Fall Release 2024
As we unveil our Fall Release wines, we’re thrilled to share that 2024 marks our 20th year crafting wines in Walla Walla. It’s been an incredible journey, and Greg’s reflected on the early days of Gramercy in a newsletter at the end of this email.
Now, on to the exciting part—our new release features a few long-awaited favorites, and they’re absolutely stunning. Visit us this fall to taste the new line-up!
A note on the 2020 vintage in Washington for those with doom-scrolling tendencies. Should I be afraid of the smoke in 2020? Bottom line: no. First of all, not all areas or vineyards were affected by smoke. Most smoke damage was very late in the season. We were very fortunate at Gramercy to only have a couple of small blocks affected in any way. I mean, how much Petit Verdot does anyone really need?
Most importantly, we scrutinized, discussed, evaluated, and tested these wines more than any vintage in the history of Gramercy. We painstakingly went through every single barrel time and time again. And as a result, these are among the most outstanding wines we have ever released. They are stunning examples of what we do in Washington State. I hope you enjoy these wines as much as I enjoy presenting them.
Check out our Instagram page (@gramercycellars) for more thoughts on these wines in the coming weeks. And – we are looking to expand our Instagram game. If there are subjects about anything wine related that you would like to see, shoot us an email and we will make the videos happen!
As always, thank you so much for your support. I look forward to seeing you in Walla Walla or at an event soon.
– Greg Harrington
Fall Release Wines
Click on the wine to read more.
2021 Grenache “The Third Man”
$48 Retail : $40.80 MTA Wine Club
Tasting Notes: The 2021 Third Man is a masterpiece, opening with vibrant red and black fruit—cranberry, huckleberry, blackberry, and plum—layered with notes of salty jerky and white pepper. The nose is juicy and fresh, with a light yet rich structure. Herbal and savory on the palate, this wine is beautifully polished and balanced. It’s the best Third Man yet, combining elegance with boldness—a must-try for Grenache lovers.
“Pure and lithe, the 2021 ‘The Third Man’ is nearly all Grenache (77%) with small portions Syrah and Mourvèdre. Gorgeous red cherry and red raspberry flavors combine with shades of Provencale herbs, orange zest and damp soils on the palate. The silky and refined mouthfeel really adds to the enjoyment. A total show-stopper, with plenty of depth, weight and tension, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2024-2034.” – 95 Pts, Dr. Owen Bargreen
2020 Syrah “Les Collines Vineyard”
$65 Retail : $55.25 MTA Wine Club
Tasting Notes: Elegant floral aromatics, bright fruit, refined structure, and a showcase of the vineyard’s signature lavender and purple flower profile. Bright blackberry notes complemented with allspice and cardamom. A mineral edge of slate and black pepper adds complexity. On the palate, it’s more plush than expected, with sneaky, firm tannins and a touch of drying stem character. Herbal and complex, this Syrah surprises with its depth and Pinot Noir-like structure.
“Restraint and balance are this elegant wine’s keywords. The Syrah’s donut peach, cassis and blood orange juice aromas are just the beginning. The first sip yields a raspberry jam flavor. The second sip reveals pumpkin seeds that have been roasted and drizzled with sea salt. The long finish reveals a touch of espresso. You can look forward to velvety tannins and elevated acidity.” – 94 Pts, Wine Enthusiast
2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley
$60 Retail : $51 MTA Wine Club
Tasting Notes: The 2020 offers a classic Cabernet profile, with red fruit and flowers, spice, tobacco and cocoa leading the way. Elegance over power, with dusty soil and a fresh, balanced profile. Medium-bodied with complex layers, the finish builds gracefully. Notes of dried herbs—Herbes de Provence and oregano—add a savory dimension, with a hint of green freshness. This Cabernet is everything it should be—refined, with a touch of grilled shishito pepper and soy. Elegance and length define this vintage.
“The 2020 Gramercy Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon from Columbia Valley is a masterfully crafted blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot, aged for 22 months in 18% new French oak. The nose opens with rich aromas of blackberries, cassis, scorched earth, tobacco leaves, dried potpourri, and sandalwood. On the palate, moderate-plus tannins and elevated acidity provide excellent structure, while the black fruit and spice-driven finish adds depth and complexity.” – 94 Pts, International Wine Report
Shop Wines HERE
Gramercy Cellars Wine Club
Master Tasting Association (MTA)
Our Masters Tasting Association (MTA) wine club has a few spots available! If you’d like information about what being involved in the club entails or how to sign up, please visit our website by clicking on the link below or contact us!
Fall Release Wine Club Exclusive Wine
2020 Syrah “Holy Roller Vineyard” MTA
$60 Retail : $51 MTA Wine Club
Tasting Notes: The 2020 Holy Roller Syrah is umami-driven, spicy, and deep with black and green olive notes. The aromatics are powerful, showcasing red and black fruits with floral undertones. Plush and refined on the palate, with layers of flavor that seem to go on forever. The balance of firm tannins and bright acidity adds structure, making this wine a perfect expression of the Rocks District’s unique terroir.
“The 2020 Gramercy Cellars Syrah from the Walla Walla Valley is a captivating blend of 96% Syrah with a touch of Viognier, aged for 20 months in all neutral French oak. With 32% whole cluster fermentation, this wine reveals complex aromas of black plums, boysenberries, grilled ribs, black olive tapenade, scorched earth, and pink peppercorn. Earthy and deep, it offers a layered and textured palate, making it both intriguing and highly drinkable now or over the next 8-10 years.” – 95 Pts, International Wine Report
2020 Cabernet Sauvignon “Phinny Hill Vineyard” MTA
$65 Retail : $55.25 MTA Wine Club
Tasting Notes: The 2020 Phinny Hill Cab is all about dark fruit and depth. Red and black currant, cedar, and graphite dominate, with earthy notes of gravel and fresh herbs—rosemary, sage, and thyme. There’s a hint of tomato leaf and cigar, followed by dark chocolate and a touch of vanilla and baking spice. This is the darkest, most intense Phinny to date, with medium+ acidity and tannins culminating in massive potential for long-term cellaring. An Old World-style wine of power.
“The 2020 Gramercy Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Phinny Hill’ from Columbia Valley is a beautifully structured wine, aged for 22 months in 38% new French oak. Pouring a deep purple core with a blue-tinted rim, this Cabernet offers layered aromas of boysenberries, black plums, sweet licorice, toasted coffee beans, and herbs de Provence. On the palate, the wine delivers a spicy finish with grippy tannins and moderate-plus acidity, creating a harmonious balance between its rich fruit and savory notes.” – 95 Pts, International Wine Report
2019 Pinot Noir “Sojeau Vineyard” MTA
$60 Retail : $51 MTA Wine Club
Tasting Notes: Ripe red raspberry and mountain huckleberry, layered with wild red berries and cherry liqueur, delicately balanced with dark and herbal notes. Earthy tones of forest floor and mushroom blend with a subtle salinity and a whisper of oak and vanilla. The palate is fresh and bright yet grounded with savory earthiness. Structured and firm with an impressively long finish, this wine balances power with finesse—seriously good.
“Coming from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, this delivers plenty of concentration considering the coolness of the vintage. Rich red cherry and red currants parade with baking spices and crushed mint, with freshly tilled salty soils on the palate. Showing good weight and length, enjoy over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2024-2034.” – 93 Pts, Dr. Owen Bargreen
EVENTS THIS FALL IN WALLA WALLA
Fall Release Weekend
November 1st – 3rd
Fall Into the Westside
Join us for the cork exchange between participating Westside Wineries. Collect a cork at any participating winery and bring it to the next for an exclusive reward. See wineries HERE.
Sunday Library Flights on November 3rd
Featuring our favorite wines from the Harvest Library Wine Bar Experience! Taste a variety of wines from 2010 – 2016 as Gramercy celebrates 20 years of winemaking!
GrenacheFest
November 8th & 9th
Picture this—a lineup so criminally good it makes you think we should be wearing masks and gloves. We’re talking vineyards from California to Washington, each bringing their unique spin to Grenache. It’s a showcase of diversity, styles, and some serious winemaking muscle.
Domestic & international wine seminars, grand tastings, & concerts. Gramercy’s Third Man will be featured at the Friday seminar and we’ll be pouring at Saturday’s grand tasting. Live concerts featuring M. Ward on Friday & Death Cab for Cutie’s Benjamin Gibbard on Saturday.
TICKETS HERE
This is not a Gramercy event. All ticket questions and information can be found at the link.
Holiday Barrel Weekend
December 6th & 7th
This holiday weekend, Gramercy is offering something special with our tasting flight. In addition to your regular flight, enjoy a barrel sample from the 2023 vintage! Plus, we’re partnering with Foodscape on Saturday for a unique wine and charcuterie tasting experience.
Holiday Barrel Weekend has always been a way to thank the community for supporting wine tourism. We love this tradition and are excited to keep it alive!
A Reflection on 20 Years
As I sit and write this, I can’t help but reminisce about those early days in 2005. Sommeliers didn’t really make wine back then, and my boss/partner at the restaurant company wasn’t shy about calling me a “dumb s***” for leaving. He meant it in the most endearing way possible. Kind of…
Pretty much everyone thought I was crazy. Sure, I had passed the Master Sommelier exam, but that didn’t mean I knew how to make wine. I arrived with just a bag of clothes, two vineyard contracts, a shared space in a new winery, a couple of hot tub-looking steel fermentation tanks, a rental car, and a room in a questionable motel.
And damn, was I naive. Here are a few things I wish I’d known before starting Gramercy*:
- I should have bought a truck for the first harvest—it’s like being a cowboy without a horse.
- Making wine in designer jeans wasn’t the cool look I thought it was.
- The New York “I’m too busy to talk to anyone” attitude doesn’t fly in small town Walla Walla. You say hi, good morning, maybe, have a conversation. Thanks for that “talking to” Norm and JF. Still relearning this one occasionally.
- Even if you think you are a famous sommelier, your coworkers will give you crap when you hit the winery walls with the forklift – multiple times.
- Taste the wine dummy. That’s all that matters. And sometimes the testing equipment is broken.
*Full stories and more available at the winery. Come on by and have a glass of wine.
There are a thousand other things I didn’t know. But what I did have was something invaluable—a valley filled with generous people who helped me make this crazy dream a reality. They showed me what I didn’t know, learning to make wine that belongs on the table with the best in the world. Over the past 20 years, that group has grown to include thousands of incredible people from all over the world who are part of our wine club and support us year after year.
This fall release is about more than just the wines—it’s about celebrating the milestones that have shaped our journey. It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since we started this adventure, and none of it would have been possible without the support of so many. We’re also celebrating Brandon’s 15th year with Gramercy. His friendship and partnership have been instrumental in making Gramercy what it is today. And, of course, we can’t forget that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the Walla Walla AVA. A huge thank you to the old-timers who had the vision—or delusion—to plant grapes in the wheat fields and apple orchards, make wine in barns or garages, and believe that Walla Walla could stand among the best.
Looking ahead, I’m excited about the future of Gramercy Cellars and the next 20 years. I can never fully express my thanks and appreciation to everyone who has made Gramercy Cellars a reality. To our mailing list members, thank you for being an essential part of our journey. Your support has allowed us to pursue our passion and create wines of which we are incredibly proud.
Greg Harrington
Founder
Gramercy Cellars