This is the 2nd time we've visited Efeste. I blew it off the first time, as I felt the price point was somewhat high relative to what I was expecting. We decided to give it another try after having a pleasant experience with their Cabernet at a steakhouse (the label escapes me).
The Efeste Woodinville tasting room is located in the Warehouse district. There is outdoor seating with picnic tables and umbrellas, resting in the parking lot.
Upon entering the tasting room, my first impression is that the main room appeared somewhat dated, but clean. I noted the pizza oven immediately, with a cook pulling some legitimate looking pizzas from the fire. This was a nice touch, considering most tasting rooms provide cold snacks only. Although we did not sample it, I have no doubt the pizzas are delicious.
There is a large cellar in the back that was too cold for us to sit, but provides more space and privacy, and probably a great entertaining space for a reserved party.
We purchased a tasting flight of 6 wines for $25:
2021 Evergreen Riesling ($24): B rating
2021 Oldfield Estate Rose ($26): B rating
2018 Jolie Bouche Estate Syrah ($48): A- rating
2018 Paulie GSM ($40): B rating
2018 Eleni Club Syrah ($60): B rating
2019 Big Papa Cabernet Sauvignon ($68): A- rating
Overall, the wines were good. The 2018 Jolie Bouche stood out to me as an thought interesting Syrah. Here's Efeste's tasting notes: “Bright, dark ruby. Cool, sexy scents of blackberry, dark raspberry, cocoa powder, and minerals. Pliant, rich, and savory but not at all over the top, with black raspberry, spice, and faint herb flavors firmed by underlying minerality. Not a sweet style but quite intense, this wine relies more on its serious dusty tannins than on its acidity for structure and potential longevity. The firm tannins coat the front teeth. This Syrah will need time in the bottle to soften and gain in pliancy. In fact, it maintained its energy very well in the recorked bottle, and I raised my score for its sexy savory character.”
The Syrah grapes are sourced entirely from their Oldfield Estate in Yakima. Interestingly, it is 100% cluster to showcase the terroir, and fermented in concrete and stainless steel.
I could definitely appreciate dusty cocoa, with minerality, and certainly less sweet than most Syrahs I've encountered, which is a good thing.
In the end, we felt the wines were overall good. The price point was somewhat high for the value. I think the pizzas are a particularly unique offering, and this would be an excellent pit stop to fuel up during a wine tasting tour. Overall the winery gets a B+ rating for their wines, being above average. The ambience, and service was pretty average and gets a B.
