Echolands Winery 2020 Reprints Flipbook

June 11, 2020 Circulation: 4,110

Echolands Winery Announces Plans to Release First Walla Walla AVA Wines this Summer – Led by Doug Frost, Master of Wine and Master Sommelier, the winery is developing a 50-acre estate in the historic SeVein Vineyards with a focus on biodiversity and indigenous species – – New releases include Echolands Syrah ‘Les Collines’, Seven Hills Vineyards Bordeaux blend and Grenache Rivière-Galets Vineyard – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 10, 2020 (Walla Walla, WA) – Echolands Winery, a new Walla Walla AVA property, will release its first wines in summer 2020. The venture was founded in 2018 by renowned wine expert Doug Frost, in partnership with investor and conservationist Brad Bergman. Winemaker Taylor Oswald manages the winery’s 24-acre Taggart Vineyard within the SeVein Vineyards Project, located on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. This is the first proprietary winery project for wine consultant and writer Doug Frost, one of only four people in the world to hold both the Master of Wine and Master Sommelier titles.

“We chose the name Echolands to reflect our fundamental reliance on the landscape, the vines and the very special sites where our wines are grown,” says Doug Frost, CEO and Owner of Echolands Winery. “In truth, all wine is an echo of the landscape, of the vines planted there and the sound that they make in the form of their fruits. Winemaking cannot create qualities that are not there in the grapes. Like the creature of mythology known as Echo, we can only express what is given to us.”

As Echolands is in the process of developing their sustainable estate vineyards, they are sourcing fruit on a négociant basis. They will release three wines in their debut this summer: Syrah Les Collines Vineyard 2018 Walla Walla Valley AVA, Seven Hills Vineyard 2018 Walla Walla Valley AVA, and Grenache RivièreGalets Vineyard 2019 Walla Walla Valley AVA. All the wines are sourced from top growers in Seven Hills and Les Collines, and reflect a focused and edgier style that is a signature of Frost and Oswald’s partnership: “I bring the palate, and Taylor delivers the technical side with ten years of master-level experience in Walla Walla winemaking,” Frost explains. “The challenge of winemaking is that science and aesthetics can guide you, but in the end it’s all about terroir. We’re crafting wines that are elegant and balanced, a little nervy, with that liveliness showing off a less-frequently realized character of that site.”

Taggart Vineyard – SeVein Frost and Bergman’s first estate vineyard is planted within the SeVein Vineyards Project. Originally settled in the 19th Century, Taggart Vineyard was formerly used for pasture and wheat; the hillside site slopes towards the north to Lower Dry Creek and is ideally situated at 950 to 1200 feet of elevation, below Leonetti’s Serra Pedace Vineyard and next to Betz Family Vineyard. Like most of the region, the original soils are deep loess with virtually no organic material. To create a living biome in the soil, over the past two years the team has added organic materials to the vineyard, including green manure grown on-site and tilled into the soil and composts sourced from the Pacific Northwest. Additionally, to promote soil health and biodiversity, they are planting native plant species sourced from local and native American nurseries.The vineyard site is planted to 32% Cabernet Franc, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, with additional Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. The first estate wines will be produced in the 2021 vintage.

A Commitment to Biodiversity As part of the winery’s commitment to biodiversity and preservation, Echolands plans to support the Nature Conservancy (Chairman Brad Bergman is a longstanding contributor and former Board member). The winery is also leading by example with several experimental trials underway. “The growth of vines and the production of grapes is merely a part of the health of a place,” Frost adds. “We’re not going to use pesticides or herbicides and we’re planning to utilize manure from local sheep, chickens and cows to fertilize our lands.” Bergman believes, “Our goal should be to create a healthy place, and everything will benefit, not just our vines.” Oswald has also just launched a new procedure utilizing biochar composting, designed to improve soil health, increase carbon capture and reduce nutrient inputs and irrigation needs.

June 11, 2020 Circulation: 35,000

ECHOLANDS WINERY ANNOUNCES PLANS TO RELEASE FIRST WALLA WALLA AVA WINES THIS SUMMER – Led by Doug Frost, Master of Wine and Master Sommelier, the winery is developing a 50-acre estate in the historic SeVein Vineyards with a focus on biodiversity and indigenous species – – New releases include Echolands Syrah ‘Les Collines’, Seven Hills Vineyards Bordeaux blend and Grenache Rivière-Galets Vineyard – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 10, 2020 (Walla Walla, WA) – Echolands Winery, a new Walla Walla AVA property, will release its first wines in summer 2020. The venture was founded in 2018 by renowned wine expert Doug Frost, in partnership with investor and conservationist Brad Bergman. Winemaker Taylor Oswald manages the winery’s 24-acre Taggart Vineyard within the SeVein Vineyards Project, located on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. This is the first proprietary winery project for wine consultant and writer Doug Frost, one of only four people in the world to hold both the Master of Wine and Master Sommelier titles.

“We chose the name Echolands to reflect our fundamental reliance on the landscape, the vines and the very special sites where our wines are grown,” says Doug Frost, CEO and Owner of Echolands Winery. “In truth, all wine is an echo of the landscape, of the vines planted there and the sound that they make in the form of their fruits. Winemaking cannot create qualities that are not there in the grapes. Like the creature of mythology known as Echo, we can only express what is given to us.”

As Echolands is in the process of developing their sustainable estate vineyards, they are sourcing fruit on a négociant basis. They will release three wines in their debut this summer: Syrah Les Collines Vineyard 2018 Walla Walla Valley AVA, Seven Hills Vineyard 2018 Walla Walla Valley AVA, and Grenache RivièreGalets Vineyard 2019 Walla Walla Valley AVA. All the wines are sourced from top growers in Seven Hills and Les Collines, and reflect a focused and edgier style that is a signature of Frost and Oswald’s partnership: “I bring the palate, and Taylor delivers the technical side with ten years of master-level experience in Walla Walla winemaking,” Frost explains. “The challenge of winemaking is that science and aesthetics can guide you, but in the end it’s all about terroir. We’re crafting wines that are elegant and balanced, a little nervy, with that liveliness showing off a less-frequently realized character of that site.”

Taggart Vineyard – SeVein Frost and Bergman’s first estate vineyard is planted within the SeVein Vineyards Project. Originally settled in the 19th Century, Taggart Vineyard was formerly used for pasture and wheat; the hillside site slopes towards the north to Lower Dry Creek and is ideally situated at 950 to 1200 feet of elevation, below Leonetti’s Serra Pedace Vineyard and next to Betz Family Vineyard. Like most of the region, the original soils are deep loess with virtually no organic material. To create a living biome in the soil, over the past two years the team has added organic materials to the vineyard, including green manure grown on-site and tilled into the soil and composts sourced from the Pacific Northwest. Additionally, to promote soil health and biodiversity, they are planting native plant species sourced from local and native American nurseries.The vineyard site is planted to 32% Cabernet Franc, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, with additional Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. The first estate wines will be produced in the 2021 vintage.

A Commitment to Biodiversity As part of the winery’s commitment to biodiversity and preservation, Echolands plans to support the Nature Conservancy (Chairman Brad Bergman is a longstanding contributor and former Board member). The winery is also leading by example with several experimental trials underway. “The growth of vines and the

production of grapes is merely a part of the health of a place,” Frost adds. “We’re not going to use pesticides or herbicides and we’re planning to utilize manure from local sheep, chickens and cows to fertilize our lands.” Bergman believes, “Our goal should be to create a healthy place, and everything will benefit, not just our vines.” Oswald has also just launched a new procedure utilizing biochar composting, designed to improve soil health, increase carbon capture and reduce nutrient inputs and irrigation needs.

June 11, 2020 Circulation: 139,600

Echolands Winery Announces Plans to Release First Walla Walla AVA Wines this Summer FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 10, 2020 (Walla Walla, WA) – Echolands Winery, a new Walla Walla AVA property, will release its first wines in summer 2020. The venture was founded in 2018 by renowned wine expert Doug Frost, in partnership with investor and conservationist Brad Bergman. Winemaker Taylor Oswald manages the winery’s 24-acre Taggart Vineyard within the SeVein Vineyards Project, located on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. This is the first proprietary winery project for wine consultant and writer Doug Frost, one of only four people in the world to hold both the Master of Wine and Master Sommelier titles.

“We chose the name Echolands to reflect our fundamental reliance on the landscape, the vines and the very special sites where our wines are grown,” says Doug Frost, CEO and Owner of Echolands Winery. “In truth, all wine is an echo of the landscape, of the vines planted there and the sound that they make in the form of their fruits. Winemaking cannot create qualities that are not there in the grapes. Like the creature of mythology known as Echo, we can only express what is given to us.”

As Echolands is in the process of developing their sustainable estate vineyards, they are sourcing fruit on a négociant basis. They will release three wines in their debut this summer: Syrah Les Collines Vineyard 2018 Walla Walla Valley AVA, Seven Hills Vineyard 2018 Walla Walla Valley AVA, and Grenache RivièreGalets Vineyard 2019 Walla Walla Valley AVA. All the wines are sourced from top growers in Seven Hills and Les Collines, and reflect a focused and edgier style that is a signature of Frost and Oswald’s partnership: “I bring the palate, and Taylor delivers the technical side with ten years of master-level experience in Walla Walla winemaking,” Frost explains. “The challenge of winemaking is that science and aesthetics can guide you, but in the end it’s all about terroir. We’re crafting wines that are elegant and balanced, a little nervy, with that liveliness showing off a less-frequently realized character of that site.”

Taggart Vineyard – SeVein Frost and Bergman’s first estate vineyard is planted within the SeVein Vineyards Project. Originally settled in the 19th Century, Taggart Vineyard was formerly used for pasture and wheat; the hillside site slopes towards the north to Lower Dry Creek and is ideally situated at 950 to 1200 feet of elevation, below Leonetti’s Serra Pedace Vineyard and next to Betz Family Vineyard. Like most of the region, the original soils are deep loess with virtually no organic material. To create a living biome in the soil, over the past two years the team has added organic materials to the vineyard, including green manure grown on-site and tilled into the soil and composts sourced from the Pacific Northwest. Additionally, to promote soil health and biodiversity, they are planting native plant species sourced from local and native American nurseries.The vineyard site is planted to 32% Cabernet Franc, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, with additional Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. The first estate wines will be produced in the 2021 vintage.

A Commitment to Biodiversity As part of the winery’s commitment to biodiversity and preservation, Echolands plans to support the Nature Conservancy (Chairman Brad Bergman is a longstanding contributor and former Board member). The winery is also leading by example with several experimental trials underway. “The growth of vines and the production of grapes is merely a part of the health of a place,” Frost adds. “We’re not going to use pesticides or herbicides and we’re planning to utilize manure from local sheep, chickens and cows to fertilize our lands.” Bergman believes, “Our goal should be to create a healthy place, and everything will benefit, not just our vines.” Oswald has also just launched a new procedure utilizing biochar composting, designed to improve soil health, increase carbon capture and reduce nutrient inputs and irrigation needs.

June 11, 2020 Circulation: 94,400

Echolands Winery Announces Plans to Release First Walla Walla AVA Wines this Summer Echolands June 10, 2020 (Walla Walla, WA) – Echolands Winery, a new Walla Walla AVA property, will release its first wines in Summer 2020. The venture was founded in 2018 by renowned wine expert Doug Frost, in partnership with investor and conservationist Brad Bergman. Winemaker Taylor Oswald manages the winery’s 24-acre Taggart Vineyard within the SeVein Vineyards Project, located on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. This is the first proprietary winery project for wine consultant and writer Doug Frost, one of only four people in the world to hold both the Master of Wine and Master Sommelier titles.

“We chose the name Echolands to reflect our fundamental reliance on the landscape, the vines and the very special sites where our wines are grown,” says Doug Frost, CEO and Owner of Echolands Winery. “In truth, all wine is an echo of the landscape, of the vines planted there and the sound that they make in the form of their fruits. Winemaking cannot create qualities that are not there in the grapes. Like the creature of mythology known as Echo, we can only express what is given to us.”

As Echolands is in the process of developing their sustainable estate vineyards, they are sourcing fruit on a négociant basis. They will release three wines in their debut this summer: Syrah Les Collines Vineyard 2018 Walla Walla Valley AVA, Seven Hills Vineyard 2018 Walla Walla Valley AVA, and Grenache RivièreGalets Vineyard 2019 Walla Walla Valley AVA. All the wines are sourced from top growers in Seven Hills and Les Collines, and reflect a focused and edgier style that is a signature of Frost and Oswald’s partnership: “I bring the palate, and Taylor delivers the technical side with ten years of master-level experience in Walla Walla winemaking,” Frost explains. “The challenge of winemaking is that science and aesthetics can guide you, but in the end it’s all about terroir. We’re crafting wines that are elegant and balanced, a little nervy, with that liveliness showing off a less-frequently realized character of that site.”

Read more about the first releases from Echolands winery – scheduled for summer 2020.

Taggart Vineyard – SeVein Frost and Bergman’s first estate vineyard is planted within the SeVein Vineyards Project. Originally settled in the 19th Century, Taggart Vineyard was formerly used for pasture and wheat; the hillside site slopes towards the north to Lower Dry Creek and is ideally situated at 950 to 1200 feet of elevation, below Leonetti’s Serra Pedace Vineyard and next to Betz Family Vineyard. Like most of the region, the original soils are deep loess with virtually no organic material. To create a living biome in the soil, over the past two years the team has added organic materials to the vineyard, including green manure grown on-site and tilled into the soil and composts sourced from the Pacific Northwest. Additionally, to promote soil health and biodiversity, they are planting native plant species sourced from local and native American nurseries.The vineyard site is planted to 32% Cabernet Franc, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, with additional Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. The first estate wines will be produced in the 2021 vintage.

A Commitment to Biodiversity As part of the winery’s commitment to biodiversity and preservation, Echolands plans to support the Nature Conservancy (Chairman Brad Bergman is a longstanding contributor and former Board member). The winery is also leading by example with several experimental trials underway. “The growth of vines and the production of grapes is merely a part of the health of a place,” Frost adds. “We’re not going to use pesticides or herbicides and we’re planning to utilize manure from local sheep, chickens and cows to fertilize our lands.” Bergman believes, “Our goal should be to create a healthy place, and everything will benefit, not just our vines.” Oswald has also just launched a new procedure utilizing biochar composting, designed to improve soil health, increase carbon capture and reduce nutrient inputs and irrigation needs.

June 12, 2020 Circulation: 45,900

Echolands Winery Announces Plans to Release First Walla Walla AVA Wines this Summer According to the wine industry advisor, Echolands Winery, a new Walla Walla AVA property, will release its first wines in Summer 2020. The venture was founded in 2018 by renowned wine expert Doug Frost, in partnership with investor and conservationist Brad Bergman. Winemaker Taylor Oswald manages the winery’s 24-acre Taggart Vineyard within the SeVein Vineyards Project, located on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. This is the first proprietary winery project for wine consultant and writer Doug Frost, one of only four people in the world to hold both the Master of Wine and Master Sommelier titles.

June 15, 2020 Circulation: 11,800,000

KC businessmen will uncork first bottles from their Walla Walla winery James Dornbrook Echolands Winery, a new winery established in Washington state by two Kansas City businessmen, plans to release its first wine this summer.

Doug Frost and Brad Bergman founded the winery in 2018. Frost is a wine consultant and author who is one of only four people in the world to hold both the Master of Wine and Master Sommelier titles.

Bergman founded Overland Park-based Midwest Trust Co. in 1993 and is its chairman and CEO. Echolands sits in a valley south of Walla Walla. Frost had been working on a deal to invest in an existing winery in the area, but it soured. However, one of the partners instead offered Frost a chance to buy 50 acres in the heart of Washington’s wine country.

Frost teamed up with Bergman to buy the land and set up the winery. They immediately began enriching the soil to prepare it for planting vines.

ECHOLANDS WINERY While the vineyard is getting established, Frost acquired grapes to make about 1,000 cases of wine in 2018 and 3,000 cases in 2019. That wine is now ready to be released this summer.

There will be three varieties: Syrah Les Collines Vineyard 2018 Walla Walla Valley AVA; Seven Hills Vineyard 2018 Walla Walla Valley AVA; and Grenache Rivière-Galets Vineyard 2019 Walla Walla Valley AVA. The AVA designation stands for American Vitacultural Area and signifies that all the grapes came from a particular area.

“We’ll release our first wine, a Syrah, to the general public on July 1 through the Echolands Winery website, but also it will be available in Kansas City,” Frost said. “I feel a gratitude towards this city which has allowed me to have such a successful career and to grow in the wine business. So yeah, I’m bringing the wine home. I think I’d be dragged out in the street by my friends if we didn’t do that.”

Frost said that sourcing grapes gave the winery a chance to ramp up production in anticipation of its vines starting to produce fruit, which takes at least three years.

“You get these nice small crops when the vines are young, then it increases,” Frost said. “Sometimes there is some concentration of grapes in certain areas. But by the time the vineyard is about 15 years old, you get pretty consistent crops.”

Frost said he selected a gradually sloping property and concentrated his effort midslope, where there was enough wind to deal with the heat of the summer, but not too high on the slope to get battered by the wind.

“I’m not looking to make a big tannic wine,” Frost said. “I want to make something more elegant. So I tried to find the spot where everything comes together to make a wine that’s more graceful than big. We want to be modest-sized and make the very best wine that we can.”

Frost said Echolands should be able to make Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc wines that are distinct to the vineyard's valley in Walla Walla.

“It will be different, since it’s not Bordeaux and it’s not California,” Frost said. “I feel the same way about Syrah. I’m hoping to accomplish the same kind of thing with some white wines, with a Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Blend that will come down the pike once the vineyard comes of age.”

June 29, 2020 Circulation: 1,653

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A MASTER AT WORK IN WALLA WALLA

Walla Walla outdelivers with a range of soils and elevation that can yield powerful reds

by HELEN GREGORY

D

oug frost is one of only four individuals to attain both the Master of Wine and Master Sommelier titles. He has pinnacled the wine world’s equivalent of Everest (twice) to reach the ultimate peaks of industry knowledge and tasting stamina. As the new owner of Echolands Winery in the Walla Walla region of Washington state, Frost is taking on a whole new challenge.

True to character, Echolands has been a thoughtful venture for Frost, and many years in the making. Born in Portland, Oregon, Frost was considering a move to Washington in 1985, and he spent nights contemplating the future at the Green Lantern in Walla Walla, a selfdescribed watering hole for farmers, academics, hillbillies, carpetbaggers and malingerers of every ilk. The official Walla Walla wine appellation was only a year old and quickly gaining renown, led by multigenerational farmers turned winegrowers who were willing to take chances. “I met the late, great David Lake [a fellow Master of Wine and winemaker at Columbia Winery] when he poured me a 1983 Semillon; I was gobsmacked,” Frost recalls. “I think good wine is supposed to provide an emotional connection to a place, and you don’t ignore it when it happens.” Wines from local makers like Gramercy Cellars, Cayuse, Leonetti and Woodward Canyon were beacons that would keep drawing him back.

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TASTINGS ECHOLANDS SYRAH LES COLLINES VINEYARD 2018 ($38) 98% SYRAH, 2% VIOGNIER. MORE FRUITY THAN BOLD, WITH MORE CRUNCHY RED FRUITS THAN BLACK PEPPER, BUT WITH THE TELLTALE NOTES OF SMOKE, LEATHER AND JASMINE IN THE FINISH.

ECHOLANDS SEVEN HILLS VINEYARD 2018 ($52) A BORDEAUX-STYLE BLEND (40% CABERNET SAUVIGNON, 40% MERLOT, 18% CABERNET FRANC, 2% PETIT VERDOT). ECHOLAND’S SIGNATURE STYLE IS VIBRANT AROMATICS, WITH LAYERS OF FRUIT AND THE ACIDITY AND TANNIN BOUNCING BACK AND FORTH TO PROVIDE JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF TENSION.

ECHOLANDS GRENACHE RIVIÈRE-GALETS VINEYARD 2019 ($38) 100% GRENACHE HARVESTED FROM STONY SOILS. ECHOLANDS CHOSE TO EXHIBIT THE EXUBERANTLY FRUITY SIDE OF GRENACHE, ALONG WITH THE SILKY CHARACTER THAT COMES FROM THE RIVIÈRE-GALETS (RIVER STONES) AREA OF WALLA WALLA. IT STARTS OUT LIKE RASPBERRY SODA AND ENDS UP DISPLAYING THE DEPTH OF BOTH RED AND BLACK FRUITS.

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Frost feels a kinship to the city of Walla Walla that is shared by many wine travelers. The historic downtown welcomes visitors with 40 tasting rooms as well as chef-owned restaurants, shopping and boutique hotels. It’s a destination for foodies, somms, cyclists and nature lovers—a more laid-back version of Napa with a surprisingly good live music scene, but still serious about wine. Situated on both sides of the Oregon-Washington border within the greater Columbia Valley, the Walla Walla AVA is home to more than 140 wineries. Like most of Washington state, its vineyards lie to the east of the Cascade Mountains, where the climate is dry and sunny with a long growing season, entirely unlike the cool, wet coast. “It is a place of real, if slightly stark, beauty,” muses Frost. The kind of place that takes root with wine lovers. For a small region, Walla Walla outdelivers with a range of soils and elevation that can yield powerful reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux-style blends and quirkier varieties like Viognier, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Syrah and Grenache often earn the highest marks for their juicy plum, blackberry and savory pepper notes.

In 2018 Frost joined forces with investor and conservationist Brad Bergman to launch Echolands and purchase Taggart Vineyard, a 50-acre property located on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. The name Echolands reflects a connection to a hillside landscape that is filled with promise; the site slopes north to Lower Dry Creek and is ideally situated at 950 to 1,200 feet, just below famous neighbors like Leonetti’s Serra Pedace Vineyard and next to Betz Family Vineyard. Winemaker Taylor Oswald was recruited to oversee all things technical, including the hard work of prepping a site laid bare by the Missoula floods over 15,000 years ago. “Where we are planted, there is nothing but loess: deep, windblown, dusty soils that have settled for millennia with little organic material but excellent drainage,” says Frost.

“We spent the first two years of our ownership of Taggart growing and mulching beneficial plants to provide some lively material underneath the

vines we eventually planted.” Planted to 32 percent Cabernet Franc, 31 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 19 percent Merlot, with additional Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, less than half the acreage is vineyard, a responsible strategy that leaves the rest to native flora and birds.

It’s an inherent advantage to have one of the world’s best tasters on board at a winery. As the estate vineyard comes of age, Echolands is sourcing fruit from top growers on a nŽgociant basis, allowing Frost to exercise his palate. Generous of spirit and prone to laugh, Frost leans toward restraint and discipline in his winemaking. “We’re crafting wines that are elegant and balanced, a little nervy, with that liveliness showing off a less-frequently realized character,” he says. The winery will release three Walla Walla AVA wines this year: Echolands Syrah Les Collines Vineyard 2018, Echolands Seven Hills Vineyard 2018 and Echolands Grenache Rivière-Galets Vineyard 2019. Frost’s sommelier training comes through in the balance of acidity, tannin and fruit in the end wines.

“In the end, it’s all about terroir,” Frost concludes. “All wine is an echo of the landscape, of the vines planted there and the sound that they make in the form of their fruits.

Winemaking cannot create qualities that are not there in the grapes. Like the creature of mythology known as Echo, we can only express what is given to us.” Frost and his team are just getting started in Walla Walla.

There is grace, humility and true joy in these wines that will echo for years to come.

For wine availability, visit echolandswinery.com.

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July 1, 2020 Circulation: 37,500 Online

A Master at Work in Walla Walla Helen Gregory

DOUG FROST IS ONE OF ONLY four individuals to attain both the Master of Wine and Master Sommelier titles. He has pinnacled the wine world’s equivalent of Everest (twice) to reach the ultimate peaks of industry knowledge and tasting stamina. As the new owner of Echolands Winery in the Walla Walla region of Washington state, Frost is taking on a whole new challenge.

True to character, Echolands has been a thoughtful venture for Frost, and many years in the making. Born in Portland, Oregon, Frost was considering a move to Washington in 1985, and he spent nights contemplating the future at the Green Lantern in Walla Walla, a self-described watering hole for farmers, academics, hillbillies, carpetbaggers and malingerers of every ilk. The official Walla Walla wine appellation was only a year old and quickly gaining renown, led by multigenerational farmers turned winegrowers who were willing to take chances. “I met the late, great David Lake [a fellow Master of Wine and winemaker at Columbia Winery] when he poured me a 1983 Semillon; I was gobsmacked,” Frost recalls. “I think good wine is supposed to provide an emotional connection to a place, and you don’t ignore it when it happens.”

Wines from local makers like Gramercy Cellars, Cayuse, Leonetti and Woodward Canyon were beacons that would keep drawing him back.

Frost feels a kinship to the city of Walla Walla that is shared by many wine travelers. The historic downtown welcomes visitors with 40 tasting rooms as well as chef-owned restaurants, shopping and boutique hotels. It’s a destination for foodies, somms, cyclists and nature lovers—a more laid-back version of Napa with a surprisingly good live music scene, but still serious about wine. Situated on both sides of the Oregon-Washington border within the greater Columbia Valley, the Walla Walla AVA is home to more than 140 wineries. Like most of Washington state, its vineyards lie to the east of the Cascade Mountains, where the climate is dry and sunny with a long growing season, entirely unlike the cool, wet coast. “It is a place of real, if slightly stark, beauty,” muses Frost. The kind of place that takes root with wine lovers. For a small region, Walla Walla outdelivers with a range of soils and elevation that can yield powerful reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux-style blends and quirkier varieties like Viognier, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Syrah and Grenache often earn the highest marks for their juicy plum, blackberry and savory pepper notes.

In 2018 Frost joined forces with investor and conservationist Brad Bergman to launch Echolands and purchase Taggart Vineyard, a 50-acre property located on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. The name Echolands reflects a connection to a hillside landscape that is filled with promise; the site slopes

north to Lower Dry Creek and is ideally situated at 950 to 1,200 feet, just below famous neighbors like Leonetti’s Serra Pedace Vineyard and next to Betz Family Vineyard. Winemaker Taylor Oswald was recruited to oversee all things technical, including the hard work of prepping a site laid bare by the Missoula floods over 15,000 years ago. “Where we are planted, there is nothing but loess: deep, windblown, dusty soils that have settled for millennia with little organic material but excellent drainage,” says Frost. “We spent the first two years of our ownership of Taggart growing and mulching beneficial plants to provide some lively material underneath the vines we eventually planted.” Planted to 32 percent Cabernet Franc, 31 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 19 percent Merlot, with additional Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, less than half the acreage is vineyard, a responsible strategy that leaves the rest to native flora and birds.

It’s an inherent advantage to have one of the world’s best tasters on board at a winery. As the estate vineyard comes of age, Echolands is sourcing fruit from top growers on a négociant basis, allowing Frost to exercise his palate. Generous of spirit and prone to laugh, Frost leans toward restraint and discipline in his winemaking. “We’re crafting wines that are elegant and balanced, a little nervy, with that liveliness showing off a less-frequently realized character,” he says. The winery will release three Walla Walla AVA wines this year: Echolands Syrah Les Collines Vineyard 2018, Echolands Seven Hills Vineyard 2018 and Echolands Grenache Rivière-Galets Vineyard 2019. Frost’s sommelier training comes through in the balance of acidity, tannin and fruit in the end wines.

“In the end, it’s all about terroir,” Frost concludes. “All wine is an echo of the landscape, of the vines planted there and the sound that they make in the form of their fruits. Winemaking cannot create qualities that are not there in the grapes. Like the creature of mythology known as Echo, we can only express what is given to us.” Frost and his team are just getting started in Walla Walla. There is grace, humility and true joy in these wines that will echo for years to come.

For wine availability, visit echolandswinery.com.* Helen Gregory is the founder and president of Gregory + Vine. She has worked in strategic brand management and communications for beverage industry leaders such as Moët Hennessy USA, Rémy Cointreau and STOLI, and has led award-winning hospitality, beverage and lifestyle campaigns for prestige clients from the European Union to Argentina, Australia, Chile, Israel, South Africa and across the United States.

July 1, 2020 Circulation: 35,000

Doug Frost MS/MW & Chef Michael Chernow David Ransom and Melanie Young

Doug Frost is only one of four wine professionals to hold both Master Sommelier and Master of Wine accreditations. The Kansas City wine educator and author is a partner in Echolands Winery in Walla Walla AVA, Washington. Chef-Restaurateur Michael Chernow, founder of Seamore's, cofounder of The Meatball Shop and WellWell plant based functional beverages, shares what drives him as a hospitality entrepreneur and how a daily exercise regimen enriches his life. He hosts the Born or Made podcast.

“We’ve got a leading wine professional.”

“He is a leading educator, author, writer and lecturer on wine. He has added another title to his repertoire.

Wine Vendor. He is making wine in Walla Walla, Washington. We are talking about Doug Frost, who joins us from Kansas City.”

July 2, 2019 Circulation: 35,000

Frost Hits Walla Walla & Hot Success with Meatballs David Ransom and Melanie Young

Slipping into July with more sentiment and less fireworks.

Like a giant tortoise that ventures out, the U.S.A. slowly stuck it neck out to crawl into phases of reopening, only to retreat back into its shell as diagnosed cases start to spike again. Now Europe is “off limits” to Americans this summer and many bars and beaches are as well. Pyrotechnics (both real once and tempers) are flaring up in cities but there will few (legal) fireworks for the July 4th Holiday. Still, we eat and drink to restore our calm and keep our senses. We just hope for everyone receiving this missive that your holiday (stateside) is calm and enjoyable.

For our friends in Europe and elsewhere, we miss seeing you this summer! We're feeling sentimental as our social pages show bring up images of last year's multiple trips to Italy, Spain and France. This year, we are still planning to travel, albeit stateside.

Last night we opened a well-aged bottle of Summa Varietalis (D.O. Vinos de Madrid) from the Marqués de Griñón, Carlos Falcò, who sadly succumbed to COVID-19 in March. It was a bittersweet sip since we both had the pleasure of spending a leisurely lunch with Carlos at his estate on separate trips to Spain.

Stay well, dear friends and colleagues.

A Frost Hits Walla Walla AVA, and It’s a Good Thing!

Doug Frost has the rare distinction of being both a Master Sommelier and Master of Wine. In fact, only four people hold both titles. A well-respected educator, author and lecturer, Doug ran the award-winning wine program at The American Restaurant in Kansas City and co-conceived/founded BAR (Beverage Alcohol Resources), a beverage industry professional training program, with Dale DeGroff, Steve Olsen, Paul Pacult, David Wondrich and Andy Seymour. He has legions of fans as our social media can attest when we posted that Doug will be a guest on The Connected Table LIVE July1.

These days, Doug has added “vintner” to his many designations. In 2018, he formed a partnership with investor and conservationist, Brad Berman, to launch Echolands Winery in the Walla Walla AVA in Washington State. Echolands has planted 24 acres of vineyards, all sustainably farmed, to make estate wines. Until these vines have matured, Echolands is sourcing from top growers from two key vineyard areas. The first releases debut this summer: Les Collines Vineyards Syrah 2018; Seven Hills Vineyard Syrah 2018 and Grenache Rivière-Galets Vineyard 2019.

July 6, 2020 Circulation: 4,110

4 Questions with Doug Frost of Echolands Winery Nia Saunders Only three other people in the world hold the titles Doug Frost does. In addition to holding both the titles of Master Sommelier and Master of Wine, Frost is also the author of three books on wine, the creator and host of the Emmy Award-winning short series “FermentNation,” the co-creator of spirits and cocktail education organization BAR (Beverage Alcohol Resource) and the list goes on.

With all this on his plate Frost — amazingly — still had enough time on his hands to open a new winery in the Northwest’s Walla Walla Valley. Because Frost says, “all wine is an echo of its landscape,” he appropriately named the new venture, Echolands Winery.

Echolands is releasing its first three wines this summer: the 2018 Seven Hills Vineyard Red, 2018 Les Collines Vineyard Syrah and a 2019 Grenache from the Rivière-Galet Vineyard. A combination of precipitation, wind-deposited soils and the warm days and cool nights of this region create the ideal climate for Frost’s wines that “echo” that landscape.

1) Why did you decide the Walla Walla Valley was the best place for your first winery?

My family is from Eastern Washington, so I’ve always had a personal connection to this region. That’s another reason we chose the name Echolands for the winery — I travel back and forth [from Walla Walla] and when I’m away, it’s almost like the land’s echoes are calling me back. I also think more than anything the community of Walla Walla is really unique and special.

2) Is there a certain memory you have of when your interest in wine started?

One of the first memories I have with wine was from when I was younger, at a family dinner. I was a teenager, and I had never really tasted wine before. I was asked to choose a wine that would pair with dinner. The responsibility of choosing the wine to go with dinner was a new thing for me, I had no idea what I was doing, but it opened my eyes to this whole world of wine. I think this memory stands out to me because it was the first time I really became aware of the depth and complexity of wine.

3) You say that wine “is an echo of its landscape,” what do your wines echo?

I wanted to create wine that was reflective of the land it came from, but also elegant. It had to have the right balance. I knew that for the wine to have all the characteristics of the land, and be expressive and delicious, that this part of the Walla Walla Valley would reflect that really well in the wine.

4) What should we know about the upcoming releases?

Our commitment to sustainability and biodiversity was important in the planning of this winery. We’re promoting a sustainable environment through a number of methods, one way is by avoiding the use of toxic chemicals like herbicides and pesticides. When we take care of the land, I think the care and efforts show in the wine it produces.

July 6, 2020 Circulation: 6,108

Twitter @Sip_Magazine

July 10, 2020 Circulation: 8,910

A Promising New Player in the Walla Walla AVA: Echolands Winery Michael Franz New wineries get established pretty regularly in the New World, but I’m much less regular about actually reading the press releases about them. Something about a new venture needs to catch my eye, or I’m entirely content to wait to taste whatever comes of it, however long the interim. In this instance, however, something caught my eye in the press release, and then the debut wine caught my fancy the next week, so here we go: What caught my eye was the involvement of one of the best minds in wine…Doug Frost, MW & MS…getting ready to launch a Syrah from Walla Walla from a venture in which he is a principal. Full disclosure: Doug has been a friend for roughly two decades, and though we only see one another occasionally, when you’re a journalist writing about someone with whom you’ve enjoyed multiple meals on at least three continents and in your own home--you’d better come clean.

With that noted, the soon-to-be released 2018 Syrah (already on offer through the website) will convince you that my interest in this project wasn’t skewed by friendship. Before addressing that wine, here’s a brief outline of the Echolands enterprise. Frost is CEO, his fellow resident of Kansas City, Brad Bergman is Chairman, Taylor Oswald is Winemaker and Sadie Drury is Vineyard Manager. They purchased their own vineyard on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla AVA in 2017, prepped it for two years, and planted in 2019.

We’ll see when they decide that fruit from their estate vineyard is ready to roll, but for now, they’re working with fruit from the highly-regarded Les Collines and Seven Hills Vineyards.

The lineup will include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Grenache, in addition to Syrah. It is easy enough to piece together the intended style of the wines from the website: objectives include freshness and nerve, moderate oak, fidelity to a single appellation, and ability to age. You’ll enjoy learning more if you consult the Echolands website, which expresses these objectives without getting preachy, and describes the venture in a way that doesn’t seem self-important—a fact that will come as no surprise to readers who know Doug.

The 2018 Syrah will set you back all of $38, though it performs well above that price, serving thereby as an object lesson in the serious-but-not-self-important ethos of the project.

I particularly admire this wine as a lover of wines from the northern Rhône, which are also dear to Doug’s heart. What is most distinctive about those wines—and most often missing from their Syrah counterparts from other parts of the world (emphatically including the USA) is bright acidity and a sense of freshness.

The first release shows both of those characteristics in spades, without any of bland “muddiness” or monolithic character that marks so many New World renditions.

It features red berries up top, along with some very faint wood notes (much more about spice than toast, let alone smoke), and some darker fruit tones show up in the midpalate before the bright red notes re-assert themselves in the finish, which is pleasantly tart and very long…and pure.

As noted above, the winery website addresses ability to benefit from aging as an objective. Having tasted a press sample of a debut vintage of a wine that’s still to be released, I’m obviously extrapolating when assessing the 2018 in that respect. However, trying any young wine again after sloshing it around and leaving it open for 24 hours is a pretty telling test of age-worthiness, and this wine…did not budge an inch over that span.

That’s an especially important attribute for New World Syrah, because it suggests that with time to develop tertiary characters from bottle aging, an ultra-pure wine like this can develop the savory characters that other Rhône-style aspirants only “achieve” by means of deliberately dirty winemaking. We need not dwell on that, as the upshot here is clear: This is a wine to buy and age and try at different points in its development. It is already delicious…but I am confident that it will get much better. I scored it at 93 Points, and recommend it enthusiastically.

{ what’s new }

Resounding Applause

The Somm Journal Aug/Sept 2020

ECHOLANDS IS MASTER SOMMELIER/MASTER OF WINE DOUG FROST’S FIRST FORAY INTO WINERY OWNERSHIP by Meridith May PHOTO COURTESY OF DOUG FROST

Doug Frost, MW, MS, is CEO and owner of the new Echolands Winery in the Walla Walla AVA.

reflect our fundamental reliance on the landscape, the vines, and the very special sites where our wines are grown,” says Frost. “In truth, all wine is an echo of the landscape: of the vines planted there and the sound that they make in the form of their fruit. Winemaking cannot create qualities that are not there in the grapes. Like the creature of mythology known as Echo, we can only express what is given to us.”

As part of its commitment to biodiversity and conservation, Echolands plans to support The Nature Conservancy with a portion of its sales. “The growth of vines and the production of grapes is merely a part of the health of a [vineyard],” Frost adds. “We’re not going to use pesticides or herbicides and we’re planning to utilize manure from local sheep, chickens, and cows to fertilize our land.”

Three Echolands wines, all from the Walla Walla Valley AVA, debut this summer: a 2018 Syrah from the Les Collines Vineyard; a 2018 blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot from the Seven Hills Vineyard; and a 2019 Grenache from the Rivière-Galets Vineyard.

Echolands 2018 Syrah, Les Collines Vineyard, Walla Walla AVA, Oregon ($TK) Scents of café latte and summer plum intertwine, as do distinctive flavors of brambly heather, wild strawberries that glide across the palate with a tinge of white pepper. They’re characterized by a straightforward yet vivid acidity that brings out a certain energy in this bright and shiny wine, whose tannins go from rigid to demure as it opens, only to end in a streamlined, lavender-soaked finish. 97

PHOTO COURTESY OF ECHOLANDS

36 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

PHOTO COURTESY OF ECHOLANDS

DOUG FROST HOLDS the rare distinction of being one of just four people who can call themselves both a Master of Wine and a Master Sommelier. As an educator and ambassador, he’s traveled the world to spread the gospel of various wine regions and has judged at some of the industry’s top competitions, including the San Francisco International Wine Competition and the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. A prolific writer, he’s also penned many an article on all things vinous, including contributions to The SOMM Journal. And now, as a feather in his cap, Frost has added winery owner to his vast repertoire.

In partnership with investor and conservationist Brad Bergman and winemaker Taylor Oswald, Frost is introducing Echolands Winery with a debut lineup of wines this summer. They’re currently sourcing grapes on a négociant basis as they develop their sustainable estate vineyards on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley AVA—the winery is on the Washington side—but in either scenario, their commitment to showcasing the world-renowned fruit of the region is clear.

“We chose the name Echolands to

September 1, 2020 Circulation: 35,000 Online

ECHOLANDS WINERY ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF MILL CREEK IN WALLA WALLA AVA, A 340-ACRE VINEYARD SITE AT THE FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS – Led by Doug Frost, Master of Wine and Master Sommelier, and Conservationist Brad Bergman, Echolands is also developing 50 acres in the SeVein with a focus on biodiversity – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 1, 2020 (Walla Walla) – Echolands Winery has announced the acquisition of Mill Creek Vineyard, an unspoiled 340-acre site located in the upland area of the Walla Walla AVA at the foothills of the Blue Mountains. The Mill Creek site has a shared ownership structure with Echolands and is operated by the Echolands winery team under the direction of CEO Doug Frost and Winemaker Taylor Oswald. Mill Creek is the second vineyard acquisition for the Echolands group, which also owns Taggart Vineyard, a 50-acre estate in the SeVein. Previously planted to grains and other crops, the Mill Creek property has been owned by the same family since the early 1900s. This is the first time the site will be cultivated as a vineyard. Plans are also underway to build a sustainable winery and tasting room for Echolands at Mill Creek.

“We knew Mill Creek was special from day one,” says Chairman Brad Bergman. “The southeast exposure of the property is perfectly situated with sweeping views of the Blue Mountains and rolling wheat fields. It reminds me of Tuscany meets the Sound of Music. It’s going to be a breathtaking location for the new Echolands winery and tasting room. Our goal is to draw on the differences in terroir between Mill Creek, the SeVein and local growers to develop a unique range of wines that reflect this spectacular place.”

“We are extremely proud to be the first viticultural team to develop this property in Mill Creek,” adds Doug Frost, CEO and Owner of Echolands Winery. “We’re surrounded by inspiring neighbors such as Leonetti’s Uplands Vineyard, Altruvé, Walla Walla Vintners and aMaurice who have shown us the way forward. Mill Creek and Taggart will act as the yin and yang of our Walla Walla grape sourcing; Taggart will prosper in cooler years, while Mill Creek will likely provide the most intriguing fruit in warmer years.”

The higher elevation and cooler, wetter climate in the Mill Creek region is known for fuller-bodied, wellbalanced wines, and allows Echolands to significantly expand their viticultural options. The team will join plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot with experimental varieties grown at varying exposures. First, as part of the winery’s commitment to biodiversity and preservation, the team is laying the foundation for the site with green manure designed to restore the soil and biome to a healthy state for grape-growing. “Our commitment to bio-diversity is planned into everything we plant,” Frost explains. “We’re not using any herbicides or pesticides, and habitat requirements for beneficial insects and animals factor into all our decisionmaking.”

Echolands will have to wait several years for the vineyards of Mill Creek to fully develop. The winery plans to build a winemaking facility to manage all estate production from Mill Creek and Taggart Vineyards, as well as purchased grapes from Les Collines Vineyard and other growers. Mill Creek will also incorporate a tasting room and visitor’s center.

Media who are interested in scheduling interviews and receiving more information about Echolands are invited to contact Helen Gregory (helen@gregoryvine.com) or Emma Mrkonic (emma@gregoryvine.com).

Click here to view the Echolands media fact sheet.

About Echolands Winery Echolands Winery was founded in 2018 by renowned wine expert Doug Frost, in partnership with investor and conservationist Brad Bergman. Winemaker Taylor Oswald manages vineyard relations and winemaking, working with Sadie Drury and North Slope Management to operate the 50-acre Taggart Vineyard within the SeVein Vineyards Project, located on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. The Echolands group has also acquired Mill Creek Vineyard, a 340-acre site located in the upland area of the Walla Walla AVA, with plans underway to build a winery and tasting room. Echolands is the first proprietary winery project for wine consultant and writer Doug Frost, one of only four people in the world to hold both the Master of Wine and Master Sommelier titles. Current Echolands releases include Syrah Les Collines Vineyard 2018 Walla Walla Valley AVA, Seven Hills Vineyard 2018 Walla Walla Valley AVA, and Grenache Rivière-Galets Vineyard 2019 Walla Walla Valley AVA, all sourced on a négociant basis. Connect with us: echolandswinery.com – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@EcholandsWinery).

September 1, 2020 Circulation: 8,250 Online

Echolands Acquires Mill Creek TASTE News Service, September 1, 2020 – Echolands Winery has announced the acquisition of Mill Creek Vineyard, an unspoiled 340-acre site located in the upland area of the Walla Walla AVA at the foothills of the Blue Mountains.

The Mill Creek site has a shared ownership structure with Echolands and is operated by the Echolands winery team under the direction of CEO Doug Frost and Winemaker Taylor Oswald. Mill Creek is the second vineyard acquisition for the Echolands group, which also owns Taggart Vineyard, a 50-acre estate in the SeVein. Previously planted to grains and other crops, the Mill Creek property has been owned by the same family since the early 1900s. This is the first time the site will be cultivated as a vineyard. Plans are also underway to build a sustainable winery and tasting room for Echolands at Mill Creek.

Doug Frost from his website Picmonkey Doug Frost, a Master of Wine and a Master Sommelier “We knew Mill Creek was special from day one,” says Chairman Brad Bergman. “The southeast exposure of the property is perfectly situated with sweeping views of the Blue Mountains and rolling wheat fields. It reminds me of Tuscany meets the Sound of Music. It’s going to be a breathtaking location for the new Echolands winery and tasting room. Our goal is to draw on the differences in terroir between Mill Creek, the SeVein and local growers to develop a unique range of wines that reflect this spectacular place.”

“We are extremely proud to be the first viticultural team to develop this property in Mill Creek,” adds Doug Frost, CEO and Owner of Echolands Winery. “We’re surrounded by inspiring neighbors such as Leonetti’s Uplands Vineyard, Altruvé, Walla Walla Vintners and àMaurice who have shown us the way forward. Mill Creek and Taggart will act as the yin and yang of our Walla Walla grape sourcing; Taggart will prosper in cooler years, while Mill Creek will likely provide the most intriguing fruit in warmer years.”

The higher elevation and cooler, wetter climate in the Mill Creek region is known for fuller-bodied, wellbalanced wines, and allows Echolands to significantly expand their viticultural options. The team will join plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot with experimental varieties grown at varying exposures. First, as part of the winery’s commitment to biodiversity and preservation, the team is laying the foundation for the site with green manure designed to restore the soil and biome to a healthy state for grape-growing. “Our commitment to bio-diversity is planned into everything we plant,” Frost explains. “We’re not using any herbicides or pesticides, and habitat requirements for beneficial insects and animals factor into all our decisionmaking.”

Echolands will have to wait several years for the vineyards of Mill Creek to fully develop. The winery plans to build a winemaking facility to manage all estate production from Mill Creek and Taggart Vineyards, as well as purchased grapes from Les Collines Vineyard and other growers. Mill Creek will also incorporate a tasting room and visitor’s center.

About Echolands Winery

Echolands Winery was founded in 2018 by renowned wine expert Doug Frost, in partnership with investor and conservationist Brad Bergman. Winemaker Taylor Oswald manages vineyard relations and winemaking, working with Sadie Drury and North Slope Management to operate the 50-acre Taggart Vineyard within the SeVein Vineyards Project, located on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. The Echolands group has also acquired Mill Creek Vineyard, a 340-acre site located in the upland area of the Walla Walla AVA, with plans underway to build a winery and tasting room. Echolands is the first proprietary winery project for wine consultant and writer Doug Frost, one of only four people in the world to hold both the Master of Wine and Master Sommelier titles. basis. More information ad be found at echolandswinery.com

September 1, 2020 Circulation: 10,860 Online

Echolands Winery Announces Acquisition of Mill Creek Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA Some big news out of Walla Walla as the Echolands Winery group has purchased the Milk Creek Vineyard, a 340-acre site located in the upland area of the Walla Walla AVA at the foothills of the Blue Mountains.

The Mill Creek site has a shared ownership structure with Echolands and is operated by the Echolands winery team under the direction of CEO Doug Frost (master sommelier and master of wine) and Winemaker Taylor Oswald. Mill Creek is the second vineyard acquisition for the Echolands group, which also owns Taggart Vineyard, a 50-acre estate in the SeVein. Previously planted to grains and other crops, the Mill Creek property has been owned by the same family since the early 1900s. This is the first time the site will be cultivated as a vineyard. Plans are also underway to build a sustainable winery and tasting room for Echolands at Mill Creek.

From my perspective, this is particularly an intriguing purchase due to the changes in the Walla Walla Valley from global warming as higher elevation sites seem to be a consistent theme for the future.

September 1, 2020 Circulation: 35,000 Social

Twitter @RealWineGuru

September 1, 2020 Circulation: 152,500 Online

Echolands Winery Announces Acquisition of Mill Creek in Walla Walla AVA – Led by Doug Frost, Master of Wine and Master Sommelier, and Conservationist Brad Bergman, Echolands is also developing 50 acres in the SeVein with a focus on biodiversity – (Walla Walla) – Echolands Winery has announced the acquisition of Mill Creek Vineyard, an unspoiled 340acre site located in the upland area of the Walla Walla AVA at the foothills of the Blue Mountains. The Mill Creek site has a shared ownership structure with Echolands and is operated by the Echolands winery team under the direction of CEO Doug Frost and Winemaker Taylor Oswald. Mill Creek is the second vineyard acquisition for the Echolands group, which also owns Taggart Vineyard, a 50-acre estate in the SeVein.

Previously planted to grains and other crops, the Mill Creek property has been owned by the same family since the early 1900s. This is the first time the site will be cultivated as a vineyard. Plans are also underway to build a sustainable winery and tasting room for Echolands at Mill Creek.

“We knew Mill Creek was special from day one,” says Chairman Brad Bergman. “The southeast exposure of the property is perfectly situated with sweeping views of the Blue Mountains and rolling wheat fields. It reminds me of Tuscany meets the Sound of Music. It’s going to be a breathtaking location for the new Echolands winery and tasting room. Our goal is to draw on the differences in terroir between Mill Creek, the SeVein and local growers to develop a unique range of wines that reflect this spectacular place.”

“We are extremely proud to be the first viticultural team to develop this property in Mill Creek,” adds Doug Frost, CEO and Owner of Echolands Winery. “We’re surrounded by inspiring neighbors such as Leonetti’s Uplands Vineyard, Altruvé, Walla Walla Vintners and aMaurice who have shown us the way forward. Mill Creek and Taggart will act as the yin and yang of our Walla Walla grape sourcing; Taggart will prosper in cooler years, while Mill Creek will likely provide the most intriguing fruit in warmer years.”

The higher elevation and cooler, wetter climate in the Mill Creek region is known for fuller-bodied, wellbalanced wines, and allows Echolands to significantly expand their viticultural options. The team will join plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot with experimental varieties grown at varying exposures. First, as part of the winery’s commitment to biodiversity and preservation, the team is laying the foundation for the site with green manure designed to restore the soil and biome to a healthy state for grape-growing. “Our commitment to bio-diversity is planned into everything we plant,” Frost explains. “We’re not using any herbicides or pesticides, and habitat requirements for beneficial insects and animals factor into all our decisionmaking.”

Echolands will have to wait several years for the vineyards of Mill Creek to fully develop. The winery plans to build a winemaking facility to manage all estate production from Mill Creek and Taggart Vineyards, as well as purchased grapes from Les Collines Vineyard and other growers. Mill Creek will also incorporate a tasting room and visitor’s center.

About Echolands Winery Echolands Winery was founded in 2018 by renowned wine expert Doug Frost, in partnership with investor and conservationist Brad Bergman. Winemaker Taylor Oswald manages vineyard relations and winemaking, working with Sadie Drury and North Slope Management to operate the 50-acre Taggart Vineyard within the SeVein Vineyards Project, located on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. The

Echolands group has also acquired Mill Creek Vineyard, a 340-acre site located in the upland area of the Walla Walla AVA, with plans underway to build a winery and tasting room. Echolands is the first proprietary winery project for wine consultant and writer Doug Frost, one of only four people in the world to hold both the Master of Wine and Master Sommelier titles. Current Echolands releases include Syrah Les Collines Vineyard 2018 Walla Walla Valley AVA, Seven Hills Vineyard 2018 Walla Walla Valley AVA, and Grenache Rivière-Galets Vineyard 2019 Walla Walla Valley AVA, all sourced on a négociant basis. Connect with us: echolandswinery.com – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@EcholandsWinery).

September 1, 2020 Circulation: 25,000 E-Newsletter

FW: Auction of Washington Wines Goes Virtual, Raises $1.8 Million More Industry News wine business daily news Echolands Winery Announces Acquisition of Mill Creek in Walla Walla AVA Led by Doug Frost, Master of Wine and Master Sommelier, and Conservationist Brad Bergman, Echolands is also developing 50 acres in the SeVein with a focus on biodiversity.

September 1, 2020 Circulation: 25,000 E-Newsletter

Afternoon Brief: NJ’s Largest Wine and Spirits Wholesalers to Pay $4M Each for Unfair Trade Scheme TODAY’S NEWS Echolands Winery Announces Acquisition of Mill Creek in Walla Walla AVA, a 340-Acre Vineyard Site at the Foothills of the Blue Mountains Echolands Winery has announced the acquisition of Mill Creek Vineyard, an unspoiled 340-acre site located in the upland area of the Walla Walla AVA at the foothills of the Blue Mountains...

September 1, 2020 Circulation: 15,900 Online

Echolands Winery buys Mill Creek Vineyard in Walla Walla AVA Lewis Perdue Echolands Winery Announces Acquisition of Mill Creek in Walla Walla AVA, a 340-Acre Vineyard Site at the Foothills of the Blue Mountains – Led by Doug Frost, Master of Wine and Master Sommelier, and Conservationist Brad Bergman, Echolands is also developing 50 acres in the SeVein with a focus on biodiversity – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 1, 2020 (Walla Walla) – Echolands Winery has announced the acquisition of Mill Creek Vineyard, an unspoiled 340-acre site located in the upland area of the Walla Walla AVA at the foothills of the Blue Mountains. The Mill Creek site has a shared ownership structure with Echolands and is operated by the Echolands winery team under the direction of CEO Doug Frost and Winemaker Taylor Oswald. Mill Creek is the second vineyard acquisition for the Echolands group, which also owns Taggart Vineyard, a 50-acre estate in the SeVein. Previously planted to grains and other crops, the Mill Creek property has been owned by the same family since the early 1900s. This is the first time the site will be cultivated as a vineyard. Plans are also underway to build a sustainable winery and tasting room for Echolands at Mill Creek.

“We knew Mill Creek was special from day one,” says Chairman Brad Bergman. “The southeast exposure of the property is perfectly situated with sweeping views of the Blue Mountains and rolling wheat fields. It reminds me of Tuscany meets the Sound of Music. It’s going to be a breathtaking location for the new Echolands winery and tasting room. Our goal is to draw on the differences in terroir between Mill Creek, the SeVein and local growers to develop a unique range of wines that reflect this spectacular place.”

“We are extremely proud to be the first viticultural team to develop this property in Mill Creek,” adds Doug Frost, CEO and Owner of Echolands Winery. “We’re surrounded by inspiring neighbors such as Leonetti’s Uplands Vineyard, Altruvé, Walla Walla Vintners and aMaurice who have shown us the way forward. Mill Creek and Taggart will act as the yin and yang of our Walla Walla grape sourcing; Taggart will prosper in cooler years, while Mill Creek will likely provide the most intriguing fruit in warmer years.”

The higher elevation and cooler, wetter climate in the Mill Creek region is known for fuller-bodied, wellbalanced wines, and allows Echolands to significantly expand their viticultural options. The team will join plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot with experimental varieties grown at varying exposures. First, as part of the winery’s commitment to biodiversity and preservation, the team is laying the foundation for the site with green manure designed to restore the soil and biome to a healthy state for grape-growing. “Our commitment to bio-diversity is planned into everything we plant,” Frost explains. “We’re not using any herbicides or pesticides, and habitat requirements for beneficial insects and animals factor into all our decisionmaking.”

Echolands will have to wait several years for the vineyards of Mill Creek to fully develop. The winery plans to build a winemaking facility to manage all estate production from Mill Creek and Taggart Vineyards, as well as purchased grapes from Les Collines Vineyard and other growers. Mill Creek will also incorporate a tasting room and visitor’s center.

About Echolands Winery

Echolands Winery was founded in 2018 by renowned wine expert Doug Frost, in partnership with investor and conservationist Brad Bergman. Winemaker Taylor Oswald manages vineyard relations and winemaking, working with Sadie Drury and North Slope Management to operate the 50-acre Taggart Vineyard within the SeVein Vineyards Project, located on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. The Echolands group has also acquired Mill Creek Vineyard, a 340-acre site located in the upland area of the Walla Walla AVA, with plans underway to build a winery and tasting room. Echolands is the first proprietary winery project for wine consultant and writer Doug Frost, one of only four people in the world to hold both the Master of Wine and Master Sommelier titles. Current Echolands releases include Syrah Les Collines Vineyard 2018 Walla Walla Valley AVA, Seven Hills Vineyard 2018 Walla Walla Valley AVA, and Grenache Rivière-Galets Vineyard 2019 Walla Walla Valley AVA, all sourced on a négociant basis. Connect with us: echolandswinery.com – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@EcholandsWinery).

September 1, 2020 Circulation: 15,900 Online

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 – WINE NEWS FETCH FINANCE, INVESTMENT, M&A Echolands Winery buys Mill Creek Vineyard in Walla Walla AVA

September 1, 2020 Circulation: 66,330 Online

Echolands Winery Announces Acquisition of Mill Creek in Walla Walla AVA a 340-Acre Vineyard Site at the Foothills of the Blue Mountains Led by Doug Frost, Master of Wine and Master Sommelier, and Conservationist Brad Bergman, Echolands is also developing 50 acres in the SeVein with a focus on biodiversity September 1, 2020 (Walla Walla) – Echolands Winery has announced the acquisition of Mill Creek Vineyard, an unspoiled 340-acre site located in the upland area of the Walla Walla AVA at the foothills of the Blue Mountains. The Mill Creek site has a shared ownership structure with Echolands and is operated by the Echolands winery team under the direction of CEO Doug Frost and Winemaker Taylor Oswald. Mill Creek is the second vineyard acquisition for the Echolands group, which also owns Taggart Vineyard, a 50-acre estate in the SeVein. Previously planted to grains and other crops, the Mill Creek property has been owned by the same family since the early 1900s. This is the first time the site will be cultivated as a vineyard. Plans are also underway to build a sustainable winery and tasting room for Echolands at Mill Creek.

“We knew Mill Creek was special from day one,” says Chairman Brad Bergman. “The southeast exposure of the property is perfectly situated with sweeping views of the Blue Mountains and rolling wheat fields. It reminds me of Tuscany meets the Sound of Music. It’s going to be a breathtaking location for the new Echolands winery and tasting room. Our goal is to draw on the differences in terroir between Mill Creek, the SeVein and local growers to develop a unique range of wines that reflect this spectacular place.”

“We are extremely proud to be the first viticultural team to develop this property in Mill Creek,” adds Doug Frost, CEO and Owner of Echolands Winery. “We’re surrounded by inspiring neighbors such as Leonetti’s Uplands Vineyard, Altruvé, Walla Walla Vintners and aMaurice who have shown us the way forward. Mill Creek and Taggart will act as the yin and yang of our Walla Walla grape sourcing; Taggart will prosper in cooler years, while Mill Creek will likely provide the most intriguing fruit in warmer years.”

The higher elevation and cooler, wetter climate in the Mill Creek region is known for fuller-bodied, wellbalanced wines, and allows Echolands to significantly expand their viticultural options. The team will join plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot with experimental varieties grown at varying exposures. First, as part of the winery’s commitment to biodiversity and preservation, the team is laying the foundation for the site with green manure designed to restore the soil and biome to a healthy state for grape-growing. “Our commitment to bio-diversity is planned into everything we plant,” Frost explains. “We’re not using any herbicides or pesticides, and habitat requirements for beneficial insects and animals factor into all our decisionmaking.”

Echolands will have to wait several years for the vineyards of Mill Creek to fully develop. The winery plans to build a winemaking facility to manage all estate production from Mill Creek and Taggart Vineyards, as well as purchased grapes from Les Collines Vineyard and other growers. Mill Creek will also incorporate a tasting room and visitor’s center.

About Echolands Winery

Echolands Winery was founded in 2018 by renowned wine expert Doug Frost, in partnership with investor and conservationist Brad Bergman. Winemaker Taylor Oswald manages vineyard relations and winemaking, working with Sadie Drury and North Slope Management to operate the 50-acre Taggart Vineyard within the SeVein Vineyards Project, located on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. The Echolands group has also acquired Mill Creek Vineyard, a 340-acre site located in the upland area of the Walla Walla AVA, with plans underway to build a winery and tasting room. Echolands is the first proprietary winery project for wine consultant and writer Doug Frost, one of only four people in the world to hold both the Master of Wine and Master Sommelier titles. Current Echolands releases include Syrah Les Collines Vineyard 2018 Walla Walla Valley AVA, Seven Hills Vineyard 2018 Walla Walla Valley AVA, and Grenache Rivière-Galets Vineyard 2019 Walla Walla Valley AVA, all sourced on a négociant basis. Connect with us: echolandswinery.com – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@EcholandsWinery).

September 3, 2020 Circulation: 360,700 Online

Echolands Winery purchases 340 acres of Mill Creek property Vicki Hillhouse Echolands Winery has purchased 340 acres of Mill Creek land for development of the property’s first vineyard and a sustainable winery and tasting room.

The project is led by Doug Frost, a master of wine and master sommelier, and conservationist Brad Bergman.

The site is in what’s described as the upland area of the Walla Walla American Viticultural Area, at the foothills of the Blue Mountains.

There, the higher elevation and cooler, wetter climate has already earned a reputation for fuller bodied wines that will allow Echolands, founded in 2018, to expand its viticultural options.

The acquisition is the second vineyard purchase for the Echolands group, founded by Frost. The group also owns Taggart Vineyard, a 50-acre estate in the SeVein Vineyards Project.

According to a release, the new property is expected to take several years to fully develop. It will join plantings of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot with experimental varieties grown at varying exposures.

“We are extremely proud to be the first viticultural team to develop this property in Mill Creek,” said Frost, CEO and owner of Echolands Winery, in a prepared statement. “We’re surrounded by inspiring neighbors such as Leonetti’s Uplands Vineyard, Alruvé, Walla Walla Vintners and àMaurice who have shown us the way forward. Mill Creek and Taggart will act as the yin and yang of our Walla Walla grape sourcing; Taggart will prosper in cooler years, while Mill Creek will likely provide the most intriguing fruit in warmer years.”

It will start its foundation for the site with green manure designed to restore the soil and biome to a healthy state for grape-growing, a reflection of its commitment to biodiversity and preservation.

“Our commitment to bio-diversity is planned into everything we plant. We’re not using any herbicides or pesticides, and habitat requirements for beneficial insects and animals factor into all our decision-making.”

A winemaking facility on the grounds will process estate production from the Mill Creek and Taggart vineyards, plus purchased grapes from Les Collines Vineyard and other growers. The property will incorporate a tasting room and visitor center. It has been owned by the same family since the early 1900s, the release said.

“We knew Mill Creek was special from day one,” Bergman said in the release.

“It’s going to be a breathtaking location for the new Echolands winery and tasting room. Our goal is to draw on the differences in terroir between Mill Creek, the SeVein and local growers to develop a unique range of wines that reflect this spectacular place.”

September 6, 2020 Circulation: 11,300,000 Online

KC investor-owned Echolands Winery acquires a second vineyard James Dornbrook A Washington state winery owned by investors from the Kansas City area acquired a second vineyard that will enable the company to create a wider range of wines.

Echolands Winery was started in 2018 by Brad Bergman, founder of Overland Park-based Midwest Trust Co., and Doug Frost, who is one of only four people in the world to hold both the Master of Wine and Master Sommelier titles.

Doug Frost, co-founder of Echolands Winery, is one of only four people in the world to hold both Master of Wine and Master Sommelier titles.

To launch the company, they acquired 50 acres near Walla Walla to set up what is now called the Taggert Vineyard. They've been buying grapes to make wine while they wait for the vineyard to mature.

Now, Echolands will expand dramatically. The company acquired a 340-acre site in the upland area at the foothills of the Blue Mountains near Walla Walla. They’ll immediately start cultivating it for a new vineyard, called Mill Creek.

Echolands will have to wait several years for the vineyards of Mill Creek to fully develop. The winery plans to build a winemaking facility at Mill Creek to manage all production from both Echolands vineyards, as well as purchased grapes from Les Collines Vineyard and other growers. Mill Creek will also incorporate a tasting room and visitor’s center.

“We knew Mill Creek was special from day one,” Bergman, who is Echolands' chairman, said in a release.

“The southeast exposure of the property is perfectly situated with sweeping views of the Blue Mountains and rolling wheat fields. It reminds me of Tuscany meets 'The Sound of Music.' It’s going to be a breathtaking location for the new Echolands winery and tasting room. Our goal is to draw on the differences in terrain between Mill Creek, the SeVein and local growers to develop a unique range of wines that reflect this spectacular place.”

The higher elevation and cooler, wetter climate in the Mill Creek region is known for fuller-bodied, wellbalanced wines. Echolands will join plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot with experimental varieties grown at varying exposures.

“We’re surrounded by inspiring neighbors such as Leonetti’s Uplands Vineyard, Aluvé, Walla Walla Vintners and aMaurice, who have shown us the way forward," Frost said in the release. “Mill Creek and Taggart will act as the yin and yang of our Walla Walla grape sourcing. Taggart will prosper in cooler years, while Mill Creek will likely provide the most intriguing fruit in warmer years.”

September 8, 2020 Circulation: 53,400 Social

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October 7, 2020 Circulation: 1,130,000

8 Best Wines Made by Sommeliers Mark Stock There was a time when the vast majority of wine professionals never worked a harvest. Wine buyers and sommeliers hit the books, passed exams, and traveled the world with glass in hand, but had never puncheddown a still-fermenting Pinot Noir or sorted through freshly picked Sauvignon Blanc clusters.

Like so many things, sommelier culture has grown increasingly experiential. Wine pros are digging in during harvest, learning the ins and outs of their craft firsthand. Further, some are even going so far as to launch their own labels. It’s part of the ultimate quest of understanding the winegrowing journey and being able to share the results with the world.

As you ponder your next glass pour, think about the following sommelier-made wines this harvest season.

Echolands

We’re just tasting the results of Echolands, a Walla Walla-focused label that launched in 2018. The aspiring outfit is out to showcase the tremendous quality of the appellation, sourcing fruit from an estate within the lauded SeVein Vineyards. Echolands is led by the accomplished Doug Frost, a Master of Wine as well as Master Sommelier. So far, the project is working on Syrah and red blends, but look for more options very soon.

Doug Frost is only one of four wine professionals to hold both Master Sommelier and Master of Wine accreditations. The Kansas City wine educator and author is a partner in Echolands Winery in Walla Walla AVA, Washington.

October 13, 2020 Circulation: 206,000 Online

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COMING UP LIVE: Wine Advocate Reviewer @sommelieranthonymueller chats wine with Washington #Winemaker Doug Frost MS & MW, Co-founder & CEO from Echolands Winery (@echolandswine) Tune in via our IG account on: Wednesday, 14th October - 1:00 PM Los Angeles I 4:00 PM New York I 9:00 PM London

October 14, 2020 Circulation: 206,000 Online

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Wine reviewer Anthony Mueller chats with Doug Frost, MS & MW Our #washingtonwine reviewer @sommelieranthonymueller chats with @dougmsmw as they discuss Doug’s venture into #wallawallawine and taste through @echolandswine range of #wallawalla Grenache, #lescollinesvineyard Syrah and the #sevenhillsvineyard Red Wine.

October 22, 2020 Circulation: 196,100 Online

USA, Washington State: A First Look at the 2018 Vintage Anthony Mueller Taking the first look at the 2018 vintage, I see the continued growth of the Washington State wine scene.

Its producers are continually fine-tuning their wines as they gain deeper understanding of their terroir with the compounding effects of climate change, to craft wines of immense pleasure and show a unique expression that is undoubtedly Washington State. Varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are integral and vitally important to the tapestry of Washington. As Washington continues to seek its next place for growing quality grapes, new American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) continue to pop up in the state.

While 2020 has been disastrous for social events and global marketing during the COVID-19 pandemic, many producers and wineries have pivoted toward digital outlets for marketing, some even teaming up with local restaurants to stay in the spotlight, bringing the local community together. For a look back at the 2017 vintage, you can read my previous article, “USA, Washington State: 2017 On Top – Part 1.”

The 2018 Vintage The second largest crop on record, just behind 2016, the 2018 vintage was another warm year for Washington with slightly elevated brix levels. One of the secrets of Washington’s Columbia Valley is that it has a rather large diurnal swing, which mitigates the wines’ natural ripeness during warm days and maintains energizing acidity during cool nights. Speaking with winemakers, many noted that the vintage was fairly steady and somewhat similar to the weather of the 2012 vintage. In 2018, however, it was still drier and had the most intense heat of the year from mid-July through the last week of August. As September and October came, the weather cooled with the fall season temperatures. Louis Skinner, winemaker of Betz Family Winery commented, “In 2018, the vines felt hydric stress, more so than any other vintage that I can remember. Some of the hydric stress even brought a small amount of dehydration to the vines and deflation to the grapes. Overall, it was a fairly dry summer season, with many of the canopies not getting as big as previous years. Oddly, I recall a lot of dust everywhere on Red Mountain.

There was an irregular amount of dust that lingered on my clothes, my shoes and on the dashboard of my vehicle. It was a fine sort of dust that lingered and clung to everything.”

I should note that Cabernet Sauvignon still continues to dominate the majority of the plantings of red varieties in Washington State. However, with the success of Washington Syrah, its plantings are beginning to compete in quality, catching up to the same exponential growth as Cabernet Sauvignon.

Comparing 2014’s harvest to 2018, Cabernet Sauvignon grew from 42,000 tons to about 74,000 tons, and during that same time period, Syrah grew from 15,000 tons to about 24,000 tons harvested. While Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are the first and third most-planted red varieties in Washington, Merlot, the second most-planted red variety basically maintained a flat line of about 37,000 tons in 2014 and 2018, respectively.

While Cabernet Sauvignon continues to be the breadwinner of Washington State, I see the potential of Syrah and what it brings to the table. Many winemakers are beginning to experiment with the use of stems, whole-cluster and semi-carbonic fermentations. Concrete fermentations are also on the rise, as the pendulum swings toward earlier harvest dates and wines with energetic acidity and lower alcohol levels, ultimately, wines that need less new oak. Many winemakers are beginning to see the benefit of harvesting their Rhône varieties slightly earlier, capturing lower brix, and they are also beginning to

employ the use of semi-carbonic fermentations, which lift the nose and frame the structure. As these winemakers continue to fine-tune this expression of Syrah, I see the variety becoming far more important in the coming years. While I don’t think it will ever overtake Cabernet Sauvignon in number of plantings in Washington State, Syrah and the Rhône varieties offer pleasure on a greater range, in a number of different styles.

Harvests As global climate change tightens its grip on the world of wine, Washington does not go unscathed.

Taking a peek at some of the first 2019 white wines, 2019 brought its fair share of challenges with a handful of severe frosts, proving challenging for even the most experienced winemakers. 2020 saw some of the most devastating wildfires that the American West Coast has ever seen. Severe heat spikes in the summer, along with the threats of smoke taint, proved to be most challenging in 2020, never mind the COVID-19 pandemic. While some wineries have completely harvested all of their grapes in Washington, just how much wine is actually impacted by smoke taint has yet to be determined. However, initial reports look optimistic for Washington, with only minimal percentages of damaged fruit, and the state looks to be in a better situation than Oregon and California.

New AVAs in 2020 In 2020, Washington State saw the addition of two new AVAs, the Royal Slope AVA located just south of Ancient Lakes AVA, and Candy Mountain AVA, which is located less than five miles south east of Red Mountain. Candy Mountain shows promise, sharing many characteristics with its prize-winning neighbor, Red Mountain, but still has much land to be planted. Royal Slope, however, has already found success from bottlings from the Lawrence, Stoneridge and Stillwater Creek vineyards. Keep an eye out for these two new AVAs on new bottlings coming in the near future.

Part 2 of this report will be published in the next few weeks and will have the remainder of Washington State wine submissions for this year.

2018 Echolands Winery • Seven Hills Vineyard Red Wine • Rating 92 A blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2018 Seven Hills Vineyard Red Wine is an instant success with juicy dark berry essence, dusty red and purple flowers, elegant baking spices and hints of soft savory tones with a kiss of mocha. Medium to full-bodied and beautifully balanced, the wine is energetic and exciting on the palate with lively acidity and buttressing tannins. The expression continues to evolve with persistence on the finish that makes my mouth water. I’m impressed. The wine spent 18 months in 100% French oak barrique, 30% first fill. Just over 4,400 bottles were filled. Bravo!

2019 Echolands Winery • Grenache Rivière-Galets Vineyard • Rating 90+ The 2019 Grenache Rivière-Galets Vineyard displays a solid ruby color at the core with a pale ruby edge.

Aromas of dark cherry, black raspberry, dried herbs, cracked pepper and powdered sugar fill the nose.

Medium-bodied and with 13.1% alcohol, the wine shows a lively freshness with high-toned red fruit essence and a subtle rocky minerality. The mid-palate captures a soft savoriness that emanates with touches of sweet tobacco, ending with a mineral-laced finish that is food-friendly and supremely crushable. Echolands Winery is off to a great start. I will keep my eyes on this producer and report back.

2018 Echolands Winery • Syrah Les Collines Vineyard • Rating 90 Made with a 2% splash Viognier, the 2018 Syrah Les Collines Vineyard opens with a dark-fruited, dusty core with blackberry and cassis essence and elements of black raspberry and cherry skin. Mediumbodied, the wine offers a mineral tension across the palate, as the black fruit moves tarter, showing mouthwatering and energetic acidity that sways with subtle elements of black pepper spice and firm tannins. Ending with the lingering finish, the wine will drink well over the next 5 to 7 years.

November 9, 2020 Circulation: 5,100 Online

Doug Frost Master Sommelier, Master of Wine, Vineyard Developer Exploring the Wine Glass: Lori Budd There is a saying that to be a jack of all trades is to be a master of none. Well, my guest today is living proof that that is NOT the case.

Doug Frost is a Master of Wine and Master Sommelier as well as an author and wine consultant based in Kansas City, Missouri. As if being a Master of Wine and a Master Sommelier is not enough, Doug has written three wine books, hosted an Emmy award short series titled “FermentNation, and is the co-creator of a spirits and cocktail education organization. Now you would think that would be more than enough for us to talk about on Allure of the Pour, but that wasn’t even the main focus. Doug is now a partner in Echolands Winery in Walla Walla and just completed planting one vineyard and is in the process of designing a second planting. So join me as I talk to Doug about all the dirty details of planning and planting a vineyard.

November 16, 2020 Circulation: 237,100 Online

2018 Echolands Winery • Seven Hills Vineyard Red Wine Anthony Mueller Rating 92 Release Price $52 Drink Date 2020 - 2030 Reviewed by Anthony Mueller Issue Date 22nd Oct 2020 Source October 2020 Week 3, The Wine Advocate A blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2018 Seven Hills Vineyard Red Wine is an instant success with juicy dark berry essence, dusty red and purple flowers, elegant baking spices and hints of soft savory tones with a kiss of mocha. Medium to full-bodied and beautifully balanced, the wine is energetic and exciting on the palate with lively acidity and buttressing tannins.

The expression continues to evolve with persistence on the finish that makes my mouth water. I’m impressed. The wine spent 18 months in 100% French oak barrique, 30% first fill. Just over 4,400 bottles were filled. Bravo!

Echolands Winery just produced their first release with Taylor Oswald as winemaker, Doug Frost, MS, MW, as CEO and Brad Bergman as Chairman. The team believes in making fresher wines in a more elegant style that shows vibrancy with a sense of place. Greg Harrington, MS, and Brandon Moss of Gramercy Cellars put Les Collines Syrah in the more-than-capable hands of the Echolands Winery team. With their foundation firmly set, Echolands is off to a solid start. This is one project that I will keep my eyes on.

November 16, 2020 Circulation: 1,200,000 Online

These Four Producers are Redefining Washington Wine Sean P. Sullivan In 50 years, Washington has gone from fledgling wine region to player on the world stage. Quality has never been higher, and the wines have gained critical and consumer attention.

Still, there can be a sameness to many of the state’s wines, and these stylistic similarities are not by chance. “[People use] the same yeast, the same coopers, and by nature of Washington and its evolution, a lot of the same vineyards,” says Jeff Lindsay-Thorsen, co-owner/winemaker at WT Vintners.

Winemakers also often blend across large regions to protect against periodic frosts and freezes, and to take advantage of the best each area has to offer.

“The convention was the sum is greater than its parts,” says Lindsay-Thorsen. “You take a little bit of Red Mountain, a little bit of Walla Walla, a little bit of Yakima and bring them all together, and you have something that is delicious.”

They’re delicious, yes, and distinctly Washington but not necessarily distinctive from each other or showing a very specific sense of place.

Recently, some winemakers have begun to chart a different path. They craft unique wines that focus on vineyard designates, with fruit picked earlier and low-intervention winemaking methods. In doing so, they are redefining not just what Washington is, but also what it can be.

Doug Frost, MS, MW Echolands Winery When one of four people in the world who holds both Master Sommelier and Master of Wine certifications decides to make wine, wine lovers take notice.

“For me, it’s an opportunity to learn more, and certainly to find out what I know, which I already knew was not enough,” says Frost.

Frost, along with his business partner, Brad Bergman, launched Echolands Winery earlier this year. The winery’s inaugural Syrah comes from well-regarded Les Collines Vineyard. The wine is decidedly higher in acid than most from the state.

“I tend to like things with a bit more tartness than others may,” says Frost. “I have hopes of making wine that appeals to my palate, that is a bit more tense and that has more acidity than I’m used to getting.”

This leads to picking fruit earlier. Frost says when he and winemaker Taylor Oswald dropped off picking bins for their inaugural wine, many in the area were surprised.

“People were poking fun at us, saying, ‘You’re going to pick tomorrow? What’s wrong with you guys? Are you out of your minds?’ ”

Ultimately, Frost’s hope is not only that the wines are higher in acid, but also lower in alcohol.

“We’re not beholden to numbers, but if I had my way, we’d never make a wine over 14% [alcohol by volume],” says Frost. “It’s just that’s what my palate prefers. We definitely end up with a slightly different style because of that.”

The name Echolands is a callout to Greek mythology, where Echo, a mountain nymph, was only able to repeat the last line said to her.

“I thought that was an apt metaphor for the winemaking process,” says Frost. “You don’t get to add anything.

The best you can do is to try and take what is given to you and hand it back as unblemished as possible.”

Keith Johnson Devium Wine Johnson started Devium Wine out of a rebellious streak.

“I said, ‘I’m going to make my Washington wine different from everything else because nobody else is doing it, and if I don’t push the boundaries, who is going to do it?’ ” he says.

For Johnson, that process starts with distinctive vineyard sites. One example is a northeast-facing block of Mourvèdre on a steep, gravelly slope. Another is Malbec planted at 3,000 feet above sea level, twice as high as most surrounding vineyards.

“I only work with vineyard sources that have a voice, that have something to say,” says Johnson.

Grapes are picked at substantially lower sugar levels than the norm in the state, and with higher acidity. In the winery, fruit for red wine is left unsorted and in whole clusters.

The Women Behind Some of Washington's Best Grapevines “[Whole cluster] gives you the magic that exists in the margins,” says Johnson. “I don’t care if my wine tastes like cherry or blackberry. What I do care about is, is there a little bit of magic in it? A little bit of soul?

That’s all I’m looking for.”

Wines are subsequently put in neutral oak and generally left alone, with minimal sulfur added.

“I am simply trying to distill my winemaking down to the purest form so that I am truly representing my vineyard sources,” says Johnson.

He says that response to the wines, which buck the ‘big red’ style common in Washington, can be varied.

“I’m not going to lie and say that being different has made this easier. But what mark do you want to leave in this world, and how to do you want to live your life? For me, I have something to say, and my wines have something to say, which I hope is a low-alcohol, low-intervention window into the soul of the vineyard.”

Matt Austin Grosgrain Vineyards When Austin and his wife, Kelly, began to explore wine, they made a point to seek out new varieties and regions. When they started Grosgrain Vineyards in Walla Walla in 2018, that adventurous spirit informed their approach.

“We really wanted to have that energy of exploration be a part of what we were doing,” says Matt, who serves as winemaker.

In its inaugural vintage, the winery made 13 wines. One is a Lemberger pét-nat from Red Mountain, an appellation best known for its burly, full-bodied reds. The wine is light, bright and airy.

“It’s one of our most popular wines,” he says.

Grosgrain has two estate properties in Walla Walla Valley planted to Grenache, Carignan and Italian varieties. Macabeo, Xarel-lo, Vermentino and Ribolla Gialla are slated to be planted shortly. For some of these grapes, this will be the first commercial plantings in the state.

While Washington is known in large part for full-bodied reds, Grosgrain focuses on a bright, elegant style.

“We really wanted to explore lighter, fresher styles across the lineup, going from the whites all the way even to the reds,” says Matt. This is achieved by cropping heavier in the vineyard and less extraction in the winery.

“We’re not doing saignée or trying to extract as much from the skins as possible during fermentation,” he says. “We do really gentle punch downs and keep our fermentations cool to help control extraction.”

Red wines spend about a year in barrel, almost all neutral oak.

“I think with our style, we don’t have that density of tannin and big structure that sometimes takes a lot of time to evolve,” he says. “I’m really trying to preserve some of the fresh aromatics, as opposed to emphasizing that aging character.”

Jeff Lindsay-Thorsen WT Vintners From its inception, WT Vintners has focused exclusively on vineyard-designated wines.

“I could probably make ‘better’ wine through the art of blending,” says Lindsay-Thorsen, the coowner/winemaker. “But I felt like there was an opportunity for all of these really special places to be at the center, versus just mentioned on the website.”

Lindsay-Thorsen believes most of the work should be done up front in the vineyard.

“The ultimate goal is to mitigate any need for manipulation in the cellar,” he says. “Everything you add is taking something away from the place.”

Grapes are picked earlier to maintain freshness, something that aligns well with Lindsay-Thorsen’s training as a sommelier.

“I don’t want to drink big, bombastic wines all the time,” he says. “I want nuance, and a little less alcohol can help with that.”

Slow Wine, Explained In the winery, Lindsay-Thorsen describes his style as “doing as little as possible,” though he eschews the label of natural wine.

“I am 100% not in the natural wine camp,” says Lindsay-Thorsen. “Wine without a winemaker is vinegar.

Some intervention and guiding of the process is absolutely necessary. But by doing less, I think the wines can be more.”

Like a number of other wineries mentioned here, WT emphasizes spontaneous fermentation over commercial yeast, with the belief that it better reflects the vineyard. Lindsay-Thorsen foot-treads the grape cap throughout fermentation, rather than using mechanical methods.

“Punch downs with whole cluster become a really violent act,” he says. “By going in and doing it by foot and hand, it becomes a really gentle process.”

The result is wines unique for Washington.

“We stand out in our style as different, but it’s not because we’re doing anything special,” says LindsayThorsen. “I’m just listening to my elders and doing that, versus reading the latest catalogue and trying to streamline things.”

November 20, 2020 Circulation: 67,600,000 Online

A Very American Holiday Wine Lineup Jessica Dupuy The holiday season will be a bit of an odd one, to say the least. Fewer people will be traveling, and gatherings will be significantly smaller, but that doesn't mean we can't rally little holiday spirit. And if you're still planning to serve up a Thanksgiving or holiday feast this year, be sure to serve some great wine. As Thanksgiving is an all-American holiday within itself, it's only fitting that we look to the many regions of the country producing some truly exceptional wines. From California to Virginia, New York to Arizona, and everywhere in between, opting for a few of these selections will no doubt offer a welcome distraction from our "new normal." Though you can pretty much find a wine being produced in all 50 states, here are a few top suggestions from 11 of them, plus one not-so-American selection that has earned a seat at the table.

2018 Echolands Syrah, Les Collines Vineyard, $38 Washington Planted in the Blue Mountains, just above the east Washington outpost of Walla Walla lies the Les Collines Vineyards. It's a unique plot selected by Echolands business partners Doug Frost MS and MW, Brad Bergman, and Taylor Oswald as a promising site to show the prowess Syrah can exhibit in this region. Generous with red, black, and blue fruit aromas, this wine is framed by an alluring earthiness and subtle notes of pepper. This wine strikes a fine balance with bright tension and a full body chiseled with complexity on the palate.

November 21, 2020 Circulation: 2,748 Online

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Holiday Wine Lineup #2… Since Thanksgiving is an American construct, it’s only fitting to have a wine lineup that shows off some of the great wines being made all over the country. In truth, I didn’t have a chance to taste wines from all 50 states, but this list gives you a good idea of the fun things you can find out there. From California to New York, Virginia to Arizona, and even a sparkling from Michigan, there are plenty of selections to choose from that will make excellent conversation starters around the holiday table.

I should confess there’s one non-American wine in here, but I think you’ll find it’s a deserving addition. (Link in Bio…) Note: One more list to come. Stay Tuned! If you can’t get past the pay wall on Forbes.com, DM me and I’ll send you a pdf. #forbes #forbesfoodanddrink #allamericanwine #americanwine #holidaywine #thanksgivingwine #DuboeufBeaujolaisNouveau #FrankFamilyVineyards #MawbySparkling #GalenGlenWinery #TheStormCellar #TheoremVineyards #CallaghanVineyards #VivàcWinery #LightwellSurvey #SandReckonerVineyards #PedernalesCellars #MessinaHofWinery #EcholandsWinery #ElementWinery #mayacamasvineyards

November 24, 2020 Circulation: 599,338 Online

News in Brief from W&S December 2020 Taras Ochota, a punk rocker-turned-winemaker, died on October 12, 2020 after an illness. The 49-yearold ran Ochota Barrels in South Australia’s Adelaide Hills, crafting a wild range of wines that redefined what US drinkers often think of as “Aussie” wine.

Dolores Cakebread, co-founder with her husband, Jack, of Napa Valley’s Cakebread Cellars, died October 2, 2020. She was 90.

Lulu Peyraud of Domaine Tempier in Bandol, France, died October 7, 2020, at the age of 102. Her wines, as well as her cooking and sense of hospitality, are what drew the attention of writer Richard Olney, who introduced her to Alice Waters at Chez Panisse and to importer Kermit Lynch.

Ken Evenstad, founder of Domaine Serene Winery with his wife, Grace, died at his home in late October after a long illness. He was 77.

Echolands, the Washington winery founded in 2018 by Doug Frost, MS, MW, and conservationist Brad Bergman, has acquired Mill Creek, a 340-acre site in the Walla Walla AVA. Previously planted to grains, the site has never before been cultivated as a vineyard.

Napa’s Diamond Creek Vineyards has a new team at its helm: Nicole Carter, president of Merry Edwards Winery, will now also lead Diamond Creek; winemaker Graham Wehmeier (Futo, Cornell and Merryvale) will take over from Phil Steinschriber, winemaker since 1991, as Steinschriber retires.

Graham Wehmeier Bâtonnage, a forum dedicated to women in wine, has launched a mentorship program focused on increasing equity in the wine world. The program will offer mentees support in five areas: winemaking, viticulture, sales/marketing, retail and hospitality. More details are available at batonnageforum.com.

Timothy Malone has taken over the role of head winemaker at J. Christopher wines. 2020 will be his first vintage in charge, having worked as the assistant winemaker at the winery from 2008 to 2015. Malone will continue to produce wines under his own label, Timothy Malone Wines Chris Fletcher has been promoted from Assistant to Master Distiller for Jack Daniel’s. Born and raised in Lynchburg, Fletcher is the grandson of former Master Distiller Frank Bobo, who served in the role from 1966 until retiring in 1989. Fletcher will also oversee the company’s new Distillers in Training program.

Ruster Ausbruch is now Austria’s 16th DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus, the Austrian equivalent of a PDO), and the first exclusively for sweet wine. Unique to the area around Rust, a town on Lake Neusiedl’s western shore, these botrytis-affected wines have been highly regarded since the 1500s. The Ruster Ausbruch regulations now specify that the wines come entirely from hand-picked, botrytis-affected grapes grown within Rust’s municipal limits, and achieve at least 45 g/l residual sugar.

December 11, 2020 Circulation: 1,713,463 Online

Echolands Owen Bargreen I love the wealth of great winery projects in Washington State.

Founded by Brad Bergman and Doug Frost, MW, MS, Echolands has released a very impressive inaugural set of wines. Frost has an illustrious wine career, and is one of three individuals in the world to hold simultaneously the Master of Wine and Master Sommelier titles, achieving his MS in 1991 and MW in 1993. He also authored ‘The Spanish Wine Guide (third edition 2009’) and is a contributing editor of the Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails, due to be released in 2020.

Winemaker Taylor Oswalt is a fellow Whitman College alumnus, who previously was winemaker at Mark Ryan and has worked harvests at a host of great Washington wineries. Taylor also has a masters in wine microbiology from Washington State University.

I can imagine that he is excited to produce wines from the new Echolands estate vineyard which was planted in May 2019, as this ‘Taggart Vineyard’ is an exciting site that had only ever been used for pasture and wheat lands since its settlement in the mid-19th century. Set on deep Loess soils, this will be an exciting development to see the wines from this new site.

The new releases are sourced from some great vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley including the Riviere Galets and Seven Hills Vineyards. Frost mentioned that the 2018 vintage "as our first vintage, it was a relatively effortless and worry-free vintage, especially in comparison to 2019 and 2020. The season was sunny, warm and ended mildly. It was a gentle introduction to the roller-coaster of winemaking." I’ll fully admit that I adore Grenache when it is made correctly. The 2019 Echolands Grenache (OB, 93) is downright sexy wine with enticing range and a pillowy texture. Learn more about this fantastic new project at echolandswinery.com Here are my reviews of he beautiful new wines my Echolands.

2019 Echolands Grenache- Sourced from the Riviere Galets Vineyard in the Walla Walla Rocks AVA, this shows a light dusting of white pepper with guava puree, red cherry cordial and shades of wet stone with green olives that all mingle in the glass. The palate is lithe and very pure. Beautiful layers of red fruits meld with orange peel, green peppercorns and shades of Umami.

Gorgeous now, this will provide drinking enjoyment for the next eight years. Drink 2020-2028- 93 Echolands 2018 Syrah.jpg 2018 Echolands Syrah- The 2018 Echolands ‘Les Collines Vineyard’ Syrah is another outstanding inaugural release from this upstart Walla Walla winery. Once on the nose this takes on layers of smoked brisket and garrigue, woven together with wild

blackberry and Hoisin sauce. The palate is fresh and beautifully textured with a lithe sense of minerality.

Ripe dark fruits march on with minerals, dried herbs and venison tones on the palate. Delightful to savor in its youth, enjoy this beautiful and elegant Syrah wine over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2020-202892 2018 Echolands ‘Seven Hills Vineyard’ Red Wine- The 2018 ‘Seven Hills Vineyard’ Red Wine combines equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (40% each) with 18% Cabernet Franc and a splash of Petit Verdot. Ripe dark currants mingle with dark chocolate shavings, dried herbs and black tea tones on the nose. The palate is plush, showing off a silky texture. Rich dark cherry, huckleberry and mocha tones mingle with minerals and loamy soils on the palate. Complex and delicious even in its youth, this has another ten years or more ahead of it. This shows similarly after opened for several hours. Drink 20202033- 92