Unique Wines & Exceptional Values From Corliss, Tranche and Secret Squirrel
The latest releases continue an unbroken track record of dedicated excellence
I’ve been tracking the progress of Corliss wines since they made their debut in the late summer of 2008. At that time the first releases – a Red blend, a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Syrah, all from the 2003 vintage – were offered to mailing list customers and a few select wine shops. For several years previously I’d observed massive changes to the exterior of an old brick bakery building just off Highway 12 at the downtown exit to Walla Walla. Something impressive was going on, but cloaked in secrecy. It was finally unveiled when I met with Michael Corliss in September, finding him and then-winemaker Kendall Mix anchoring a lineup of a dozen or so workers painstakingly sorting grapes.
Merlot from Corliss’ Red Mountain vineyard was just coming in to the winery. The bunches of grapes passed through a gentle de-stemmer and poured out onto a conveyer belt, where every bit of leaf, stem and vineyard detritus was picked out by hand. By the time the grapes reached the end of the conveyer belt – just before being dropped (not pumped) into fermentation bins – they looked like perfect blueberries, each pristine grape isolated and unbroken.
“This is what it takes to make great, not good wine” I commented in my newspaper column at the time. “Good wines can take many shortcuts and still come out fine. Great wines cannot cut any corners.” On that first visit Corliss took a break from sorting to show me around the winery, and along the way explained why it had taken so long (eight vintages, some discarded) to release his first wines.
“I did not at the beginning fully envision that we’d be where we are today,” he said. “It evolved along the way, which is a lot of the reason we’ve been pretty quiet – taking the journey. When you’re on a journey,” he continued, “you take a lot of notes and write it up when you finish. After eight years we know very clearly where we’re going. We have five great vintages that have been done here at the winery; we’ve purchased two estate vineyards, and we will acquire another in the next couple of years.”
Corliss is a fourth-generation Seattle native. He was introduced to great wines while still in his early twenties, as part of a group that purchased old wine cellars. He once owned and drank wines from the cellar of Alfred Hitchcock. Those classic, well-cellared wines shaped his palate, and when he embarked upon his own wine project, it was with the goal of making wines that would age gracefully.
“When you buy and typically drink much older wines, which is what I do, your interest is in how the wine will taste in five, 10 and 20 years,” says Corliss. “It is more challenging to set out to build a wine that can last that long.”
Fast forward to 2024. The original winery, open only by appointment, hosts several high profile charity events annually. It has been joined by sister winery Tranche, located on the east side of Walla Walla in a spectacular setting amidst its own Blue Mountain Vineyard estate. The entire estate vineyard portfolio includes hundreds of acres on Red Mountain, another side in the eastern Yakima valley and the iconic Celilo vineyard in the Columbia Gorge AVA.
The first vines planted at Tranche’s Blue Mountain Estate Vineyard were Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah. More recent plantings have increased clonal and rootstock diversity, as well as adding 11 acres of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier, Picpoul and Clairette Blanche.
By design Tranche has a totally different personality than Corliss. If Corliss is more timeless, Tranche is more cutting edge. The Tranche lineup include expressive, aromatic, carefully-defined varietal wines and blends. Those based upon Rhône Valley varietals comprise the ‘Slice of Pape’ series. (A slice of a slice, if you will.) They should not be missed!
Tranche 2020 Blue Mountain Vineyard Pape Blanc – Featured Wine (see below)
Tranche 2020 Celilo Vineyard Chardonnay – The Celilo vineyard sits in the Cascade foothills high above the Columbia River at the west end of the Columbia Gorge AVA. It's a special place, and this wine, sourced from some of the oldest blocks, takes full advantage of the terroir. Fermented in a mix of new and neutral French oak, it has a tight tension that foreshadows ageability; at the present time it's a detailed mix of tarragon and other herbs, lemon and other citrus, crisp apple and green melon. Lovely balance and length. 311 cases; 13.8%; $45 (Columbia Gorge) 93/100
Tranche 2020 Blue Mountain Vineyard Pape Red – This is three fifths Grenache, blended with a mix of Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvèdre from the Corliss-owned Blue Mountain vineyard. Brambly fruit, peppery highlights and a whiff of expensive barrel toast set this apart from most Walla Walla Rhone blends. It slices vertically through the palate, tightly wound with tangy blackberry fruit, dried Italian herbs and toasted walnuts. There is a penetrating sharpness that suggests aeration is needed if you want to drink it right away. Tasted after 24 hours it remained compact with focused barrel flavors and blackberry fruit. 599 cases; 14.6%; $40 (Walla Walla Valley) 93/100
Tranche 2020 Blue Mountain Vineyard Syrah – This is a blow-your-palate open style, no holds barred, fire away and damn the torpedoes. Spice galore, hold the funk, give me a load of black fruits, a burst of cold coffee, a lingering finish with the gentle grit of the lightest possible sandpaper. Co-fermented with 3% Viognier, this spicy, fruit-driven gem puts a different spin on Walla Walla Syrahs. And I love it. 589 cases; 14.7%; $45 (Walla Walla Valley) 94/100
Tranche 2020 Blue Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon – As this vineyard enters full maturity the wines just get deeper and denser and better. This does not shy away from new oak scents and accents, paired to black fruits accented with touches of cold coffee and dark chocolate. It’s big, bold and delicious, though plenty of time is left for further aging. 546 cases; 14.8%; $60 (Walla Walla) 92/100
Tranche 2020 Blue Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Franc – This potent wine adheres more closely to the house style than to any specific varietal expression. The Cab Franc and Cab Sauv, both pure varietals from the Blue Mountain estate, are almost twin siblings. That’s not to say they are not delicious and well made – they are. But more differentiation between them would be a plus. 586 cases; 14.7%; $50 (Walla Walla) 92/100
I’m hard-pressed to find a comparable ‘second label’ that can out-do this Corliss brand for both quality and value. These wines are simply superb in every way.
Secret Squirrel 2018 GSM – This is 58% Syrah, 25% Mourvèdre and 17% Grenache – very similar to the outstanding 2017. A sister brand to Corliss and Tranche, Secret Squirrel is priced significantly lower, yet reflects the same commitment to quality. Two thirds of this wine is Red Mountain fruit. This is packed with flavor, a dense blend of blackberries, cassis, cold coffee, graphite and cedar. Given extra years in barrel and bottle, it’s a formidable, well-aged wine drinking in its prime, and at a price that is simply unmatched at this quality level. 3644 cases; 14.9%; $25 (Columbia Valley) 93/100
Secret Squirrel 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon – Not only are the Secret Squirrel wines sourced and made according to strict, high end Corliss wine practices, they are given the same bottle age prior to release. 2018 is the current vintage, and this has the structure, intensity and depth of a much pricier wine. It’s a full-on Bordeaux blend, with 14% Cab Franc and smaller amounts of Petit Verdot and Merlot included. Dark fruits, toasty barrel notes, highlights of tapenade and firm, polished, ripe tannins. A stunning value. 11348 cases; 14.9%; $25 (Columbia Valley) 93/100
The current releases (reviewed below) are sold out. In order to qualify for the next round of releases (from the 2019 vintage) you’ll need to sign up to the registry.
Corliss 2018 Syrah – Lush and lovely, precise and powerful, this is of a piece with the toasty, dark Corliss portfolio while showcasing a style worth emulating for all Washington (not Rocks District) Syrahs. Good, concentrated black fruits, graphite, wet stone and touches of licorice and tobacco are nicely woven into this wine. Though given extra bottle age it still feels young, with a decade or more of prime drinking ahead. 280 cases; 14.9%; $75 (Columbia Valley) 95/100
Corliss 2018 Red Bordeaux Blend – This is half and half Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. An interesting blend, with more fruit showing up front than in the 2018 Cabernet. Here you’ll find loads of black cherry, cassis, coffee, iron filings and a light savory note in play. The barrel aging, as always with Corliss, puts a firm toasty stamp on the first-taste flavors. 498 cases; 14.9%; $95 (Red Mountain) 95/100
Corliss 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon – This is a classic Red Mountain Cabernet, dense with blackberry and black cherry fruit, accented with cut tobacco and charred toast. This is a wine to keep and should be decanted or cellared. With aeration the fruit blooms into a rich expression of berries and cherries, annotated with dark chocolate. Tannins are ripe, firm and polished. The finish is pure and focused. This exceptional wine should entertain for decades. 865 cases; 14.9%; $105 (Red Mountain) 95/100
Featured Wine
Concluding each Substack post is a special featured wine. Some will be exceptional values and some will simply be superstar wines (96 points and higher).
Tranche 2020 Blue Mountain Vineyard Pape Blanc – This six-variety blend is, it’s fair to say, unique. Picpoul, Roussanne, Clairette Blanche, Grenache Blanc, Viognier and Marsanne, all estate grown, are seamlessly combined in this slick, savory, citrusy wine. Fermented in a mix of French oak barrels and concrete eggs, the final wine brings together the best of both, as well as pulling all the different varieties together into a full-bodied, complete wine. Few wines qualify as must-taste – this is one that does. 805 cases; 13.7%; $30 (Walla Walla Valley) 94/100
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PS: My band, the DavePaul5, will be playing at AK’s Mercado on Friday March 8th – part of Walla Walla’s Guitar Fest weekend. Totally stoked for that! Walla Walla wineries take note – we are now filling up our calendar for the 2024 season. If we have performed at your winery previously and have not been in touch please send me a note and let’s get back on your schedule!