Hey there,
I’m Jeff Lindsay-Thorsen and it’s my second appearance on Berserker Day! Last year was incredible, and I’m here up the ante and offer even more incredible deals to get these wines in your glasses.
I have FOUR great offers from W.T. Vintners and my new project Gorgiste with a few bonus drawings/raffles to sweeten the already absurdly sweet deals.
I am so stoked to be back on the roster this year. I’ve met many of you over the years with my sommelier hat on as the wine director of several PNW wine-centric restaurants and many more of you at my winery in Woodinville, WA. Most recently, before the world imploded, I was the wine director for the lifespan of the grand temple to the wines of Burgundy, Michael Mina’s RN74 restaurant (2011-2020 RIP) in Seattle. I continue to consult for restaurants and private collector cellars to keep sharp. Living in Washington and striving to make terroir-driven wines from eastern Washington, Syrah is the name of the game at W.T. Vintners.
Not one to make my life easy, I’ve also been dabbling in the cool western edges of the Columbia Gorge AVA (1 hour east of Portland, OR) since 2012. Right away it became clear that these wines had a voice of their own and didn’t fit in the WTV stable. Finally, this past summer we debuted our new project, Gorgiste, dedicated exclusively to this unique terroir. The wines are so fantastically different than the brooding wines of eastern Washington; they are bright, fresh, high acid, low alcohol, with an alpine vibrancy.
Across both projects, these are NOT big punchy Washington wines. I strive to make elegant and nuanced wines from Rhône varieties grown in our low-desert Eastern WA for W.T. Vintners and cool climate varieties from the remarkable sub-alpine terroir of the western Columbia Gorge AVA through Gorgiste.
Thanks for checking out our offers, we are so excited for you to get to know our wines.
Jeff
BD15 OFFERS
*[#1 GETTING TO KNOW W.T. VINTNERS 3-PACK - BD15 ]
(Shop — W.T. Vintners)* 
1 each:'18 Les Collines Syrah, '19 Boushey Mourvèdre, '21 Boushey Grenache
#2 SYRAH LOVE - W.T. VINTNERS LIBRARY 6-PACK - BD15
1 each of our single vineyard Syrah from our library: Les Collines, Boushey, Grande Cote, Stoney Vine, & 2 vintages of Destiny Ridge
#3 GETTING TO KNOW GORGISTE 6-PACK - BD15
1 each: '18 Brut Rosé, '21 Chardonnay, '22 Grüner, '22 Gamay Rosé, '22 Pinot Noir, & '22 Gamay
#4 GORGISTE - GET FRESH 3-PACK - BD15 
1 each: '18 Sparkling Brut Rosé, '22 Gamay, '22 Pinot Noir
FLAT RATE SHIPPING $20 - even on multiple orders (within each winery). The more you order the more you save. Wines will ship as soon as it warms up. Unfortunately, we can’t ship to AK, DE, HI, MS, ND, NH, RI, SD, and UT.
Stop by later today for one more ridiculous offer, it might just rhyme with “heaven rings”
Now for more information than you could ever want
Fun Facts (TLDR):
- Single Vineyard Wines of place, that tell a story, a conduit through which the vineyard can speak.
- Wine Style: higher in natural acidity, seeking lower alcohol through early picking, more structure, less blousy fruit.
- Syrah will be the KING of Washington wine.
- Less is more - Old school winemaking techniques - The vineyard should have the loudest voice.
- No commercial yeast, commercial ML, high % of whole-cluster, low-ish SO2, no acid or water additions, neutral barrel and puncheon aging.
- Winemaking philosophy inspired by the wines of Northern Rhone and Burgundy, taking cues from old-world benchmarks.
- Jeff’s extensive sommelier background lends an international perspective and inspiration, reference points for the wine style and philosophy.
Fun Facts (TLDR):
- Exclusively from the Rainmaker Vineyard, Columbia Gorge AVA, WA. (1100-1350’ elevation).
- Delicate winemaking to craft easy-going but complex wines.
- These wines are made to crush, not hoard in your cellar (the sparkling is pretty “serious”).
- Natural wine sensibility, but not all F’d up with flaws. No kombucha, mouse, etc.
- Short aging in the winery to allow for low SO2 without compromising quality.
- Holistic practices in the vineyard, working towards organic.
The long version is way down towards the bottom below the Raffle/Prize info.
Shipping Info:
ALL SHIPPING $20 - even on multiple orders (within each winery). The more you order the more you save.
Wines will ship as soon as it warms up.
Unfortunately, we can’t ship to AK, DE, HI, MS, ND, NH, RI, SD, and UT.
BerserkerDay 15 Drawing/Bonus Offer! detail below offers
OFFER #1 GETTING TO KNOW W.T. VINTNERS - 3-PACK - BD15
An exploration of our style and Washington’s terroir through Rhône varieties without a big commitment.
One bottle of each
2018 Les Collines Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla, WA
Winemaking: Wild fermentation, 95% whole cluster, aged in neutral 500 and 225-228 liter French oak barriques for 18 months, no racking, no fining or filtering. 28ppm SO2 at bottling, 101 cases, 93 WE
2019 Boushey Vineyard Mourvèdre, Yakima Valley, WA
100% Mourvèdre, wild fermentation, aged in neutral 225-228 liter French oak barriques for 18 months, no racking, no fining or filtering. 28ppm SO2 at bottling, 100 cases produced, 93 points Vinous
2021 Boushey Vineyard Grenache, Yakima Valley
100% Grenache, wild fermentation, aged in neutral 228-liter French oak barrels for 18 months. 28ppm SO2 at bottling, Diam 10 closure, Cases produced: 100 (12/750ml), NYR
OFFER #1 GETTING TO KNOW WTV - BD15
+$20 ground shipping
ORDER HERE!
OFFER # 2 SYRAH LIBRARY LOVE - 6 PACK - BD15
This was last year’s favorite! I’m so proud of all of you who 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 (60-100%), aged in neutral French oak 500L puncheon and 225L barrique, unfined, unfiltered, DIAM 10 cork. We are dipping into the library to have some fun with this one, but this offer is very limited.
One bottle of each
2017 Boushey Vineyard Syrah Birdhouse Block, Yakima Valley, WA
60% whole-cluster, 13.8% abv, 94 W&S, 73 cases produced
2018 Grande Côte Vineyard Syrah, Yakima Valley, WA
100% whole cluster, 13.8% abv, 93 OB,101 cases produced, vines planted 1994!
2018 Les Collines Vineyard Syrah Block 30, Walla Walla Valley, WA
95% whole cluster, 14.2% abv, 93 WE
2016 Destiny Ridge Vineyard Syrah Block 1, Horse Heaven Hills, WA
13.9%, 70% whole cluster, 13.9% abv91 WE, 370 cases
2018 Stoney Vine Vineyard Syrah Block 2 Fan, Walla Walla Valley, OR
100% whole cluster 12.1% abv, 93 OB, 225 cases, Walla Walla Rocks Funk with acid and low abv!
2017 Destiny Ridge Vineyard Syrah Block 1, Horse Heaven Hills, WA
(because shipping 5 bottles would be dumb, and this wine is firing on all cylinders)
70% whole-cluster, 14.1 % abv, 91 WE, 101 cases produced
OFFER #2 SYRAH LOVE - 6-PACK - BD15
$20 ground shipping
ORDER HERE
ALL SHIPPING $20 - even on multiple orders (within each winery). The more you order the more you save.
Offer # 3 - GETTING TO KNOW GORGISTE 6-PACK - BD15
Each bottle of Gorgiste embraces time-honored, low-impact winemaking by cultivating wines that reveal the vast beauty of the western Columbia Gorge’s cool-climate vineyards. To reveal the beauty and essence of the western Columbia Gorge in each bottle, Gorgiste embraces an ambitious approach to time-honored, low-impact winemaking in partnership with vineyard grower’s holistic farming practices. We hope this bottle is a catalyst toward a positive transformation in the wine world; in the vineyard, the cellar, and in your glass. Together we can be a force for good as stewards of the land and our culture. These wines are made to crush, not cellar. Put a light chill on the reds and just enjoy the moment.
One bottle of each
2018 Gorgiste Sparkling Brut Rosé, Rainmaker Vineyard, Columbia Gorge, WA
Gorgiste wines, by design and terroir, are fun and easy. That said, we love Champagne too much to mess around with our sparkling. 100% Pinot Noir, aged 50+ months on the lees, 1.5 g/l dosage, 877 bottles
2021 Gorgiste Chardonnay, Rainmaker Vineyard, Columbia Gorge, WA
Spontaneously fermented in 2018, not quite neutral, 500-liter French oak puncheons & neutral barrique. 14 months in barrel, 4 months in steel. More rich chablis/macon than Puligny.
13.0% abv, 3.48 ph, 6.0 g/l TA, 201 cases produced
2022 Gorgiste Grüner Veltliner, Rainmaker Vineyard, Columbia Gorge, WA
50/50 fermented in concrete and stainless steel. All about spice and texture.
13.0% abv, 3.6 ph, 5.25 g/l TA,138 cases produced
2022 Gorgiste Gamay Rosé, Rainmaker Vineyard, Columbia Gorge, WA
Oh, how we love Gamay! Whole cluster pressed, spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel, So fresh and bright! Rosé is for all seasons!
12.9% abv, 216 cases produced
2022 Gorgiste Gamay, Rainmaker Vineyard, Columbia Gorge, WA
50/50 carbonic and traditional red fermentation, aged 6 months in old 500L puncheons. We couldn’t be more excited to be entrenched in PNW Gamay’s future. If this wine is any indication, the future is looking bright.
12.8% abv, 240 cases produced
2022 Gorgiste Pinot Noir, Rainmaker Vineyard, Columbia Gorge, WA
Super pale in color, but explosive in aroma and flavor. Someone recently called it “tantalizing.” We prefer to keep it simple: it’s delicious.
12.8% abv, 450 cases produced
#3 GETTING TO KNOW GORGISTE 6-PACK - BD15
$20 ground shipping
ORDER HERE
#4 GORGISTE - GET FRESH TRIO - BD15
One bottle of each
2018 Gorgiste Sparkling Brut Rosé, Rainmaker Vineyard, Columbia Gorge, WA
Gorgiste wines, by design and terroir, are fun and easy. That said, we love Champagne too much to mess around with our sparkling. 100% Pinot Noir, Traditional Method, 50 months on the lees, 1.5 g/l dosage, 877 bottles produced
2022 Gorgiste Gamay, Rainmaker Vineyard, Columbia Gorge, WA
50/50 carbonic and traditional red fermentation, aged 6 months in old 500L puncheons. We couldn’t be more excited to be entrenched in PNW Gamay’s future. If this wine is any indication, the future is looking bright. Serve at cellar temp and drink it like Kool-aid. Oh Yeah!
12.8% abv, 240 cases produced
2022 Gorgiste Pinot Noir, Rainmaker Vineyard, Columbia Gorge, WA
Super pale in color, but explosive in aroma and flavor. Someone recently called it “tantalizing.” We prefer to keep it simple, it’s delicate and delicious.
12.8% abv, 450 cases produced
*OFFER #4 GORGISTE - GET FRESH TRIO - BD15 *
Any other day $135 + shipping
$20 ground shipping
ORDER HERE
ALL SHIPPING $20 - even on multiple orders (within each winery). The more you order the more you save.
BerserkerDay 15 Drawing/Bonus Offer!
Offer 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.
- 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.
About me and W.T. Vintners
TLDR
- Sommelier turned tandem sommelier/winemaker (after working several harvests in 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/rare racking, neutral barrels & puncheons, no fining and very rarely filtered, bottled with DIAM 10 corks - 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 couldn’t 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 followed 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 can be gross. However, with a lot of love and a little 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 done by foot for the duration of fermentation. The WTV wines are aged in neutral 500-liter puncheons and 225-liter neutral barrique for 18-22 months and are not fined or filtered. The Gorgiste reds are aged for a short time in old wood, steel, and concrete to capture the freshness and vibrancy the western Columbia Gorge brings to the wines. Lower alcohol is always the goal, but you gotta respect the vintage and dogma cannot dictate style. The ABV is dependent on the vintage and Eastern Washington is hot. In the cool Gorge, low alcohol comes easy.
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 the WTV wines hit their stride at 7-10 years and age further with grace. The Gorgiste wines, well they’re brand new so who knows, but I’ve made them with the intention of immediate enjoyment.
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
“This is magical work by a very old-world style of winemaker, Jeff Lindsay-Thorsen.” Owen Bargreen
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
You made it this far, WOW! Thank you!!!
Jeff
GORGISTE & W.T. VINTNERS
Shipping Info:
Wines will ship as soon as it warms up.
Unfortunately, we can’t ship to AK, DE, HI, MS, ND, NH, RI, SD, and UT.
Thank you 