Submitted by Westport Winery
Great Northwest Wine issued an “Excellent” review this week on Westport Winery’s Surfer Syrah. Within that posting they tell the story of the grapes’ extraordinary lineage via Discovery Vineyards in Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills.
“Famed manager Paul Champoux consulted on this 30-acre site up to his recent retirement, as the list of clients that owners Kay and Milo May sell to is a rather heady list. The Roberts family in Westport now enjoy pulling fruit from this decade-old vineyard, and their Syrah is intense with purple fruit and framed by toasty oak. Aromas of brown sugar, Marionberry, dark plum, black olive and dark chocolate are matched on the silky palate, which picks up hints of cherry pipe tobacco, black licorice, teriyaki and pomegranate acidity. Suggested pairings at the winery’s on-premise restaurant include surf and turf, and proceeds from the sales of this wine are sent to the South Beach Emergency Medical Service.”
The winery’s owners Blain and Kim Roberts value vineyards that have multi-generational interests so Carrie, their daughter, general manager and cidermaker, and Dana, their son and director of winemaking, will have legacy partners in the future. The Mays who also share a Grays Harbor connection with the Roberts (Kay Hudson May is an Aberdeen High School alumni) have two adult children who have worked with them in developing their vineyards over-looking the Columbia River about 30 miles west of the Tri-cities.
This 2012 vintage of Surfer earned a double gold medal and Chairman’s Award at the Riverside International Wine Competition earlier this year in California. The winery’s tasting notes suggest this is “the Edgar Allen Poe of wine, dark, brooding and intense.” The label features a photograph of winery co-owner Blain Roberts surfing an overhead wave at Maui’s Honolua Bay in the 1970s prior to founding Lahaina Divers.
Westport Winery and Vineyards By-the-Sea with the unique outdoor sculpture garden, lavender labyrinth, musical fence, 9-hole executive golf course, giant chess set, outdoor scrabble game, and grape maze, is located on the corner of Highway 105 and South Arbor Road halfway between Aberdeen and Westport. Westport Winery was named Best Northwest Wine Destination in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014.
Westport’s award-winning wines are exclusively available at the winery. The tasting room, gift shop, plant nursery and bakery are open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The restaurant is open for lunch daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and for dinner on Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information contact Westport Winery at 360-648-2224 or visit the website at www.westportwinery.com.
