100%), aged in neutral french oak 500L puncheon and 225L barrique, unfined, unfiltered, DIAM closure.

• 1x 2017 Boushey Vineyard Syrah, Yakima Valley, WA
  14.1% abv, 75% whole-cluster, 94 W&S, 70 cases

• 1x 2017 Grande Côte Vineyard Syrah, Yakima Valley, WA
  14.2 abv, 100% whole cluster, 93 W&S,101 cases, vines planted 1994

• 1x 2017 Les Collines Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, WA
  14.2%, 95% whole cluster, 95 W&S Top 100, 385 cases

• 1x 2017 Destiny Ridge Vineyard Syrah, Horse Heaven Hills, WA
  13.9%, 70% whole cluster, 91 WE, 370 cases

• 1x 2018 Stoney Vine Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, OR
  12.1%, 100% whole cluster, 92 WE, 149 cases, Rocks district but we can’t call it that…

• 1x 2018 Les Collines Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, WA
  (because shipping 5 bottles would be dumb, and the ‘18 is delicious)
  13.7% abv, 95% whole-cluster, 93 WE, 101 cases*

SYRAH LOVE
Regular price $294 + shipping
Berserker Day 14 Price
$20 Shipping

ORDER HERE

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Offer # 3 - Tuesday Night Syrah Case Blowout

Searching for that elusive $20 bottle of killer Washington Syrah? Look no further.

It doesn’t always have to be so fancy & expensive, but it does need to be delicious.

This 2018 Columbia Valley lovely was made for a BTG program for a few restaurants in NYC and Seattle. And then… the world shut down and our plan was foiled. This is a blend of all of my fancy syrah vineyards – plus a barrel of grenache and mourvèdre for a little lift and added spice. It punches way above its price point.

• 12x 2018 Columbia Valley Syrah, Washington State
  13.6% abv, 60% whole cluster, 100% delicious, 92 OB, 520 cases produced

Tuesday Night Syrah Case BLOWOUT
Regular Price $336 + shipping
Berserker Day 14 Price

ORDER HERE

BerserkerDay Drawing/Bonus Offer!

Offer Extended BONUS MAGNUM Drawing - all orders placed will be entered in additional LIBRARY MAGNUM DRAWING.

• The first 5 Berserkers that place an order AND comment on this thread will receive a mystery bottle upgrade. (I’m a low-level wine hoarder, it’ll be somethin’ special)
• The first 10 Berserkers who place an order AND comment on this thread will be entered into a random drawing to receive a Library magnum. In fact, I’ll double that to 2 magnums for 20 orders.
• All Berserker day Early Bird/MC and GC that place an order AND comment on this thread will be entered into a separate drawing for a bottle of our coveted single “best barrel” library bottling.

ALL SHIPPING $20 - even on multiple orders. The more you order the more you.

CANNOT ship to AK, DE, HI, MS ND, NH, RI, SD and UT

About me and W.T. Vintners

TLDR

• Sommelier turned tandem sommelier/winemaker (after working several harvests OR, WA, NZ, Burgundy), “retired” from restaurants in 2020 to focus on family and the winery.
• Burgundy and Northern Rhone Freak.
• “Low intervention” winemaking, not “natural” WTF does that mean anyway?
  Spontaneous fermentations, lots of whole-cluster, no weird additives, no added acid or water, just a bit of SO2, no/rarely racking, neutral barrels & puncheons, no fining or filtering, bottled with DIAM 10
• Style - a bridge between the old and new world, I guess.
• Tasty wine at never before seen pricing

The long short version

In 2003, I started my sommelier journey, I ravenously read everything, tasted, took all the tests, etc. I needed to know more, to fill the holes that books and words could tell me. I set about to work a harvest in Oregon in 2005. I was hooked, I did a half-assed version of harvest with Cadence in 2006 and then made 2 barrels of Destiny Ridge Syrah in a garage with my buddy and his dad in 2007. It was humbling (it is shockingly still pretty fresh and tasty). But 2007 was wine by numbers, I follow the recipe provided by a few winemakers I respected. W.T. Vintners was born. Now I had the winemaking bug but needed to know more. I made my way to Burgundy in 2008 and New Zealand in 2009. Since then I have been honing my skills and continue to make annual pilgrimages to Burgundy, the Rhone, and at least one other international wine region seeking inspiration and education.

These experiences have informed my winemaking style. An Old world-less is more style with new-world fruit, spontaneous fermentations, low intervention, old-school techniques, and just enough SO2. Wine is a manmade product, without some direction it is gross, with a little love and science it is magic. If the fruit is clean we use a lot of whole clusters (50-100%). To ensure we don’t extract overt green flavors and harsh tannins all pigeage is by foot for the duration of fermentation. The wines are aged in neutral 500-liter puncheons and 225-liter neutral barrique for 18-22 months and are not fined or filtered. Lower alcohol is always the goal, but you gotta respect the vintage and dogma cannot dictate style, the vintage does and Washington is hot.

The intention is to create wines of place, that resonate with the voice of the vineyard, varietal, and vintage. The wines are pretty tasty young but reward modest patience. I find they really hit their stride at 7-10 years. The 2012 Les Collines Syrah is on fire right now and I am a hell of a lot better winemaker today than I was then.

Press and nice stuff people have said, for what it’s worth…

“This guy only has an A game.” Clive Pursehouse - Decanter
“W.T. Vintners is making some of the most thrilling wines in Washington right now, showing equal dexterity with reds and whites.” - S. Sullivan - Wine Enthusiast Magazine

2019 & 2020 Top 100 Winery - Wine & Spirits Magazine
2019, 2020 Top 100 Wines - Wine & Spirits Magazine
2019 Top 100 Wines - Wine Enthusiast Magazine
2018 40 Under 40 Tastemakers - Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Just click here to find all of my BerserkerDay offers

Thank you for your support!

[Dave_Shorter]

As a Monopole Crü member I had the pleasure of being a ‘Newbie Taster’ for W. T. Vintners. These wines were provided for free in exchange for my tasting notes below.

As someone who gravitates towards California wines, I was pleased to stretch my palate with these samples from Washington and Oregon. I’m impressed by the QPR of the wines coming from these regions. The wines were sampled by me, my wife and two other friends. The standout wine for me, and the crowd, was the Syrah Boushey Grand Côte Vineyard. A truly fantastic wine!

I hope all of you Berserkers will give this Newbie a try and continue to support these awesome wineries!

• 2018 W. T. Vintners Mourvèdre Boushey Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley (1/14/2023)
  

  I decanted this wine through a Menu Wine Breather and then put the wine back in the bottle with the cork for a few hours. The wine was about 65F when served.
  
  The wine is pale-ruby colored with medium+ legs. I picked up aromas of clean black fruit, black plum, and a bit of potting soil/earthiness. I noted flavors of black pepper. It had a nice spicy zing to it. The body is medium to full with some chalky tannins that hit front of tongue.
  
  Overall I thought this wine was stand out in the aromas it gave off and was a crowd pleaser.
  
  Day 2, the wine softened up quite a bit with noticeably less tannins. I liked it best on Day 1. (90 points)

• 2017 W. T. Vintners Pinot Noir Seven Springs Vineyard - USA, Oregon (1/14/2023)
  

  I decanted this wine through a Menu Wine Breather and then put the wine back in the bottle with the cork for a few hours. The wine was about 65F when served.
  
  The wine is deep pink/pale purple colored. I picked up aromas of cola, cranberry, & cherry and flavors of cranberry, cherry, and red licorice. There was a nice subtle spiciness as well.
  
  The body is light with low to medium tannins. This wine has a nice youthfulness to it. When I tasted it with friends we all said: “This would be a great summer red. Something you could chill a bit and then drink poolside.” It definitely had a light, clean, and refreshing quality.
  
  Day 2 this picked up some weight. It was more complex and I picked up more baking spices/vanilla. It was still clean & refreshing.

• 2017 W. T. Vintners Syrah Boushey Grand Côte Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley (1/14/2023)
  

  I decanted this wine through a Menu Wine Breather and then put the wine back in the bottle with the cork for a few hours. The wine was about 65F when served.
  
  The wine is medium-ruby colored with medium legs. I picked up aromas and flavors of: Blackberry, Black Cherry, Black Pepper, Cigar Box, and Dried Herbs. The body is medium to full with some chalky tannins that hit front of palate. I thought there was a pleasant complexity with this wine.
  
  Personally, it was my favorite among what I sampled from W. T. Vintners. I can definitely see this wine paired with a beautiful peppercorn steak. (92 points)

• 2017 W. T. Vintners Syrah Les Collines Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (1/14/2023)
  

  I decanted this wine through a Menu Wine Breather and then put the wine back in the bottle with the cork for a few hours. The wine was about 65F when served.
  
  The wine is medium-ruby colored with medium legs. I picked up aromas and flavors of: Dark Fruits, most notably Blackberry, Green Peppercorn, and some Graphite & Leather. The body is medium to full with medium tannins that hit front of mouth. I thought there was a nice complexity with this wine, but slightly less complex than the Grand Cote Syrah.
  
  I wouldn’t hesitate to pair this with some braised lamb or a pork loin with a fruit sauce. (91 points)

[Brian_Curtis]

This is one of my favorite wineries. Don’t hesitate to jump on any of these great deals. You won’t be sorry.

[Jeff_Lindsay-Thorsen]

Thank Dave, it was a joy to introduce you to my wines. It always fun to bring people out of there wheelhouse and share something new. We definitely are not making Cali style wines. I enjoyed reading your notes and totally agree the Grande Côte is in a beautiful spot right now. In tandem with the others It’ll just keep building for the next decade or more.

JLT

[Steve_Costigan]

I’ve tried most of the W.T. reds and can solidly endorse them for elegance and balance. One of my favs.

[Jeff_Lindsay-Thorsen]

Thanks Brian!

[Jeff_Lindsay-Thorsen]

Thanks for the love Steve.

[d.morris]

Is it too early to comment for a purchase tomorrow!?!?

[G_D_y_e_r]

I will be in for this when it opens up tomorrow.

The winemaking and terroir philosophy is right up my alley. I love coastal Syrah from California with whole cluster fermentation and neutral oak aging.

It’s hard for me to dive into Washington since I already have my local Syrah favorites and I don’t need a ton in the more prevalent WA BDX blend department. (The BDX blends are very good to excellent, just not on my regular stylistic and pairing rotation.)

But the set up here is perfect for me, looking forward to it

[Kris_Patten]

Caveat emptor: I consider Jeff a friend, although he may not consider me one , and have drank my fair share of Jeff’s wines back to his first vintage and met Jeff as a distributor when he was running Cascadia and followed him around as he went to Wild Ginger, Cafe Juanita, and RN74.

WT Vintners crafts some really beautiful, true to place wines, I always say new world wines with old world spirit and soul.

$20 for CV Syrah is a steal.

[Jeff_D1]

Also looking forward to this. I visited the Seattle area last summer and picked up some aged WT Syrah and blends I I held at Phenol55…all drinking nicely. I also stopped by for a tasting in Woodinville. My favorite has always been the Stoney Vine Syrah but the Mourvedre was fantastic.

[Jeff_Lindsay-Thorsen]

As my financial advisor says, it’s never to early to start planning your future. Thank you.

[Jeff_Lindsay-Thorsen]

Thanks Kris,

I definitely would count you as a friend, and a very selective wine drinker. You kind words are much appreciated.

[AlbertK]

To Note: I am a Monopole Crü member and had the privilege of tasting these wines as a newbie taster for WT Vintners. These wines were graciously given and shipped au gratis in exchange for the following set of notes.

I am a lover of lighter wines - think Burgundy, Oregon, German Riesling, some Washington, Etc. These fit the mold quite well and opened up extensively over the 3 days I tasted them. I think everyone should give these wines a chance given the obvious attention to detail and considerable quality. There is plenty of variety in both texture and taste in the lineup offered below.

What follows is one wine per bullet and the notes for each of the 3 days, represented by the number 1-3 directly below.

Please support WT Vintners and consider purchasing all of the wines offered as they are all quite unique.

*** 2017 Syrah - Boushey Grande Côte Vineyard - Yakima Valley**

1. Upon opening, the nose is quite telling of the 14.2 ABV. It’s the highest of the bunch but with no lack of acidity to reign in the plushness. A bit hard to pin down in the first 30 minutes, I returned an hour later to find a clear edge of graphite and boysenberry with the tannins reminding me of their presence, in quite a polite way.

2. “Is this a different wine?!” I found myself asking. Clearly more Northern Rhône like than yesterday, this had notes of olive tapenade and half-dried Elk jerky yet the texture and clean fruit profile shined through in the finish.

3. Interestingly, there is less mistaken identity today as this has turned into a lithe, pretty Syrah that really defies its ABV and typical grape character - terroir peeking through? Notes of fresh almond and soy-based braising stock. The tannins suggest that is is a wine that will reward some cellaring - perhaps 5-7 years. Bravo!

*** 2018 Mourvèdre - Boushey Vineyard - Yakima Valley (FAVORITE)**

1. Same vineyard as the 17 Syrah tasted directly beforehand. Upon opening there is a clear indication of fine oak on the nose (French?). Some bitter compounds I would associate with bitters used for a cocktail; quite pleasant if you enjoy that complex mix. While it rings in at 13.9 ABV, it is decidedly less ‘hot’ initially than the previous Syrah. Some cedar comes through after about 40 minutes. Then comes ‘Forest Berry’, ‘German Berry Tea’, ‘Tea Tree Oil’ and ‘Dark Red Currants’. Medium+ acid and a Medium body. Really interesting.

2. There is an unmistakable nose of peony and a persistent flavor of Lingonberry that was quite enjoyable but the structure and acidity seemed to be a bit out of balance. I gave this some more time as it seemed to need it. Some aggressive swirling in the decanter and a few hours of time did this wine well. A nose of strawberry and grape preserves came about and a specific note of ‘violet tincture’ was written in my notes.

3. Boy of boy, did this wine need some time. Pleasure to drink on day 3 with a silky, satiny body, incredibly balanced acidity and unique characteristics that I would say are probably the terroir. Unlike most other Mourvèdres I have tasted.

*** 2017 Pinot Noir - Seven Spring Vineyard - Oregon**

1. What a fresh nose - as expected. Cranberry upon opening and young honeysuckle blooms 30 minutes later. On the palate, there is finely tuned acidity and fine, powdery tannins. Burgundian with it’s own flair. Dried Chinese Haw candy (flat disks for those of you that have tried?) and dried Rose Hips on the palate complete the finish.

2. The texture here has turned creamy, with the tannins hiding in a unified cloak with almost imperceptible seams. Bit of tart cherry to the finish and a bright acidity complement the texture well.

3. The acidity takes the foreground now - impressive that this has made it to day 3 with style and grace. Easy to drink and enjoy with food but will last for years longer.

*** 2017 Syrah - “Damavian” - Les Collines Vineyard - Blocks 30 &31 - Walla Walla Valley**

1. Upon opening there is an unmistakable nose of milk chocolate and latte froth. I found myself thinking it needs plenty more air, however, after the first taste. Drying tannins with a medium grit told me to let this baby have an evening to itself, and so I did.

2. Revisit about 20 hours later. Bright acidity and far more precision. Less of the blocky density form the tannins and a whole lot more ‘juiciness’. The tannins are still quite drying but there are waves of blue and black intermingled fruit to stand up to them. Blackberry and açai paste concentrate are my first thoughts. Needs more time, still. Back in the Eurocave.

3. Best on Day 3 indicating a 10 year aging potential in my book. Most in balance with a plethora of dark fruits and purple flower notes. Slight hints of dark roasted tree nuts and peaberry coffee. Thoroughly enjoyed having a glass of this with dinner and certainly one for the cellar.

[PatrickW]

Gonna be looking for this to drop tomorrow!

[Jeff_Lindsay-Thorsen]

Thank you, Patrick! See you tomorrow for the madness.

[Matt_A_u_s_t_i_n]

Good to see WT here this year. Great Washington wines that you Berserkers should check out!

[Will_Hamilton]

Jeff is a beacon of light for exploring the wines of Washington! I can’t really count how many of my customers going North they should find time to seek out these wines. Hope you’re well Jeff!

[PatrickW]

In for a Syrah 6! Can’t wait!