Sémillon
2012
A family-owned business, L'Ecole Nº 41 was founded by Jean and Baker Ferguson. Today, the winery is owned and operated by their daughter and son-in-law, Megan and Martin Clubb. Built in 1915, the schoolhouse is located in historic Frenchtown, a small community just west of Walla Walla, Washington. Frenchtown derived its name from the many French-Canadians who settled the valley during the early 1800s. Legend has it, these men of French descent were raising grapes and producing wine. By the...
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The 2012 vintage will enter the record books as one of the largest in Washington State given near normal yields and an increase in new acreage coming on line. Quality is exceptionally high with the ideal finishing weather during September and October. A relatively mild winter set the stage for a nice rebound from the lighter crops of the 2010 and 2011 cooler vintages. A slightly wetter May and June produced healthy canopy growth, but the unsettled weather during bloom resulted in some shatter. July and August were warm and dry, with one hot spell in July and two unusual hail storms that caused some limited damage in isolated vineyard sites. Warm, sunny days with cool nights during September brought near perfect ripening weather. Harvest started about mid-September and finished the third week of October, with excellent color development and balance of acidity and structure.
Nearly 30 years of meticulous vineyard management and winemaking experience are fundamental to the quality of our wines and reputation for excellence. We are engaged in growing and making 100% of our wines.
The grapes were harvested in the cool early morning hours and promptly delivered to the winery for immediate pressing. The fruit was whole-cluster pressed to tank and allowed to settle. The juice was then racked off the solids into mostly neutral tight-grained French oak, then barrel fermented. 50% of the wine was aged sur lie for several months.
Few Semillons show their richness and complexity as those produced in Washington State. Our cool harvest nights help to ensure crisp natural acidity, making this a wonderful food pairing wine.
Remarkably brilliant with vibrant fruit and balanced acidity, this pretty floral wine shows citrus blossom, jasmine and honeyed aromas, with layers of lemon custard, apricot and key-lime expanding on a balanced finish.
The Semillon is rich in aromas and across the palate, sourced from five different vineyards across Washington's larger Columbia Valley AVA. Notes of grilled pineapple, bee pollen and lanolin announce the wine's complex, waxy aromatics. The palate shows freshness up front with citrus character and ample richness and depth to a finish marked by beeswax, honey and grilled pineapple.
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Sweet spring flowers, lemon-laced apples and confectionary spice introduce the 2022 Sémillon. A model of grace and purity, this is perfumed and slightly exotic, with suggestions of mint that offset green melon notes and ample juicy acidity that keeps the energy high. The 2022 tapers off with cheek-puckering freshness and a saline tinge that perfectly resets the palate. I'm loving the balance of ripeness and tension here. This is a blend of 82% Sémillon and 18% Sauvignon Blanc.
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“(bottled in early June; a blend from multiple sites; 100% barrel fermented, with a touch of new oak): Pale, bright yellow. Pretty, vaguely floral aromas of stone fruits, mint and honey. Intensely flavored and brisk but with a touch of creaminess from the 60% barrel aging. Finishes with excellent saline length and firmness. "Semillon is a hard grape to sell," said Clubb. "It gets weightier and nuttier with seven or eight years of aging, but to make a really long-lived Semillon you'd need to pick earlier and greener”."– Stephen Tanzer
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Light and refreshing, this white offers flavors of tangy tangerine peel and grapefruit that pick up a creamy fig note as the finish lingers. Drink now through 2016. 4,800 cases made.
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Aromas of fig and spice carry the nose of this lush white. The palate brings a lovely sense of texture, with notes of honeycomb, fig and tropical fruit. A warm finish caps it off. Like most examples of this variety, it needs time in the bottle to be fully appreciated, but it has all the stuffing.
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The 2021 Sémillon is sweetly scented, with dusty white flowers, vivid yellow apple and chamomile forming its bouquet. This is suave and opulent on the palate, yet perfectly balanced by brisk acidity, as a mix of ripe tropical fruits and florals cascade throughout. The 2021 finishes with remarkable length, both crisply refreshing and potent, with kiwi and mango notes that linger. I love the inner sweetness here, in spite of its zero grams of residual sugar. What a treat.
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Honeyed stone fruits, lemon curd, and a hint of chamomile all emerge from the 2022 Semillon Columbia Valley, a lively, balanced, medium-bodied effort that has integrated acidity and a clean, dry finish. Drink bottles over the coming 2-3 years or so.
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This blend of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc (18%) is sourced from five different vineyards across Washington’s larger Columbia Valley AVA. It carries a richness that borders on viscosity. Ripe, rich pear and bruised apple aromatics mingle with honeysuckle and Madagascar vanilla bean. The palate showsfreshness alongside ripe stone fruits and poached pear, with a bright resilience that carries through the finish.
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Lemon and beeswax and lanolin on this nose of this complex and intense white wine. Pair with roasted chicken.
Semillon food pairings: Roquefort, crab leg salad.
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