Darby English began selling his small-batch wine in a warehouse tasting room in Woodinville in 2006, and has earned the moniker of a brand synonymous with early Woodinville startups.
He developed a cult following for his Syrah from the get-go, and first appeared in Washington Tasting Room Magazine in 2010.
French Rhône varietals, both reds and whites, have always been Darby’s fixed passion but he has an affinity for crafting luxe Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as other Bordeaux wines.
“Almost 20 years in, although we have grown in production, we are still boutique and small enough where I can still touch each piece of fruit that comes into the winery,” says Darby. “I still have my hand in the entire winemaking process and on the pulse of the vineyards, from grape to bottling.”
He is a staunch believer of using only the best grapes he can get his hands on. “I have worked tirelessly at scoping out and developing relationships (early on) with some of the best vineyards in the State for the type of wine I want to produce,” adds Darby. “Using multiple vineyards from Yakima to Walla Walla allows us to source the exact fruit we want in order to produce the quality of wine I want to put my name to.”
Darby recently turned the page of what he describes as “a new chapter of Darby Winery” with an upscale move into the centerpiece suite previously occupied by Long Shadows Vintners in the Hollywood District of Woodinville.
An extensive renovation has resulted in a main tasting lounge and library, with a speakeasy parlor—evoking warmth and decor from Western to Midcentury influences through an assortment of leather-upholstered and weathered-wood furniture, dark-print wallpaper and dark-wood paneling, even black built-in bookshelves.
The wines are equally suave; plush with timeless character, radiating an ethereal sense of place and minimalist touch in the cellar.
The new tasting room is located at 14450 Woodinville-Redmond Rd NE, Ste 105, Woodinville WA. Open daily, learn more at www.darbywinery.com.
Below are three releases we recently reviewed:
Darby 2020 Reserve Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
94 pts.
Ultra-refined, with notable satin-like structure that flows with dense cassis and dark stone fruit draped over an expressive array of rawhide, tobacco leaf and cedar that contribute an earthen character to the generous finish dusted with fine tannins. $58
Darby 2020 Reserve Walla Walla Valley Syrah
93 pts.
Grapes for this fragrantly aromatic single-varietal red hail from Stoney Vine Vineyard in The Rocks District of the Walla Walla Valley AVA. Plush, driven with energetic saline-infused boysenberry and blackberry streamlined with floral lavender, cured black olive, earthy funk and warm stone that meld onto the medium-bodied finish. $55
Darby 2022 “Le Deuce”
92 pts.
A silky blend of both Viognier aged in stainless steel and Roussanne aged in neutral French oak. Perfumed aromatics and rich flavors of honeysuckle, peach, pear, and mango are interspersed with notes of orange citrus, Key lime and a sachet of delicate dried herbs on the refreshing finish. $27