As did many well-respected winemakers in the region, Scott Greenberg began making wine commercially in a Woodinville warehouse in the early 2000s. Soon he developed a reputation for crafting structured and flavorful reds and whites in small, high-quality batches, like his flagship Storm Front Bordeaux-style blend.
“I started the winery to make wine that would pair well with different foods,” Scott tells Washington Tasting Room Magazine. “My style is full-bodied, with higher acidity to help match a variety of dishes, and to age well. My love is creating red blends, which I call the ‘art in winemaking.’ ”
A retired city planner, Scott became a regular fixture among Woodinville’s wine scene from 2008 until 2016, when he relocated both the winery and tasting room to the city of North Bend in a pastoral setting nearby his residence.
Now in 2023, Scott and his team have relocated again, this time to Tri-Cities in a strategic move that puts them within a very short drive of their vineyard sites in Eastern Washington. They contract with top growers in a half-dozen different AVAs who are admired for quality fruit, such as Ciel du Cheval, Boushey, Upland, Gamache, Phinny Hill, Weinbau and others.
Many of the wines are limited production under 50 cases or so, available exclusively at the new 2,200-square-foot warehouse winery in Richland, or through the wine club or website store. “The tasting room is small and intimate, but customers can mingle in the adjacent barrel room and production space, providing a unique perspective of a micro-winery,” says Scott.
Over the years this veteran producer has consistently delivered award-winning Rhône and Bordeaux varietal wines. The latest releases show sophistication and verve, and will continue to improve with age over the next several years.
A tasting at Convergence Zone includes a souvenir glass. The location is 1339 Tapteal Dr., Suite 104, Richland WA. Phone (425) 233-5638 or learn more at www.czcellars.com.
Below are three releases we recently reviewed:
Convergence Zone Cellars 2021 Mistral Grenache
95 pts.
Absolutely dreamy, this single-vineyard version from Red Mountain’s Ciel du Cheval Vineyard entices with plush, silky black raspberry, strawberry and licorice shaded with a dusting of cocoa powder. Distant soundings of crème de cassis, lavender, dried anise and crushed rock echo on the nuanced and mesmerizing finish, ending with a sophisticated degree of grace, purity of fruit and underlying power. $33
Convergence Zone Cellars 2019 Squall Line
93 pts.
A Bordeaux varietal red culled from six top vineyards and aged nearly three years in French oak. Bursting with aromas of red and black fruit, graphite, cocoa and a whiff of mesquite, the generous palate is rich tasting, offering blackberry, cassis and dark cherry neatly layered with tobacco, cedar, cacao nib and dried herbs. Brooding underpinnings of loamy earth meet with fresh acidity and sweet tannins on the expressive finish. $33 Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc
Convergence Zone Cellars 2019 Storm Front
92 pts.
This Merlot-forward Bordeaux-style red is bold, yet balanced by an undertow of vivacious acidity. A rich, smooth mouthfeel delivers fruit-forward flavors of cherry, black raspberry and plum sauce framed by licorice, French roast coffee, cocoa and mulberry spice that firm up amid a perceptible grip of fine tannins on the unwavering finish. $30 Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot