Eternal Wines specializes in terroir driven, single vineyard wines from the Walla Walla and Columbia Valley appellations. Established by professional sommelier and winemaker Brad Binko in 2014, Eternal Wines sources fruit from some of Washington’s most famous vineyards. As our reviews below show, the wines are packed with flavor. We’re especially fond of the Syrahs. Since the winery is young, the wines are not yet well distributed, but they can be purchased direct from the winery at www.eternalwine.com. The tasting room is in Walla Walla’s airport district.
The Wines
Eternal Wines 2018 Eternal Insight Marsanne Walla Walla Valley ($34) 90 Butterscotch gold. This Marsanne from one of Walla Walla’s best known vineyards is a ripe wine showing baked apple and toasted almonds on the nose. It’s creamy but with good apple cider like acidity and flavors that mirror the bouquet. Have with roast chicken or white meats like veal or loin of pork. Sourced from the Boushey Vineyard (Tablas Creek clone) in the Yakima Valley AVA, basket pressed and barrel fermented with ambient yeast and aged 14 months in neutral French oak. 13% alc.
Eternal Wines 2019 Eternal Lust Albariño Columbia Valley ($29) 91 Pale yellow straw. This is a nicely balanced Albariño, solidly flavored with a firm acid backbone and good freshness throughout. Pear and melon are complemented by hints of starfruit and mandarine. Finishes long with a lingering sense of freshness. From the Otis Vineyard, basket pressed and fermented with ambient yeast in barrel.
Eternal Wines 2016 Eternal Patience Roussanne Walla Walla Valley ($39) 90 Yellow gold. Honeycomb, acacia and yellow stone fruit show on the nose and palate of this decadently rich Roussanne. It’s full in the mouth with good flavor and rich, syrupy extract on the finish. Shows a touch of heat on the finish. Given the wine’s richness, why not dial back on ripeness a bit? Sourced from Cockburn Ranch Vineyard, whole cluster pressed in French barrels and then matured 22 months in French oak with full malo. 14.5% alc.
Eternal Wines 2019 Eternal Perspective Grenache Blanc Columbia Valley ($29) 90+Introduced by aromas of white melon and dusty herbs, this is an unusually bright and fresh version of Grenache Blanc. The palate is redolent of tart green apple and stony minerals; it’s mouth filling, and rich extract shows on the finish. The fruit comes from Painted HIils Vineyard, basket pressed and fermented with ambient yeast in barrel. Just 13.1% alc.
Eternal Wines 2016 Eternal Foundation Syrah Walla Walla Valley ($59) 93 A perfectly balanced Syrah with hints of smoke and tobacco complementing blackberry fruit on the nose. Savory elements of bacon and herbs de Provence kick in on a tightly focused and dry palate. Bright underripe dark berry acidity provides a pleasant uplift on the finish. A blend of 95% Syrah and 5% Roussanne whole berry fermented with ambient yeast in 1.5T stainless fermenters. Matured 22 months in barrel and puncheon. 15% alc.
Eternal Wines 2016 Eternal Darkness Syrah Walla Walla Valley ($59) 92 Opaque purple-ruby. Ripe blackberry, dark cherry compote and black olives show on the nose. There’s a silky smooth attack and restrained sweetness on a fleshy palate of noteworthy breadth, finishing long with velvet tannins. All whole cluster, fermented in stainless and matured 22 months in barrel and puncheon. 15% alc.