L'Ecole No 41 Semillon 2022

Refreshing and richly textured, this expressive Semillon shows vibrant melon, peach, Granny Smith apple, and fragrant honeysuckle set against a ginger and key lime character. On the palate, it is supple and energetic, replete with pear and stone fruit flavors, persisting to a balanced, crisp finish.

VINEYARDS:
Stillwater Creek, Rosebud, Lodmell, Klipsun, XL, Oasis, Estate Seven Hills

• A cooler-than-average growing season resulted in a late harvest with above-average yields and outstanding wine quality with higher natural acidity, lower sugars, wonderful balance, and a beautiful expression of fruit.
• A warm winter finish resulted in a bud break for early varietals in late March/early April. Bud break for later varietals was delayed due to a cold and snowy April which kept wind machines running followed by a cool and wet May. The weather cooperated at bloom, and we experienced an excellent fruit set with bloom two weeks later than normal.
• July and August were hot with large canopy growth from spring moisture. Mildew pressure was high and caused some problems in isolated vineyards. High heat shut canopies down and prevented excessive berry growth.
• Veraison was two weeks later than normal. A warmer fall with cool nights created perfect late-season ripening conditions, with the majority of harvest occurring in October.
• Long hang time contributed to ideal fruit balance and flavors that developed in advance of sugars, creating an expectation of wonderful 2022 vintage wines. Despite challenges that arose during the growing season, the dice rolled in our favor at each turn.

• 40 years of meticulous vineyard management and winemaking experience are the foundation of our quality and reputation for excellence.
• The grapes were harvested in the early morning hours and promptly delivered to the winery for whole cluster pressing, with measures taken to retain fruit aromatics.
• Juice was settled overnight and racked to French oak barrels, mostly neutral, for a slow, cool fermentation. The wine underwent 50% malolactic fermentation and periodical lees stirring to contribute to the weight and complexity of the wine.
• Before bottling, the wine underwent gentle fining and filtering.

The third winery to be established in the Walla Walla Valley, L’Ecole No 41 has been a leader in the production of premium handcrafted varietal wines in Washington State since 1983. The family owned winery is located in an old schoolhouse built in 1915 in historic Frenchtown, just west of Walla Walla. The name - L’Ecole No 41, French for “the school located in district number 41”, was chosen to salute the pioneering viticultural efforts of the French-Canadians who settled the area.  L’Ecole is one of the most recognized and acclaimed wineries in Washington State, having been honored by Wine & Spirits Magazine as Winery of the Year for 13 consecutive years; and in 2014 winning the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards International Trophy for ‘Best in Show, Red Bordeaux Varietals over £15’ for their 2011 Ferguson Vineyard bottling. The winery is however perhaps best known for being one of the top American producers of Merlot and Semillon.