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Boudreaux Cellars
LEAVENWORTH
Years of appreciating fine wines, identifying the oldest, highest quality, and
most complex blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon, and learning from some of
the greatest winemakers in the world have culminated in Boudreaux Cellars,
a winery that epitomizes the value of playing the long game in the wine
industry. What started off as friendly banter one summer evening between
owner Rob Newsom and winemaker Gary Figgins—"Well, why don't you just
make your own wine?" Gary half-joked when Rob complained about the price
of some wines—has become a boutique winery that marries a sense of humor
with very serious winemaking.
Boudreaux wines are smooth, deep, layered, flowered, and offer mysterious
nuances of smoke, hickory, oak, cherry, blackberry, and candy. Insight from
master winemakers Gary and Chris Figgins from Leonetti Cellars, John Abbot
from Devona Winery in Walla Walla, and others inspired Rob Newsom's
path from wine lover to winemaker. Since 1998, when Rob began making
homemade wine, he has appreciated the time it takes to craft truly captivating
wine. In 2001, his first commercial wines were produced, and Chris Figgins
recommended Rob name his wines Boudreaux, after the infamous Cajun
folklore character Rob told stories about when he first met the Figginses. The
name stuck, and the winery was born.
A combination of art and science, winemaking at Boudreaux Cellars is
meticulous but also infused with Rob's sense of humor. He often crafts ditties
for each one: "Drink this Merlot, eat smoked Coho, kick off your flip-flops,
dance on rooftops."
FACING PAGE: Boudreaux Cellars is nestled in an inspiring
setting in Icicle Canyon.
Photograph by Rob Newsom
ABOVE: Winemaker Rob Newsom inspects the 35-year old
Cabernet vines at Bacchus Vineyard Block Nine.
Photograph by Keely Newsom
