THE STORY
This is the story of how a trip to Washington State for a family wedding and too much traffic led to an unexpected, yet greatly desired visit to the House of Smith winery! Landing at SEATAC, we had a plan to meet some relatives in Woodinville, where many Washington wineries have tasting rooms, to see the town and visit a winery before dinner. By the time we landed and got our rental car out of the parking garage (an interesting feat on 49ers/Sea Hawks game day) and learned all of our other relatives planning to meet us there were running late, we quickly shifted to Plan B: to visit House of Smith instead, just 15 minutes north of the airport and on our way to Woodinville. We’d be able to taste their wines and pick up some of their K Syrah to share with relatives during the wedding weekend.
We entered the tasting room and I announced that I write about Monterey wines and whipped out my Decanting Monterey card. Denise, the woman running the tasting room, gave us a big smile and said she was from Carmel! And thus began an exchange of favorite local wineries and lovely tasting of their Dark Side wines. We purchased a few bottles to share with our relatives, but we should have bought a few more!
I have never written about House of Smith in this blog before – since it is not a Central Coast wine, but allow me this indulgence today. We often buy K Syrah from K&L Wine Merchants in Redwood City.
ABOUT HOUSE OF SMITH:
“Charles Smith is the visionary winemaker behind iconic brands like K Vintners and CasaSmith. Charles has received over 300 scores of 95 points-and-above and over 1,400 scores of 90 points-and-above from leading wine publications. And it all started a little over 20 years ago, with 330 cases of 1999 K Syrah sold out of the back of Charles’ 1987 Astro van.
“Charles Smith’s unlikely rise to “rockstar winemaker” status is the stuff indie cult-classic films are made of. He became intrigued with wine while working in restaurants at the age of 19. One restaurant job appealed to Charles most: the one where the guy came in late, left early, and drank all night. Before he could fully explore the path to becoming “The Wine Guy”, another passion called Charles: music. Charles spent a decade touring Europe as a rock band manager in Denmark before returning to the United States to immerse himself in the emerging music scene in Seattle, Washington. He found a way to explore his burgeoning interest in wine by opening a wine shop on Bainbridge Island, but Charles felt compelled to create the wines, not just to sell them.
“A chance road trip to Walla Walla, Washington, in 1999 gave Charles that opportunity. He watched, listened, absorbed. Most importantly, he created. With almost nothing in his pockets, Charles Smith found a way to produce his first vintage…the aforementioned 330 cases of 1999 K Syrah.”
THE WINES
Today I am presenting 5 House of Smith wines. Winery notes come from the tasting sheet or their website, unless otherwise noted. Any errors are mine and mine alone. As a rule, I do not correct typos from the wineries’ websites.
2020 K Vintners Merlot, Northridge Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington, 14% ABV, $43 (#1448)
Winery Notes: “Blackberry, dark plum and cool earth. Silky and luscious, the pinnacle of Washington merlot.” 93 points- James Suckling & Vinous.
My Review: Chocolate, dark juicy berries and almond extract on the nose. Very nice on the palate with a dry finish accented by almond. Nose outpaced the palate. I liked this wine. October 2024
2021 K Vintners Roma, River Rock Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, Washington, 14.5% ABV, $55 (#1449) Co-fermented 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Syrah
Winery Notes: “The Rocks speak out loud… Black plum, grilled meat, evergreen forest, and pencil shavings whisper in delight. Fresh herbs, black cherry, and clove. Seamless, long, and satisfying. A very special Roma.” 94 points- Jeb Dunnuck & James Suckling.
My Review: Nice nose of crushed berries and almond extract. A delicious blend. October 2024
2021 K Vintners Royal City Syrah, Stoneridge Vineyard, Washington, 14.5% ABV, $150 (#1450)
Winery Notes: “Majestic aromas arise from the glass. Suede, black tea, coal. Making way to a regal layering of black plum, tar, damp earth, and umami, that tease on the royal velvet palate.” 97 Points- Janes Suckling & Jeb Dunnuck.
My Review: This Syrah put them on the map. In 2006 WA awarded this wine 100 points. Oh wow. Inky in the glass. This is a Sharon kind of big wine. Date, peanut butter and jelly, dirt and saddle leather on the nose. Saddle leather. A little sweet, jammy with PB&J and dirt following over to the huge palate. There indeed is a sort of peanut butter mouthfeel on the finish. We bought one of these and shared it over the 49ers/Sea Hawks game. I want another one at home, please. October 2024
2021 K Vintners King Coal, Stoneridge Vineyard, Royal Slope, Washington, 14% ABV, $150 (#1451) Co-fermented 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Syrah
Winery Notes: “The heart of darkness, deep and shimmering with energy. Earth, black coal, dark berries, ancient spice. All along for a thrilling ride that never ends.” 97 Points- James Suckling & Jeb Dunnuck.
My Review: Another huge wine. I’m still getting PB& J on the nose and big huge, delicious palate. October 2024
2021 K Vintners Broncho Malbec, Stoneridge Vineyard, Royal Slope, Washington, 14.5% ABV, $64 (#1452)
Winery Notes: “Transcendent, purity and temptation… a bold and vivacious voice sing with black raspberry compote, smoked red peppers, cedar box, and black coffee… soothing rhythms of black licorice, violets, gun powder, and black pepper extends this inking dynamic wonderful malbec.” 93 points- James Suckling & Vinous.
My Review: Purple in color. Cherry on the nose. Smooth and smokey on the palate, with some tart red fruits balancing out the darkness. I liked this wine. OK, I liked so many of their wines! October 2024
THE HOUSE OF SMITH TASTING ROOMS
JET CITY:
“Located in the historic Georgetown neighborhood of Seattle, this expansive, one-of-a-kind winery occupies the space that was formerly a Dr. Pepper bottling plant, and is the largest urban winery in the Western United States.
“Guests are invited to experience House of Smith’s award-winning wines, created by awarded winemaker Charles Smith, while listening to rock music and enjoying a view of the main runways of Boeing Field and the iconic profile of Washington’s Mount Rainier. House of Smith Jet City Winery features two tasting rooms designed by famed Olson Kundig Architects – the main floor designed with a rustic Northwest feel, and the larger upstairs space exudes an early 60’s vibe, with a nod to the aviation industry.”
Located at: 1136 South Albro Place, Seattle, Washington 98108, Phone: 206-745-7456
Open: Wednesday–Sunday, 12PM to 6PM. Daily Happy Hours Wednesday–Friday 3PM to 5PM for 1/2 price glass pours on selected wines. Closed: Monday–Tuesday
There are two other tasting options – one in town in Walla Walla and at the base of the Blue Mountains. See their website for details.
© Decanting Monterey 2024
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