Washington GSM: Panel tasting results

Ronan Sayburn MS, Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW and Ben Gubbins tasted 48 wines, with 21 highly recommended and 26 recommended.

Washington GSM: Panel tasting scores

48 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 0

Highly recommended 21

Recommended 25

Commended 2

Fair 0

Poor 0

Entry criteria: Producers and UK agents were invited to submit their latest-release, blended red wines made using Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, either entirely or predominantly, from any Washington State AVA region.

A GSM blend is often associated with the Southern Rhône, especially Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where most of the blend is commonly Grenache, with some Syrah and Mourvèdre.

In Washington State, in the US northwest, the proportion of the most dominant variety in the blend is often not more than 50%, and it’s not always primarily Grenache. 

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the Washington GSM panel tasting

Some wines in this tasting were led by Syrah (14) or even Mourvèdre (nine). So, as Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW commented, styles may be more like you’d find in a Languedoc blend (including a handful that had small percentages of other blending varieties in the mix, such as Cinsault, Carignan or Counoise).

The flavours here are very different from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with the warm roadkill and spice flavours replaced by sweet blueberry, black kirsch cherry, blackberry and dark chocolate and coffee oak flavours, a liquid form of black forest gateau.

The vineyards in Washington lie on the eastern side of the Cascade mountains (except for a very few in the Puget Sound and Columbia Gorge, which also spills across into Oregon), largely protecting them from the wet weather from the direction of Seattle.

Whereas Pinot Noir in Oregon enjoys a cool north Pacific influence, Washington vineyards are arid, enjoying hot days and cool nights.

This diurnal shift in temperature works the vines to produce complexity in their grapes. Hot summers, during which irrigation is needed, are followed by sub-zero winters that can cause frost damage to the vines.

See notes and scores for all the Washington GSM panel tasting wines

While it was disappointing not to have any wines rated as Outstanding, three came close on 94-points – a ‘high silver’ in terms of medal equivalents – and in all, 43% of the wines tasted received a Highly Recommended score of 90-94pts, which shows a very high level of good wines and winemaking skill.

There was undoubtedly consistency in quality, commented Ben Gubbins, and stylistic diversity. We encountered no wines with cork taint, some with (acceptable) Brettanomyces and only one oxidised wine, so the wines were well made across the board.

Alcohol mostly topped 14%, but it was integrated into the generous fruit. Evidence of winemaking innovations such as large or neutral oak formats, amphorae and concrete eggs showed the use of progressive production techniques.

Gubbins noted that it was refreshing to see producers carving out their own style and not attempting to emulate the Rhône, or Barossa Valley in South Australia – another area well known for GSM blends.

And Cherutti-Kowal also commented on the regional character on show, with Yakima Valley and Red Mountain particularly strong among the higher scorers.

Washington GSM: Panel tasting scores

The judges

Ronan Sayburn MS is CEO of the Court of Master Sommeliers European chapter and runs his own consultancy and wine training company, RS Wine Academy. A previous winner of the UK Sommelier of the Year competition, he is also one of four DWWA Co-Chairs.

Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW is a widely published wine writer, consultant, educator and WSET lecturer. She is a regular judge and contributor for Decanter, and from this year is the DWWA Regional Chair for Tuscany.

Ben Gubbins is general manager and WSET wine educator at Vagabond Wines in London. A native of Chile, he previously worked as UK & Europe sales director for Dos Andes Wines before joining Vagabond in 2013.

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