Jim and Andrea Dahlman grew up in Washington and have deep roots and a connection to the Pacific Northwest. “Wine truly begins in the vineyard and the story of our wines begins with the people who grow the grapes,” Jim tells Washington Tasting Room Magazine. He sand Andrea are purposeful in their task to seek out smaller vineyards and growers in Washington and Oregon, exploring a number of interesting varietals and wine styles.
They draw from family-owned vineyards, some that fly lower under the radar than others, yet the results are stunning. “Los Rocosos in The Rocks District is farmed by a guy that bought the vineyard and nursed it back to health,” relates Jim. “Sonrisa in Rattlesnake Hills is owned by a friend of my sisters who bought the vineyard and now has his own winery. Our Pinot Gris that we are getting this year is from Abiqua Wind vineyard, a family owned vineyard with old vines that are 40-50 years old, grown in the Willamette Valley.”
Jim, a software development manager during the week, could be described as a garagiste—he began experimenting with unique, small batch wines out of his garage in 2013. When the couple decided to go commercial in 2019, the search for a location led them to Woodinville Custom Wines, a custom crush winery facility led by Matt Loso. Subsequently the move raised the bar for Jim and Andrea, exposing them to winemaking methods previously out of reach for them in the garage. This included aging vessels made of clay amphora and concrete egg tanks, as well as a wealth of winemaking knowledge from Matt and other winemakers at the facility.
The two reds we sampled, along with a sparkling Pét-Nat are unadulterated, with an intellectual core of alluring fruit and solid structure. At this time, Dahlman Cellars does not have their own tasting room but once a month their wines are featured at the Winemakers Reserve or you can look them up online.
Visit & Taste: There is a $15 tasting fee, waived with bottle purchase. The Dahlmans have plans to open their own tasting room in 2022 but for now you can sample their wines at the Winemakers Reserve located at 15902 Woodinville-Redmond Rd. NE, Ste. D6, Woodinville; (425) 780-7792. Learn more at www.dahlmancellars.com.
Below are three releases we recently reviewed:
Dahlman Cellars 2019 The Actuary Red Blend
91 pts.
Forwardly ripe, this proprietary blend of Cabernet, Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo and Syrah offers blackberry, cassis, blue plum and hints of cherry streaming through the smooth yet bold palate. Fine tannins and rich spice notes show duration on the full-flavored finish. $30
Dahlman Cellars 2019 The Nurse Red Blend
92 pts.
A beguiling blend of Grenache and Syrah fermented and aged in clay vessels for 16 months. The underlying power is driven by minerally notes fused to blue and red fruit with an upswing of high-toned acidity. Inflections of salinity, moist earth, black pepper and tangerine peel make an appearance on the lengthy, complex finish. $35
Dahlman Cellars 2020 Pét-Nat Sparkling Rosé
91 pts.
This exciting Pétillant Naturel style sparkling wine is equal parts Grenache and Tempranillo from Sonrisa Vineyard in the Rattlesnake Hills AVA. Pink peppercorn spice notes combine with citrus acidity, framed with a crunchy range of raspberry, cranberry and minerality flavors that persist on the textural finish. $25