As wine drinkers, it’s good to acknowledge and celebrate those visionaries who pioneer new regions and wines.  L’Ecole No. 41 is definitely one to cheer.  Almost 40 years ago, Baker and Jean Ferguson founded their winery in the Walla Walla region of Washington State.  Definitely pioneers in an unknown terroir at the time, today L’Ecole is a third generation family-owned and operated winery, with name recognition among some of the best wines in the world.  Their initial flagship wines, Semillon and Merlot, have stood the test of time, still sought after and receiving rave reviews.  The story of how a retirement project turned into an international business is inspirational, and what Washington State has to offer in the wine world is well illustrated through their wines.

Courtesy of Washington State Wine

Seven Hills Vineyard, Courtesy of L'Ecole No. 41

Ferguson Vineyard, Courtesy of L'Ecole No. 41

First, an overview, Washington State is currently the second largest wine producer in the US, behind California.  Highly ranked among the world’s top wine regions, sixteen AVAs form the premium winescape, all but one residing in Eastern Washington, with over 60,000 acres of vineyards.  Compared to the lushness of the Seattle/Puget Sound area, Eastern Washington is a desert, the landscape formed by millenia of volcanic eruptions, glaciers and Ice Age floods carving out the terroir.  The soils are mineral, and the climate is continental.  The cold winters allow the grape vines to go into deep hibernation, suppressing vineyard pests.  And the latitude is somewhere between Bordeaux and Burgundy, with 16 hours of sunshine at the height of the growing season.  Although it is a shorter season because of its latitude, the intensity of the sun puts the vine cycle into overdrive.  Due to diurnal temperature swings of up to 50 degrees in a day, ripeness and acidity are balanced, attaining freshness.  There is very little rainfall, only 7-12 inches a year, due to the rain shadow effect of two mountain ranges, but drip irrigation is allowed, just enough to keep the vines alive, disease-free and producing premium grapes.  And the key to their survival, wind plays a part, contributing to the grape skin’s thickness.

L'Ecole historic schoolhouse tasting room, Courtesy of L'Ecole No. 41

L'Ecole founders Jean and Baker Ferguson, Courtesy of L'Ecole No. 41

Megan and Marty Clubb, Courtesy of L'Ecole No. 41

Back to Walla Walla Valley and the story of L’Ecole No. 41.  The name is French for “the school” and comes from the 109-year-old schoolhouse that is their tasting room, the historic Frenchtown School District No. 41.  The founders, Baker and Jean Ferguson, decided to take on a retirement project in 1983, becoming a Mom and Pop business producing 1,000 cases per year.  A few years later, their daughter and son-in-law, Megan and Marty Clubb, took over the business and sought to put L’Ecole on the map.  Marty’s business acumen and passion for wine led him to grow the business to where it is today, producing 45,000 cases with lots of visibility in 20 countries and nearly every state in the union.  L’Ecole was the third winery established in Walla Walla, now there are 125; the 20th in the state, of which now 1,000 wineries operate.  And where wine flows, tourism follows, with lots of restaurants and wineries beckoning for visitors to come.

Marty Clubb, Managing Winemaker of L'Ecole, Courtesy of L'Ecole No. 41

Marcus Rafanelli, Winemaker for L'Ecole, Courtesy of L'Ecole No. 41

Marty took his mission seriously, “to make great wine in a new area”, and took classes at UC Davis, becoming winemaker in 1989.  He realized it was a delicate balancing act to coax maximum expression from the grapes.  His tool, “deficient irrigation management”, gives low yields and smaller berries, which is the key to intensely flavorful wines.  But it’s more than that, it’s “old school winemaking, new school viticulture and lab chemistry”.  The winemaking comes from hand-picking, whole cluster press, small bin fermentation, punchdowns by hand, with no additives or fining.  The viticulture is sustainable, working not only with their estate vineyards but others that contribute to their wine portfolio.  Today, Marty remains Managing Winemaker but Marcus Rafanelli is the primary hands-on winemaker, still fulfilling L’Ecole’s mission of expressive wines that reflect their vineyard roots.

L'Ecole winery receiving grapes, Courtesy of L'Ecole No. 41

L'Ecole barrel room, Courtesy of L'Ecole No. 41

This attention to detail has earned L’Ecole many honors for producing superior quality wines, recognized by Wine & Spirits Magazine as a Top 100 Winery of the Year fifteen times, in addition to a nod for Best Bordeaux Blend in the World by Decanter magazine in 2014.

Heritage Collection, Courtesy of L'Ecole No. 41

Vineyard Collection, Courtesy of L'Ecole No. 41

Walla Walla Valley Collection, Courtesy of L'Ecole No.41

So with all this acclaim, you might think the wines are priced accordingly.  Although L’Ecole makes three different tiers of wine, Marty is determined to “make every bottle a great bottle, no matter the price”.  The black and charcoal labels are their Heritage Collection bottles, varietally focused wines from some of Washington’s oldest and most proven vineyard sites, and can be from different AVAs, easily found for purchase nationwide.  The white label is their Estate and Walla Walla Valley Collection of terroir-driven wines strictly from Walla Walla Valley.  And the Vineyard Collection are their single vineyard Bordeaux blends, three Cabernet Sauvignon dominant wines that represent the best of L’Ecole.

L’Ecole had a virtual wine tasting with the LA Wine Writers in March, which happens to be Washington Wine Month.  I received 2 bottles, their flagship Semillon and Merlot wines.  These bottlings are classic, a mainstay from the beginning, and what a great introduction for me to the world of Washington wines.

Semillon is a thin-skinned grape, susceptible to rot, and can be difficult to grow.  But L’Ecole has built almost a cult following for this wine, which is modeled after a dry Bordeaux.  Produced from five high-pedigreed vineyards in the Columbia Valley, over 4,000 cases are bottled annually.  What is described as “sunshine in a bottle”  the 2019 L’Ecole Semillon Columbia Valley (SRP $17) is 88% Semillon, 12% Sauvignon Blanc.  Rich and complex, this Semillon is highly aromatic, intensely flavorful, and mouthwatering in its acidity.  Aromas of citrus blossom, orange peel, honeysuckle, melon and lanolin linger above the palate of lemongrass, lime, and a dried apricot essence.  It has a weighty mouthfeel, and finishes vivid and succulent.  It’s vinified in neutral oak, but when allowed to age, it can develop a nutty character.  Constance Savage, the General Manager, says the wine brings people lots of happiness, as an aperitif or good pair with roast chicken, scallops, or pasta with cream sauce.  It’s body and clean finish are addictive, making it a perfect summer wine.

Merlot is a beautiful grape, when it comes from great sites.  The 2018 L’Ecole Merlot Estate Walla Walla Valley (SRP $37) is a 50/50 blend of Seven Hills and Ferguson Vineyards, which are recognized as some of the top vineyards in the world by Decanter magazine.  A blend of 84% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine is pretty, with explosive aromatics of dark cherry and blackberry, roasted figs, tobacco, cedar and herbs with a floral rose petal note.  Ripe and rich, a silky texture with chalky tannins, the fruit flavors are accented with a graphite note, and hints of plum and bitter chocolate.  The most astonishing thing about this wine, you can really taste the character of the vineyards.  While the aromatics come from Seven Hills, there is a savory iron-rich element, not unlike blood, that comes through from the Ferguson vineyard.  This mineral structure is a result of the high elevation site, on volcanic soils, and the intensity of the fruit courtesy of the windy conditions on the ridge.  Decanter magazine has dubbed this Merlot as the best in the world, and I can totally understand that designation, as it is rare to make Merlot the star, it’s usually found as a supporting role in a blend.  Truly impressive to drink, L’Ecole Merlot will accompany a wide range of food, or maybe just a glass to savor.

Courtesy of L'Ecole No. 41

If the hallmark of Washington State wines is their luminosity and freshness, L’Ecole has fulfilled their mission.  With their vineyard partners, they produce over two dozen wines, from Chardonnay, Semillon, Chenin Blanc and Grenache Rosé to Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Bordeaux Blend reds.  Taste the uniqueness of Pacific Northwest wines through the lens of L’Ecole, who has the world taking notice.