Valdemar Estates Viognier ‘Las Canteras’
WHY WE LOVE IT
- A 100% estate wine from Valdemar Estates’ Las Canteras Vineyard, in the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater within the Walla Walla Valley AVA.
- Vines are planted in east-to-west rows, gently shielding the grapes from intense sun and preserving a delicate balance in the fruit.
- A blend of three separate lots, chosen to showcase the best characteristics of each for a fuller, more complex wine.
- Certified vegan-friendly.
Varietal: 95% Viognier, 5% Grenache Blanc
Elaboration: The wine is barrel fermented for 14 days in a mix of 21% new and 79% neutral French oak, then aged on the lees for five months before bottling. It undergoes no malolactic fermentation, resulting in a dry finish with no residual sugar.
Tasting Notes: Aromas of jasmine, fresh-cut nectarine, and oolong tea, with subtle hints of bay leaf and savory herbs. Flavors of lemon curd and tangerine lead to a stony, mineral finish.
PRESS
2023 – 91 Vinous
2024 – 94 Decanter | 93 James Suckling |92 Jeb Dunnuck
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
“Always pioneering” is Bodegas Valdemar’s motto. Five generations of the Valdemar family in Rioja, Spain, have remained committed to producing wines reflecting the diversity of their vineyards. For over 135 years, the family has incorporated innovative initiatives like creating the first barrel-fermented white wine and the first Tempranillo white. They have also been instrumental in recovering varietals presumed to be extinct, such as the Maturana grape and the Granciano variety.
In 2019, they established the first non-American winery in Washington State, led by siblings Jesús and Ana Martínez Bujanda, CEO and COO of Valdemar Estates. Under the “inherited know-how” they received from previous generations, the innovative winemakers have turned their land into sustainable wine agroecosystems, using organic matter to improve fertility, cover crops, pheromones to control pests, varietal diversity, biological corridors, and native forests, resulting in an the International “Wineries for Climate Protection” certification. This designation’s four pillars align with the Bodegas Valdemar commitment to reducing the carbon footprint, using renewable energies, and managing water while reducing waste.
