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About This Business:
A one of a kind wine experience. From award winning wines to breathtaking views, Basel Cellars Estate Winery has it all. We strive to make your visit… read more »
One review for Nicholas Cole Cellars
1 review in English
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Review from Don B.
7/6/2008
I was immediately enamored with this tasting room when I wandered by it late at night well after closing. I was not disappointed when I returned first thing the next morning for a taste.
The tasting room is meticulously clean and well kept, with primarily high-contrast black and white colors, along with the brown of the long curved side wall made from recycled wine barrels. Various pieces of abstract clay sculpture are precisely placed around the room to give it a modern gallery feel.
The aura of the tasting room matches the style of the wine that Mr. Cole puts out. All of his red blends are primarily Cabernet or Merlot based, and display a meticulous balance throughout from start to finish. The wines hold great depth, spice, and complexity, but Mr. Cole has been able to buck the fruit-forward trend of Walla Walla wines, and the result is, in my mind, quite beautiful.
I would rank this in the same category as aMaurice, another vintner I fell in love with on this trip to WW. I am used to the heavy, bold Bordeaux blends and robust earthy Syrah's that abound in SW Washington. I am very excited to find some winemakers striving for a more subtle approach to these awesome grapes. The juice coming out of this region has unending potential, and while I do have a place in my heart for explosive wines, I stand in awe of the newer set of winemakers that are helping to bring these grapes to their full potential.
While the Cole wines are on the pricier scale for Walla Walla (in the $35-$55 range), I think these exude a higher value of sophistication. I could not help myself but to walk out with a bottle of the 2004 Camille - in my opinion, one of the finest wines I tasted in an entire weekend in Walla Walla.
The ladies pouring the wine were quite nice and very entertaining.
Make sure you don't miss this tasting room when you come to Walla Walla.Listed in: Rollin' Like an Onion
