Descendant Cellars has a quaint tasting room in the Warehouse District, offering Old World Rhone style blends with some nice vintages. Winemaker Mike Rupp uses minimal intervention and larger French oak barrels to subdue the oak influence, allowing the fruit to shine. They source from Eastern Washington, including Alder Ridge Vineyard (Horse Heaven Hills), Ciel du Cheval (Red Mountain), Heart of the Hill and Ranch at the end of the Road (Red Mountain), Les Collines (Walla Walla), and Minick (Yakima).
2016 Grenache ($33) - smooth and sweet, easy drinking, a little sweet for me. 92 pts.
2015 GSM ($36) - preferred over the Grenache, with a bit more depth and balance. 93 pts.
2015 Mourvedre ($33) - soil on the nose, cherries with pepper finish. 96 pts.
2014 Les Collines Syrah ($33) - smooth and mineral. 95 pts.
2016 Malbec - jammy, raisins, smooth. 93 pts.
I really enjoyed my tasting experience at Descendant Cellars. Their old world style of Rhone blends delivered. I favored the 2015 Mourvedre and the 2014 Les Collines Syrah. I'd be interested in checking out more of the Syrah lineup, and a vertical tasting would be amazing if they had that available. Descendant holds onto some nice vintages, which I appreciate, and their wines have surprisingly low price points. I feel they are a hidden gem.
