It’s All in the Family: Armstrong Family Winery

As you (probably) know, one of my favorite things to do is highlight small, local, family-owned businesses wherever I may travel. Businesses like this tend to bleed with authenticity and passion, which results in quality products that are tied to the heartstrings of both the producer and the consumer.

Armstrong Family Winery in Walla Walla, Washington does just that.

At the Wine Bloggers Conference this month, I was fortunate enough to end up at Armstrong Family Winery for a private tasting hosted by winemaker and owner Tim Armstrong. He and his wife, Jen, welcomed our group with open arms and immediately made us feel like part of their extended family. Photos on the walls of their kids, vineyard, and property painted a perfect picture for what we were about to experience through our taste buds.

Every bottle of wine tells a story. Sometimes the stories are created by the company you are sharing the wine with, or the location where you happen to be sipping. But on this particular occasion, we were lucky enough to hear the real story behind the wines. The stories that are hidden within the label (literally), and were created by this first-generation winemaking family as they embarked on a journey to chase their dream.

We all soaked up every second of Tim’s storytelling as he described the wines from vine to glass. Here’s a little piece of what we learned from the Armstrong family, as well as some highlights of the tasting!

 

Wine 1: 2015 Riesling

Accolades: “Excellent”—Great Northwest Wine

Taste: Dry, picked early and fermented in stainless steel, citrusy, balanced, mineral character

The Story: After this vintage was picked, the vineyard ripped out the block of Riesling grapes that this wine was made from! The reason? Rieslings are not the most economical grape. There are a lot of bad Rieslings out there that, unfortunately, have tainted the name of the varietal. Even the best Rieslings don’t warrant a high price these days, making it difficult for a small vineyard to justify maintaining those grapes over other varietals that provide a greater return. P.S. Not all Rieslings are sweet…many of the dry Rieslings (like this one) are beautifully balanced white wines!

 

Wine 2: 2015 Fronk (100% Cabernet Franc) New Release!

Taste: Balanced tannins, notes of roasted red pepper, herbs, anise, and dark fruit, easy to drink with a meal or by itself

The Story: Cab Franc was the varietal that sparked the idea to produce wine in the first place, Tim told us. This varietal was Jen’s first favorite, and the name “Fronk” was coined by the two of them as a funny way to refer to the varietal Cab Franc. Fast forward a few years and Fronk is a new staple of Armstrong Family Winery!

 

Wine 3: 2014 Four Birds (50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot)

Accolades: “Excellent”—Great Northwest Wine

Taste: Velvety and smooth, flavors of cherry, chocolate, plum, and tea leaf

The Story: Jen’s maiden name is Robin (like the bird), and Tim told the story of how Jen’s family used to be referred to as the “four birds”. This wine was Tim’s homage to Jen’s family…the four birds! I don’t think it’s a coincidence that it happens to be a blend of exactly four wine varieties…

Wine 4: 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon (100% Cabernet Sauvignon)

Accolades: 18.5/20 Rand Sealey’s Review of Washington Wines

Taste: Smooth, fruit-forward and creamy chocolate flavors, mild tannins with good acidity

The Story: This wine is a Cab through and through, from flavor to body it rings true of the varietal. What makes it unique is that it is aged in oak for three years, something that is fairly uncommon for a Cab. Allowing the wine to age in oak for this period of time allows for greater integration of tannins and flavor. In a wine world dominated by Cabs, this one stands out as a result.

 

Wine 5: 2014 David’s Folly (43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Cabernet Franc, 14% Petit Verdot)

Accolades: 19/20 Rand Sealey’s Review of Washington Wines

Taste: Bordeaux-style wine, layered flavors like an aged wine, bright fruit flavors mellowed by maple and tea leaf notes

The Story: This was probably the funniest story of them all! Tim described that in 5^th grade, he and all his friends decided they would call each other “David” (side note: none of them are actually named David). This tradition(?) of calling each other “David” remains to this day…each phone call starts with “Hi David, it’s David”! And the “folly” part? Tim said himself that starting a winery may very well have been a folly. Ha! I would disagree, as the David’s Folly blend was one of the best wines I had during my time in Walla Walla!

 

Wine 6: 2014 The Scotsman Syrah

Accolades: Double Gold, Seattle Wine Awards

Taste: Beautiful, complex aroma, dark in color, and rich with the flavor of vanilla balanced with minerality and tannins…it has a strong flavor profile that can stand up to meat and barbecue flavors

The Story: The name “Armstrong” is Scottish in heritage, and Tim was looking for a way to reflect his roots in a wine. After seeking to find whether a history of winemaking existed in Scotland (spoiler: wine doesn’t grow well in the Scottish climate), Tim was disappointed to learn that the closest wine-related Scottish tradition was that of the coopers, who assisted in making barrels for the whiskey industry. What Tim also found, however, was that James Busby (who is largely regarded as the “father” of Australian wine) was also Scottish by descent. Busby brought the first collection of grapevines to Australia, and established what is now one of the greatest wine producers in the world. So, there you have it. Winemaking does run in Scottish blood! Maybe that means I’m destined to be a winemaker, too…

My favorites of the group were Fronk, David’s Folly, and The Scotsman Syrah…although, as I write this, I’m re-realizing just how wonderful all of these wines were! I would happily enjoy any of these over and over again. What an accomplishment to be a first-generation winemaker producing wines of such quality!

To my California friends: while Armstrong is based in Washington, I’m told that Total Wine has the ability to order their wines on request. You can also order directly from the Armstrong Family Wines website. These would be fantastic holiday wines to add to your table this Thanksgiving or Christmas!

Thank you, Tim and Jen, for a wonderful introduction into your family and your wines. I’m a fan, and I look forward to enjoying them again soon!

 

What’s your favorite wine variety? Is there an Armstrong wine that would fit your taste? Let me know in the comments below!