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Founded by Jerry Bookwalter in1983, J. Bookwalter Wines is one of Washington’s oldest wineries. The Bookwalter family themselves have been involved in the wine business since the 1970s, when Jerry helped manage several of the largest plantings in the state. The industry was still in its formative years then; with just about 12 wineries in the entire state!
Jerry ran the Bookwalter brand until the late 1990s, when his son, John, took the reins. John brought on winemaker Caleb Foster, who was at the helm from 2014 to 2021, and new winemaker Jeremy Santo took over from Foster in 2021.
When you start exploring the Bookwalter Winery portfolio, a trend emerges: all of the wines have a book-themed name. As you will see in the paired wines below, there are names like: “Suspense,” “Double Plot Chardonnay,” “Protagonist,” “Subplot,” and the “Reader” series. A charming nod to the family name.
2021 CHENIN BLANC
In 1993, there were 600 acres of Chenin Blanc planted in Washington state, and today, there are just 67 acres, which makes this Chenin from J. Bookwalter Wines fairly unique. It’s not that the grape struggled. Winemakers simply opted to rip up the old vines in favor of more widely known varieties.
When we tried this 2021 bottling, it was hard to see the reasoning behind that because this is an excellent bottle of wine and one that would appeal to lots of different palates. It was an easy drink, light on its feet, and a joy to sip as we started the meal. The nose is juicy with ripe peach, apple, and sweet citrus mandarin. There’s a nice mineral feel here, too, as well as banana and refreshing melon. Similar notes were expressed on the palate. More peach and apple, along with crisp pear, fresh citrus (lime and lemon), and tropical pineapple.
This wine was aged in stainless steel and concrete to preserve the grape’s flavors.
2020 DOUBLE PLOT CHARDONNAY
The 2020 Double Plot Chardonnay is a rich, buttery, and creamy Chardonnay. From the nose to the first sip, you can feel the French Oak and New Oak coming from the glass of this wine. The tech sheet for this wine mentions that critics from Wine Enthusiast, James Suckling, and Owen Bargreen have given the wine a “historical average” of 93. We liked this wine, but we’re not quite sure we would rate this vintage above 90 points.
The nose is pretty forward. Butter, cream, yeasty bread, and oak are front and center. There’s a nice acidity on the palate that compliments notes of apple, lemon, and peach. If you’re a fan of buttery, oaky Chardonnays, you will really enjoy this bottle.
This vintage experienced extended hang time, and a warmer growing season, and that is all reflected in the power and personality of this Washington Chardonnay from Columbia Valley.
2019 READERS MERLOT
Fruit was sourced from three vineyards to build this wine in the barrel. The resulting wine is elegant, and both the palate and the nose have considerable notes of dark fruit, oak, and soft vanilla. There’s a touch of spice (cedar, cigar box) that sort of grabs you, too.
This wine was aged in French Oak barrels, and like the Double Plot Chardonnay, you will pick that up immediately. It’s a nice Merlot with a long finish and pronounced flavors. A good value, too at around $30 a bottle.
2020 PROTAGONIST CABERNET SAUVIGNON CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020
The Protagonist, Cabernet Sauvignon, is a well-made Bordeaux-style cab that is a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Syrah, and 5% Petit Verdot. The aromatic nose features concentrated notes of prune, black currant, as well as earthy graphite and sharp bell pepper.
A mix of French Oak and New Oak were used to age the wine, and the palate shows this influence. What you get is a wine that is velvety, soft, and a mesmerizing blend of dark fruit (black cherry and currant), cedar, gently oak and mocha, and spiced black pepper.
2021 READERS SYRAH
The 2021 Reader’s Syrah was the star wine of the evening, both from a value and a quality perspective. Before we jump into this wine, let’s talk about Washington Syrah for some context.
Washington Syrah is an incredible success story. The variety wasn’t planted in the state until a single planting was tested at Red Willow Vineyard in 1986. Local winemakers were impressed with the results, but it certainly didn’t usher in a new age of Syrah in Washington. It wasn’t until 1997 when Christophe Baron, a French winemaker, had the idea to try crafting a single-vineyard, terroir-driven wine that the variety took off.
Fast forward to today, and Syrah is so beloved in Washington that it is the third most planted grape in the state!
In the glass, the wine, a blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Malbec, is an intense shade of ruby. The nose is rich and expresses notes of black currant and a slew of spices, from black pepper to cedar and clove. A hint of olive is also present. Aged in 100% neutral new oak, the palate is lush and creamy. Juicy boysenberry and blackberry, soft mocha and savory olive, and a streak of mineral-tinged graphite and smoke.
The finish is long and balanced, and the flavor continues to evolve, never shying from its pronounced characteristics. This Syrah is a very food-friendly wine, full-bodied but with gentle tannins—a lovely interpretation of Washington Syrah and a true bargain at $30 a bottle. Price and performance are all wrapped in one!
