Buty Winery is located in the airport region in Walla Walla. Among the many excellent wines this winery makes, the Sémillon/Sauvignon blend is consistently one of their best. This is the seventeenth vintage that winemaker Caleb Foster has been making this Bordeaux-style blend in Washington. This experience, paired with grapes from vines planted in 1982 (Rosebud Ranch Vineyard, Wahluke Slope AVA) make this wine soar. Describing the new release Foster writes:

“We crushed the sémillon and cold-soaked it on its skins overnight. This builds the weight and creaminess of the wine. We fermented in old Burgundy barrels then aged it on its lees for nine months to developing bready aromas and supple texture. The sauvignon was whole cluster pressed and native yeast fermented in tank without malolactic fermentation. The wines were bottled on June 4, 2009.”

Where to Buy: Winery, McCarthy & Schiering

Wines:
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 Buty Sémillon, Sauvignon and Muscadelle Columbia Valley 2008 Straw colored. A beautiful nose marked by lemon zest, touches of honey, mineral, and yeast. Floral notes emerge as the wine opens up. Fresh, tart, and lemon0-loaded on the palate. 69% Sémillon, 26% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Muscadelle. Rosebud Ranches, Spring Creek, and Lonesome River Ranch vineyards. 13.8% alcohol. 1,050 cases produced. $25