Dusted Valley uses sustainable farming practices to create wines they want to drink. As part of the commitment to sustainable practices, it was the first Washington winery to use screwcap closures on all its wines.
Wine tasting at Dusted Valley is easy – whether at the winery in Walla Walla, or the tasting rooms in Edmonds and Woodinville – there are many opportunities to try Dusted Valley wines.
The Dusted Valley Story
Dusted Valley Winery started out as a common dream shared by the Braunel and Johnson families. Both families had relocated to Walla Walla from Wisconsin and discovered a passion for making wine.
In 2003, this dream became a reality, and the two families began Dusted Valley project in the southern outskirts of Walla Walla, Washington.
Located in Walla Walla’s Southside wine district, Dusted Valley has a commitment to producing low-yield wines in the most sustainable way possible. The families also strive to have as little intervention in the winemaking process as possible, letting nature do its work and letting the vineyards to display their bounty year in, year out.
Fast forward 20 years and Dusted Valley has added two tasting facilities, in addition to the winery and tasting room in Walla Walla. The Edmonds location is an upmarket wine bar that offers wine tasting, beer, and small plates. The Woodinville location offers only wine tasting.
Dusted Valley Wines
Dusted Valley wines are fermented and aged in a variety of different vessels, whether new French or local Washington Oak barrels, older, neutral oak barrels, or stainless-steel tanks. The total production is about 6.000 cases, comprised of Rhone-style wines, Bordeaux blends, a Pétillant Naturel, white wines, and a rosé. There are several different wines in the range, from straight Syrah, Mourvèdre, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Sauvignon, to Rhone and Bordeaux style red blends.
- The Pétillant Naturel, a single ferment sparkling wine, is made from 100% Chardonnay and aged for six months prior to being released.
- The rosé uses all five of the noble Bordeaux red varietals (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec) and is fermented and aged in stainless steel and neutral oak.
- The Chardonnay is fermented and aged in a combination of new and second-use French oak, concrete, stainless steel, and egg.
- The reds, on the other hand, use a variety of new and neutral French oak.
Dusted Valley has a few library collection wines available. These include multiple vintages of the Chardonnay as well as many of the red. This is a nice touch to be able to
purchase older vintages as gifts or to put away in your cellar.
The winery also has a range called Boomtown, which consists of a Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and a red blend. The Boomtown range is much larger than that of the core Dusted Valley range, totaling some 20,000 cases.
Wine Tasting at Dusted Valley Edmonds Tasting Room
We recently visited the Edmonds tasting room.
A sample tasting includes six wines. If you’re not in the mood for a full tasting, you can always purchase wines by the glass or the bottle. While we enjoy a guided wine tasting, it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea – or glass of wine.
The tasting fee was $20, refundable with a two-bottle purchase. Wine club members (Stained Tooth wine club) receive complimentary tastings. The specific wines and prices for the tasting may vary.
What We Tasted
The Edmonds tasting room had table and chairs, along with living room style seating for conversation and a glass of wine.
Our tasting included the six wines below. We’ve included winemaker tastings notes, and added our personal thoughts for our favorites.
2021 Chardonnay
Tasting notes: This classic Washington State Chardonnay hails from Olsen Vineyard, one of the state’s premier vineyards. This is a high elevation, cool site that sits at an elevation of 1,110 feet – 1,350 feet. It was picked at perfect ripeness preserving its beautiful fruit flavors, racy acidity and natural balance. $32
2020 Wallywood
Tasting notes: This red blend *(90% Mourvedre, 8% Syrah, 2% Petite Sirah) is a true celebration of all the things Washington wine. Stone Tree Vineyard Mourvédre is the backbone of this big, bold blend and is a truly delicious expression of Stone Tree itself. $45
Our thoughts: This Rhone-inspired wine was rich and spicy, deep in color, with a fair amount of structure. The tannins were evident, but we think this will improve with aging. We purchased two bottles, and opened one fairly soon after. We paired it with some braised beef short ribs and it worked well. I think it would pair well with many comfort or rustic slow-cooked foods like a roast chicken, hearty beef stew, or cassoulet. The remaining bottle is in the cellar where we’ll leave it for another couple of years.
2020 Tall Tales Syrah
Tasting notes: Named after a family member who was known for his “tall tales,” this Estate grown and produced bottling of Syrah exemplifies what the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater is all about – earthy, gamey, aromatic, and concentrated with a medium body. $62
2019 BFM Southwind
Tasting notes: A merlot blend (81% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot) from the Southwind Estate Vineyard lies on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. Perched high on a ridge of ancient lava flows overlooking the beautiful Walla Walla Valley, the diversity in elevation and soil profiles make it an extremely special place to grow grapes. $55
2019 VR Special
Tasting notes: This is Dusted Valley’s top Cabernet Sauvignon. Southwind Vineyard lies on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley, perched high on a ridge of ancient lava flows overlooking the beautiful Walla Walla Valley. The diversity in elevation and soil profiles make it an extremely special place to grow grapes. $62
2020 Petite Sirah
Tasting notes: This Petite Sirah hails from Stone Tree Vineyard in the heart of the Wahluke Slope AVA and exemplifies the luscious fruit and power that this vineyard is so well known for. Bound by the Columbia River and the Saddle Mountains, the rapid cooling in the evening helps retain naturally high levels of acidity, which in turn preserves the varietal characteristics of the grape. Get ready – this wine starts big, stays big and finishes big! $36
Our thoughts: Big and bold, we knew from the first sip that this would be one of our favorites. There was big fruit on our initial sip, then mellowed out to lingering herbal notes. It tasted bigger than its price tag. Sure, there’s time for a more delicate and nuanced wine, but when we want a big mouthfeel, this will be a great go-to. We’ve got it in the cellar for a few more years, and I think it will benefit from being decanted. I could see serving this with aged blue cheese or slow-roasted ribs.
Need to Know
While we love visiting a winery, and being close to the estate vineyards and the cellar, but sometimes settling for a tasting room is a good alternative. If you want to avoid the crowds and busyness of Woodinville, the Edmonds tasting room is an easy stop. Plus, on a warm summer day, you can enjoy a walk along the water.
We have plans to visit the winery in Walla Walla as well as the Woodinville location, and will update this review with that information when available. I’d expect a variety of different wines to taste.
- Location: The Dusted Valley Edmonds tasting room is located at 201 Main Street, Edmonds, Washington. The Winery is located at 980 Merlot Drive, Walla Walla, Washington. The Woodinville tasting room is located at 14465 Redmond-Woodinville Road, Woodinville, Washington.
- Website: here
- Edmonds tasting rooms hours: Monday and Thursday 3-7 pm. Friday and Saturday, noon-8 pm. Sunday noon-7 pm. Closed on Monday and Tuesday.
- Reservations: Available, but not required. We stopped by without a reservation and were immediately seated.
- Family friendly
- Drink responsibly. Limit your tastes, select a designated driver, or take a cab or ride service when doing wine tasting.
We’re not wine experts. We enjoy tasting, learning about, and buying wines for our home cellar. We learn something new every time we visit a winery or tasting room. In other words, we’re probably just like you. Cheers!
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