Private Barrel Auction

This 62 bottle lot is a cherished representation of the 4th annual Private Barrel Auction wineries. All 31 winemakers autographed two bottles of one of their finest wines. Perfect for your private cellar or to be shared with top clients. No matter what lot(s) you win today, you can take home a bit from every winery with this one.

Winning Bidder: Private Collector

We lean on an hyper-extended skin contact to resolve the wine's phenolic matrix instead of using new oak. Fermented and aged in a concrete egg, this Cabernet Sauvignon is unique and represents the best of the appellation without interference from external sources.

A pure mineral and focused expression of Cabernet Sauvignon with floral notes and a refined yet rustic tannin structure.

Winning Bidder: Wine.com

In our mission to create timeless Cabernets of place, we bring in the other four Bordeaux varieties for blending and support. As we taste through the vintage, there always manage to be a few gems like this Cabernet Franc, that deserve elevation to their own bottling. Originally fermented as a component for another wine, this Cabernet Franc lot captured our hearts. We set a little aside and have been waiting for an opportunity to give it its own podium to speak from.

Beautiful aromatics leap from the glass, with notable florals, ripe red fruits, and proper cab franc graphite. On the palate, kirsch and raspberries dominate, with a background potpourri of dried petals, citrus rind, and Earl Grey tea. Texturally, the wine exhibits a high degree of shape and polish, with a rounded suppleness and feminine elegance. Bright acidity from entry to finish gives it lift and grace.

Winning Bidder: Total Wine & More

We are a boutique winery specializing in Rhone and Bordeaux varieties. Our goal is always to respect the fruit and stay true to the terroir of the vineyards with which we work.

Beautiful aromatics of cassis, violet, blackberry, and graphite. The palate is rich and intense with notes of cassis, blackberry, violets, dark chocolate, and smoldering incense. Beautifully balanced with a long finish echoing notes of cassis and graphite.*

*Additional cases will be available for purchase.

Winning Bidder: Capers Café

Our 2017 Auster Red Blend takes its name from the Roman god of the South wind and represents an extremely limited production, vineyard designate wine hand-crafted by the Dusted Valley family. This is a Merlot-based blend which aptly hails from Southwind Vineyard, one of Dusted Valley's three estate vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley. The diversity in elevation and soil profiles make it an extremely special place to grow grapes.

Crafted exclusively for the Auction of Washington Wines Private Barrel Auction, this is an elegant wine showcasing a beautiful spectrum of savory red – black brambly fruit, anise and intense minerality. It has a big and generous entry that builds with a rich progression and long finish framed by refreshing acidity and fine and firm mouth-coating tannins.

Winning Bidder: Total Wine & More

This barrel of 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon from Red Mountain is a true showstopper. Planted in the late 1980s, and now under the stewardship of Michael Corliss and his vineyard team, this block barely ekes out 2 tons per acre, resulting in impressive concentration and structure. It was then fermented with indigenous yeast, went through a 35 day extended maceration, and is currently aging in a new Taransaud French oak barrel

This young barrel sample, already showing an immense concentration and potential, will surely develop beautifully in barrel for another 10 months before being bottled specially for this auction lot. This is a full throttle, opulent, yet truly balanced Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon that will last a long time in the cellar.

Winning Bidder: Private Collector

Since about 2008 we had been looking for the right parcel in the Walla Walla Valley -The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater.  We found it in 2010 in the shape of an abandoned cherry orchard nestled right on the edge of the city limits.  The Cabernet Sauvignon from Holy Roller is proving to be every bit the awesome terroir-driven addition to our hillside estate vineyards.  So much so that we chose to highlight it for this year’s Private Barrel Auction.

This wine exhibits all the classic attributes in which “The Rocks” are becoming known for.  The nose has a delicious core of ripe black fruit, but has a unique streak of saline and mineral you don’t generally find upon our hillside loess soil sites.  The texture is decidedly plush and supple with moderate acidity, making this wine immediately enjoyable.

Winning Bidder: Total Wine & More

We cherry picked our favorite barrels from our favorite lots of Walla Walla Valley Merlot to create this exclusive wine. We wanted to choose something that highlights, to us, the Walla Walla Valley’s signature grape. Long, sunny days, cool nights and minimal precipitation throughout the growing season provide optimum conditions to ripen balanced and structured Merlot.

Standing out from the crowd with its vibrant color and intense flavors, this wine opens with strawberry rhubarb pie, melding into black cherry and raspberry with hints of leather and smoky earth. Deftly balanced flavors of blueberry preserves atop buttered toast, Rainier cherry, licorice and hints of lavender give way to a lingering finish.  The supple tannins offer layer upon layer of chalky earth, woody herbs and cedar.

Winning Bidder: Island Liquor

Our Cabernet Sauvignon is made from one barrel out of a selection of 233. Using a small amount of Cabernet Franc and Merlot to round out this prodigious wine, we've captured the unique essence of the Royal Slope AVA with saturated color, ripe but fresh fruit with fine tannin and more moderate alcohol levels. Truly a classic representation of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Intense notes of blackberry, currants, plum skin smoke and spice. Dense and structured with fine tannin carrying through to a lithe and compressed finish.

Winning Bidder: The Wine Spectrum

This 100% Syrah from the Red Heaven Vineyard on Red Mountain was fermented in a 400L French Oak barrel to enhance its complexity, texture and richness then will be aged in a new French Oak barrel for 18 months.

Deep in color and showing intense flavors of dark fruit and spice. Bold and intense, this wine is structured with refined tannins and an overall balance that make the tasting from the beginning to the end seamless and vibrant.

Winning Bidder: The Turf Room

We have long conjured such a blend: Malbec, with its seductive textural richness and Petit Verdot with its intense florality and inky structure. Our inspiration is the laboratory that is the Columbia Valley. We continue to be in awe of its raw potential.

Tiny berries struggled on a very steep slope to deliver this very rare wine. Dark and brooding, with seamless richness, with violets, blackberries, vanilla bean, smoke and pencil shavings erupting from the nose, followed by layers of tar, black plum, black raspberry, dark chocolate, and Asian spices. Pure and minerally, with white pepper and citrus oil accents on the finish. Richly textured, with good grip and a loooooong finish.*

*Additional cases will be available for purchase.

Winning Bidder: Esquin Wine & Spirits

When we think of Octave, I think of the elevation, towering over the valley at 1350 feet, with the wind blowing swiftly through the vines (and turning the nearby wind turbines). Coupled with the dry silty loam soils it sits on, these factors lead to a wine with unusual concentration and structure for the Walla Walla Valley.

As is typical for Octave Cabernet, the tannins of the 2017 vintage are intense, bordering on astringent in youth, softening to a velvety, but strong grip after two years in barrel. On first nose of the glass, an intense earthiness of hard rocks and graphite prepares the taster for the boldness to come. Layers of ripe, juicy blackberry and cassis complement a bouquet of resinous herbs and dark red flowers. A slight tartness appears on the palate to balance the intensity of the tannins, but the seemingly never-ending finish is of pleasantly ripe fruit with a sprinkling of vanilla and nutmeg atop.

This long lived wine can be enjoy 2020-2031 (and beyond).

Winning Bidder: Capers Café

We look to the Red Mountain AVA for the purest expression of Cabernet Sauvignon in our cellar. These two vineyards, Ciel du Cheval and Heart of the Hill, contribute multiple blocks and clones to this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wine. Fermentation in Concrete vessels further elevates the texture of this wine.

Aromas of cocoa, black currant, and mint. On the palate, intense fruit flavors of black cherry and pomegranate are supported by fresh acidity.

Winning Bidder: Buon Vino

At Stillwater Creek the part of the vineyard with the highest elevation and best exposure is where the Merlot clone 3 is grown. This is unique because many of the best potential Merlot vineyard sites in California and Washington are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon. Our winemaker tends to pick Merlot early, as soon as the flavors are delicious and the chemistry is where she wants it. To craft blends like Baer’s Ursa, Erica mixes varietals together. It's a treat for her, as the winemaker, to hold some of our owner's favorite Merlot in reserve, in its pure form.

We think Merlot can be somewhat under appreciated, an underdog. Our winemaker chose to feature what Washington State Merlot can really be -- something quite special.

Winning Bidder: Buon Vino

With a strong heritage and a brand well-known throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond, we are committed to producing premium wines through gentle treatment in all phases of the winemaking process. Our goal is to bring something to the bottle that we enjoy and are proud to label with the name Dunham.

This Cabernet Sauvignon was grown on our estate vineyard which was planted up Mill Creek in 2010. The blocks are at the top of the vineyard and able to withstand most of the frost damage in the parts of the valley. We believe this is a great presentation of Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon.

Showcasing a purity of fruit, the wine opens with aromatics of ripe raspberry bramble, chocolate and baking spice. On the palate notes of anise, vanilla and fresh black pepper come together with a bright acidity and structured tannins.

Winning Bidder: Capers Café

After a successful 2016 FRANCOPHILE, a Washington Cabernet Franc based blend, we have decided to repeat the performance from the 2017 vintage. Our own take on the Cabernet Franc is that it is improved in complexity and balance when blended with other classic Bordeaux varietals, as is done in the right bank of Bordeaux.

The 2017 Francophile is a beautiful dark garnet in color. The nose is full of seductive floral notes with hints of dried herbs and black currants. On the palate the wine has that Bordeaux like balance of fruit, acid and tannin making the wine certainly drinkable now but promising even greater rewards in a decade.*

*Additional cases will be available for purchase. 

Winning Bidder: Private Collector

This is a father/son collaboration between Mike and Andrew Januik, each of whom produces wines under separate labels. This will represent Mike's 35th vintage of making wine in Washington state. Andrew's young age is belied by the fact that he has been tagging along in vineyards and the cellar since he was a youngster.

Like one would expect from Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine has lots of structure that exquisitely finishes with lovely suppleness. Its intense blackberry and raspberry notes are complemented with a touch of cedar in the nose.*

*Additional cases will be available for purchase.

Winning Bidder: Whispering Vine Wine Co.

Every year our goal at Mark Ryan is to create a wine unlike any other offered in the Mark Ryan portfolio, whether it is a traditional Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, or simply an outstanding lot from one of our premiere vineyards. This year we chose to go big with a 100% Petit Verdot. Ciel du Cheval provides deep, dark and rich black and blue fruits. Olsen lends balance and freshness, with complex, savory nonfruit aromas and flavors. The addition of Quintessence offers rich blueberry flavors.

Winning Bidder: Total Wine & More

We picked the Blackwoods Canyon grapes by hand, then subjected the fruit to multiple meticulous sorting processes, followed by a 5 to 6 day cold soak. The Cabernet Sauvignon was kept separated into strategic lots, fermenting for 18-25 days in a combination of upright barrique and roller puncheons. After pressing and racking into new French barriques, we set out on a 28-month process of aging and evaluation to determine which lots had the concentration and structure to make this wine a Red Mountain classic.

This particular lot has an incredibly layered nose and pallet of dark and brooding fruit. Blackberry, mulberry and graphite notes give way to more smoky/meaty flavors; alongside forest floor, mushroom and bay leaf. Grainy tannins provide structure and a long finish that continues to develop throughout.

Winning Bidder: The Turf Room

The wines were fermented separately in small stainless tanks and punched down twice per day.  After pressing and settling, the wines went directly to 100% new French chateau barrels for 20 months of aging. The blend of the two wines will be bottled un-fined and unfiltered.

This blend is complex, showing the sophistication, balance and structure that comes from such extraordinary “old vine” vineyards. It expresses the purity and typicity of fully mature Cabernet Sauvignon that can only be achieved from old vine fruit. Flavors of black fruits blend beautifully with the spice of new oak. The texture is silky yet firm with integrated tannins, offering a rich and lingering finish. With proper storage, this wine should easily age for ten years or more.

Winning Bidder: Capers Café

We are recognized as one of Washington State’s most celebrated and reliable wineries and have earned international acclaim for producing distinctive wines of the highest quality. We craft ultra-premium wines that reflect the unmistakable typicity of Washington State and the unique terroir of our Walla Walla Valley vineyards.

This wine is sublime, with Seven Hill’s characteristic cedar and rose petal aromas that infuse the core of gently steeped dark cherry and black plum fruit with hints of cocoa. The structure is seamless with notes of cassis and earth that course through the chalky tannin, lengthy mineral finish.*

*Additional cases will be available for purchase.

Winning Bidder: Anthony's Restaurants

This special bottling comes from the oldest block of Cabernet Franc on Red Mountain, planted in 1987 at Tapteil Vineyard. It is the first and only pure Cabernet Franc we have ever produced. Tapteil is known for producing powerful wines, and Cadence is renowned for showcasing the best a vineyard has to offer within the framework of elegance and purity.

Our wine marries the graceful Cadence style with the power of Tapteil old vine Cabernet Franc. The nose leads with savory herbs, dark berries and spice. On the palate there are waves of fruit followed by powerful, supple, fine tannins balanced by the trademark Cadence acidity and freshness.

Winning Bidder: Capers Café

We produce 100% estate grown Washington state red wines from our outstanding vineyard located on Red Mountain. We are committed to making wines of the finest quality that reflect the richness and diversity of the Red Mountain terroir.

Winemakers Mike Macmorran and Tom Rinaldi, work closely with vineyard manager, Dick Boushey, to implement ideal growing practices in our Red Mountain estate vineyard. This wine is a blend of predominately clone 8 and clone 24 Cabernet Sauvignon from the south block of our vineyard, which we have identified to be our "sweet spot".

Winning Bidder: Buon Vino

This one-time-only blend is made from our favorite barrels of Syrah from the 2017 vintage. With approachable tannins, concentrated aromas and flavors of blackberry and bacon fat, this wine shows exceptional balance.

Our exclusive Syrah highlights both savory notes reminiscent of great wines found in the Northern Rhone with fruit-forward characteristics of Washington State Syrah. Expect an "old world meets new world" Syrah!

Winning Bidder: Private Collector

Created exclusively for the Auction of Washington Wines Private Barrel Auction, this wine is drawn from a collection of the best sites in Walla Walla Valley, featuring Merlot from the historic Seven Hills Old Blocks and Cabernet Franc from Summit View Vineyard and McClellan Estate Vineyard.

The wine displays a fragrant bouquet of ripe plum and cherry, mocha, and a trace of minerals. Impeccably structured with velvety fruit impressions and a supple palate of fine tannins, it reveals alluring flavors of red plum jam, cherry compote, and sweet baking spices accented by tobacco and floral hints.

Winning Bidder: Total Wine & More

This exclusive 5 case blend is crafted from the Col Solare Estate Vineyard and showcases two varietals that were exceptional for the 2017 vintage. The Estate Vineyard was planted in 2007 and the orientation, spacing and density were matched with the site to ensure uniform ripening and fruit quality.

The Col Solare Estate Cabernet Sauvignon offers aromas of black cherry, spice and dried fruits with hints of currents and anise that carry over onto the palate. The wine has integrated, plush tannins that lead into a long lingering finish.*

*Additional cases will be available for purchase. 

Winning Bidder: Total Wine & More

Aging this wine in concrete as opposed to new or used oak has added an extra element of complexity. Concrete, although porous, does not breathe the same as oak, and Syrah reacts well to this slightly reductive environment. One of our favorite vineyards, Lewis takes on some meaty, savory qualities to complement the fresh raspberry fruit notes.

We have bottled Lewis on its own in 2012 (The Flip Side) and in 2013 (Light Years). The Flip side was rated 93-95 points by Wine Advocate, and the Light Years was rated 94-96 points. We think this vintage is even better.

Winning Bidder: The Wine Spectrum

With an uwavering focus on the focus of the fruit, our grapes are hand-picked and handcrafted. Special attention is paid to every detail and the result is stylistically classic wines that allow the varietal to showcase itself.

The van Loben Sels Cabernet Sauvignon is elegant, complex, and chock full of flavor. The multiple layers of chocolate, red currant, and plum explode on the palate, finishing with hints of spices and herbs from the French Oak. Barrel aged for 22 months, this wine displays intense dark berry fruit and full bodied character.*

*Additional cases will be available for purchase.

Winning Bidder: Tulalip Resort Casino

This wine is sourced exclusively from Ciel du Cheval's 1982 planting of Cabernet Sauvignon. For 26 years, this lot has been used solely for DeLille Cellars' premier Red Mountain blend, Chaleur Estate. This unique lot is being offered for the first time, exclusively for this year's Private Barrel Auction.

Highly aromatic, with intense black plum, cassis and pencil shavings, with barrels notes of cocoa and espresso. Densely packed with a solid fruit core, black currant and blueberry flavors are supported by an enticing minerality and a hint of tarragon. This precisely balanced wine offers savory, elegant tannins and an immensely long finish.*

*Additional cases will be available for purchase.

Winning Bidder: Capers Café

We are a winery noted for crafting artisanal wines, implementing labor-intensive traditional winemaking methods with new world state-of-the-art-technologically, advanced winemaking equipment and techniques. Our winery uses all French barrels, using oak as a seasoning, and they are topped monthly with each barrel carefully monitored through the entire maturation process..

Our Cabernet Franc is deeply colored, medium bodied. Opens with strawberries, red plum and blackberries with a hint of bell pepper. The wine is savory with medium-high acidity and mouthwatering taste.

Winning Bidder: Wine.com

Typically found on the foothills of the Pyrenees in SW France, this is the first year Rotie Cellars has ever made Tannat and we're told the only Tannat in Washington State. This Tannat is grown about 300' up from the Columbia River Near Maryhill Museum on a steep basalt slope. The combination of grapes that spend their days baking in the sun and cooling down with wind from the river makes for incredible concentration.

Fresh yet powerful on the nose, with savory elements of thyme blossom and tobacco over top of red raspberry, candied orange peel and meat drippings. On the palate, the wine shows both Tannat’s power and a friendliness that may surprise those more familiar with its Old World renditions, with tangy, meaty, loamy notes over raspberries and spice.

Winning Bidder: Tulalip Resort Casino