TOP: Director of winemaking Jeffrey Stambor stands in Beaulieu
Vineyard's new state-of-the-art reserve winery, dedicated to
the production of Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet
Sauvignon.
ABOVE: The reserve tasting room features Beaulieu Vineyard's reserve
wines, including a Georges de Latour library collection with wines
dating back to 1970.
LEFT: Historical tours include a visit to the Heritage Room, a collection
that features historical winemaking equipment and memorabilia
documenting the early days of the winery.
Photographs by M. J. Wickham
of tannins. Native yeast strains develop through slow, cool fermentations,
further enhancing precise flavors and aromatic elements for velvety texture and
complexity, the hallmarks of Corliss wines.
Likewise, every barrel is meticulously followed through each stage,
and only the best lots are selected for the final blend. To ensure
seamless integration and the development of secondary aromas,
Corliss wines are matured two additional years in the bottle before
being released. The results are apparent: substantial yet refined, exhibiting
beautiful delineation of flavor, aroma, and texture. Critics have been astounded
that the wines are sufficiently structured to age for decades, yet are remarkably
developed, supple, and ready to drink when released.
At the beginning of their journey, Lauri noted that "the learning curve was steep."
Yet with patience and precision, the inaugural 2003 vintage of their Red Wine
was named Washington's most outstanding wine. In 2008, Corliss was named
the best new winery by Seattle magazine.
The winery produces three wines: a cabernet sauvignon, a Bordeaux-style
blend called Red Wine, and a syrah. Though Corliss is not open to the public,
the family holds private spring and fall release events for registry members to
pick up their annual allotment and sample future vintages.
