 L'Ecole
Winery is All Grown Up
By Bob Woehler
A good indication that L'Ecole No. 41 winery in
Lowden has come of age is knowing the third-grader who designed
the schoolhouse label is now 24.
It's been 16 years since Ryan Campbell, a grandson of L'Ecole's
founders, Baker and Jean Ferguson, won the family contest for a
label design.
There have been a lot of changes since then. Campbell is now
old enough to drink the wine that carries his name.
And the Fergusons passed on their legacy to their daughter
Megan and her husband, Marty Clubb, in 1989.
The same bright crayon drawing of a schoolhouse is still on the
label, but the wines have shown a lot of maturity and expansion
over the years, thanks to Marty Clubb.
Even the winery, a former Lowden school, has been transformed
into a modern tasting room stretching the width of the old school
with a curved tasting bar and winery-related items ranging from
imported oils to polo shirts.
While the Walla Walla Valley is building its reputation on red
wines, Marty Clubb has not given up his passion for white
varieties, especially semillon.
In fact, he makes three different semillons, probably something
no other winery does. There also is a rich chardonnay and a dry
chenin blanc with the catchy name of Walla Viola.
However, even as good and interesting as his whites may be,
it's his reds that have been getting rave reviews, including a
Bordeaux blended red called Apogee and a cabernet sauvignon that's
the equal of any of the outstanding Walla Walla cabernets from
other wineries.
Any tasting review of L'Ecole needs to start with the semillons:
1999 barrel fermented semillon - If you are tired of
chardonnays, this is the wine for you. Smoky oak with some lemon
and figs, melons and ripe pear. $14.
1999 Seven Hills Vineyard semillon - Heavy melons with
earthy tones. Flinty, followed by a great farewell. $21.
1999 Fries Vineyard semillon - Big and buttery. Flavors
of coconut, figs and lemons. Ripe fruit and a rich mouth feel.
$21.
2000 Walla Viola - A dry chenin blanc with a catchy name
and 2.2 percent residual sugar. Nice fruit, a bit of ginger spice
and classic grapefruit. $8.
1999 School House red - A less expensive blended red of
50 percent merlot, 28 cabernet sauvignon and 22 percent cabernet
franc. It's flavorful, easy to drink and would go well with
tomato-based pasta dishes. $15.
1998 merlot, Walla Walla Valley - Perfume oak aromas
with ripe Bing cherry flavors. Rich and satisfying. $35.
1998 cabernet sauvignon, Columbia Valley - A cabernet
with a great pedigree from old block 1972 Sagemoor Vineyards and
Klipsun Vineyards. There is a lot of depth, chewy with complex
flavors and a distinctive richness. $29.
1998 cabernet sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley - Very rich
with raspberry jam and toasty oak. Smooth tannins. $29.
Wines that will be released in May include:
1999 merlot, Columbia Valley - Concentrated fruit, lush
with smoky oak. A great red with meat. $27.
1999 merlot, Seven Hills Vineyard - Delicious chocolate
and berry jam, smooth with an elegant, rich finish. $35.
1999 syrah, Seven Hills Vineyard - This is L'Ecole's
first syrah. Plums and peppers, concentrated fruit, loaded with
complex flavors and aromas. $35.
New releases
Washington Hills 1999 sauvignon blanc - Light pineapple
and tropical fruit aromas and flavors. Dry, clean and crisp; just
right for food. $7.99
Washington Hills 1999 semillon - An outstanding dry
white with classic fig and fruit flavors. A touch of citrus with a
nice, smooth finish. $7.99.
Washington Hills 1999 semillon-chardonnay - Nice
chardonnay aroma with a clean semillon finish. Great food wine.
$7.99.
Bridgman 1999 viognier - Rich mouth feel with touches of
spice, peach and honeysuckle. Good with Asian food. $8.99.
Washington Hills 2000 dry chenin blanc - Apples and
pears with a bit of herb and a tart finish. Good with oysters.
$5.99.
Washington Hills 2000 dry riesling - Great balance of
fruit and acids with touches of grapefruit and tart green apples.
$5.99
Washington Hills 2000 riesling - Nice 1.8 residual sugar
showing peaches and ripe apples with a lingering, crisp finish.
$5.99.
Washington Hills 2000 gewürztraminer - Grapefruit
married with honeysuckle aromas and a crisp finish. $5.99.
Pepi 1999 pinot grigio, Oregon - The Italian name for a
pinot gris. This California winery uses Willamette Valley grapes
to make a nice fruity white with touches of citrus and a rich
finish. Pepi is part of the Kendall-Jackson family. $12.
Bob Woehler
has been writing about grapes and wines of the Pacific Northwest
since 1978. His columns appear twice monthly in the Tri-City
Herald in Tri-Cities, Wash. and in Wine
Press Northwest.
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e-mail to Bob Woehler
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