2018 Maison Bleue Bourgeois Grenache

Maison Bleue was founded in 2007 by Jon Meuret, who left a career in dentistry in Kansas City to move to Walla Walla and pursue his interest in winemaking. Meuret sources grapes from Walla Walla Valley and Columbia Valley. He has also started a Domaine J. Meuret label for single vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from dry farmed vineyards in Oregon and the Columbia Gorge. Maison Bleue focuses primarily on Rhone style wines of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Viognier and Marsanne. The estate’s wines have regularly earned ratings in the low and mid-90s.

Columbia Valley AVA is larger than some states. At 18,000 square miles, or 11 million acres, the appellation covers almost half of Washington State and a small part of Oregon on the south side of the Columbia River. Established in 1984, Columbia Valley contains numerous sub appellations within its boundaries, including Yakima Valley AVA and Walla Walla AVA, both large and important wine districts. Columbia Valley AVA, generally called the Columbia Basin by Pacific Northwesterners, is in the Columbia River Plateau, and the AVA also includes a section of northeastern Oregon. There are dozens of microclimates within this appellation of about 7,000 vineyard acres. Many kinds of grapes are grown in the Columbia Valley, though the principal grapes planted are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Riesling, Syrah, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc. Eastern Washington experiences very hot summers and cold winters, and the northern latitude means that Washington vineyards receive several more hours of sun in the summer than California vineyards. Grapes in Washington therefore have time to develop significant tannins and overall ripeness.

One of the most popular red varieties planted, it ripens late and prefers hot dry climates. It probably originated in Spain, where it is still widely grown. Grenache is best known for its use in Southern Rhone wines, including those of Chateauneuf-du-Pape.