The Reader Survey Wine to Watch is intended for a wine that will be released in the coming year that readers of Washington Wine Report believe will be exceptional. The winner of the Reader Survey 2012 Wine to Watch is Reynvaan Family Vineyards 2010 Stonessence Syrah Walla Walla Valley.

In just a few short vintages, Reynvaan Family Vineyards has established itself as one of Washington’s finest wineries. The Reynvaan family established the winery in 2004, hiring Christophe Baron as consultant to help pick out vineyard sites, lay out the vineyards, and help get the winery started. Matt Reynvaan serves as winemaker.

All of the Reynvaan wines are made from estate fruit from two vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley. The first, In the Rocks, is in the southern section of the Walla Walla Valley. The second is by the family home and is called Foothills in the Sun.

From the start, the Reynvaan wines were electrifying, aromatic powerhouses with intense savory flavors. Remarkably, the winery has only continued to improve with the 2008 and 2009 vintages as the vineyards mature and the Reynvaans gain more experience. The sky is the limit for this winery, and they have already reached a level of quality that puts them among the best.

Reynvaan Family Vineyards currently makes a dazzling lineup of estate syrahs, with most of the wines blended with some viognier or marsanne. The Stonessence – named in a callout to the ancient cobblestone riverbed where the In the Rocks Vineyard is located – is the winery’s only 100% Syrah. The 2009 vintage of this wine was easily one of the best wines in the state. The 2010 vintage, our Reader Survey 2012 Wine to Watch, will be released in the fall of 2012. It will be one worth waiting for.

Below is a list of final voting for the 2012 Reader Survey Wine to Watch. Thanks again to everyone who voted in this year’s survey.

Votes: 229