Part of a rich Washington farming legacy, it’s no surprise that Gard Vintners has broadened its reach in the state with a tasting room in Walla Walla. The other tasting room locations are in Ellensburg and Woodinville.
Operated by husband and wife team Lisa and Josh Lawrence, the couple met in college and after getting married, moved back to Royal City where Josh had grown up. Josh grew up farming his family’s vast acreage in The Royal Slope region, so it was no surprise when in 2001 Josh formed Lawrence Vineyards alongside his father, John Lawrence, and uncle, Sandy Lawrence, who had already been farming that land for more than 40 years.
Josh’s passion for his family’s land is evident when he tells us, “We are extremely proud of our ground and our family’s farming legacy, and believe we can make something really special from it.”
In 2006 Josh and Lisa launched Gard Vintners. “As one of the few 100% estate wineries in the state, what gets us excited is expressing the unique qualities of Lawrence Vineyards in the bottle of Gard Vintners,” notes Josh. They have partnered with winemaker Aryn Morell to make the wines. It’s been a fruitful partnership, with each sharing a passion for bringing out the most in the land.
Moving forward, Aryn continues to expand on the estate vineyards and his quest to understand what each site and block are fully capable of achieving. “Most of these vineyards are very young and the differences from one year to the next can be drastic,” he says. “With so many varietals and blocks, it’s a very detailed winemaking program to keep all of them separate and to enhance how distinct they are from one another.”
Luckily, their new tasting room in historic downtown Walla Walla presents yet another opportunity to taste Gard Vintners delicious line of estate wines as well as enjoy reserve tastings, live music, and wine club events throughout the year. The three tasting rooms are located at:
- 43 E Main St, Walla Walla, open 7 days a week
- 311 N Pearl St, Ellensburg, open 7 days a week
- 19151 144th Ave NE, Unit D, Woodinville, open Thur-Mon
Here are three releases we recently reviewed:
Gard Vintners 2015 Vaucluse, $35
Editor’s Choice – Outstanding (91-94 pts.)
Opulent and rich-bodied, flowing with flavors of boysenberry and plum sauce backlit with fresh acidity and savory expressions of pipe tobacco, cured black olives and charcuterie. Generously structured with complex flavors that broaden on the long aftertaste.
Gard Vintners 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, $35
Editor’s Choice – Outstanding (91-94 pts.)
Satiny in texture, exhibiting deep purity to the well-balanced flavors of blackberry, cassis, violet and anise endowed with finishing notes of tobacco and ultra-polished tannins.
Gard Vintners 2015 “The Don”, $24
Editor’s Choice – Excellent (90 pts.)
Named after their vineyard manager, Isidro Mondragon (a.k.a. The Don), this marks the eighth vintage of this proprietary red. Leading with dusky red and black fruit aromas, the palate is nimble yet bold, smoothly layered with cassis, blackberry and cherry flavors entwined with spice, cedar and hints of molassis.