Kevin Mueller, Virtue Cellars

65+ wines reviewed below and in the database, including the latest from Blakeslee, Brian Carter, Cairdeas, Dusted Valley, Evesham Wood, Haden Fig, Lavinea, Martinez & Martinez, Passing Time, Time & Direction, and Virtue.

“The ’22 vintage was a big inflection point for us,” says Kevin Mueller, owner and winemaker at Virtue Cellars in Shoreline, Washington. The winery, which launched in 2017, has been evolving in a number of ways that coalesced in 2022.

The first was lowering the alcohol levels of the wines. “What we’re going for is essentially a more approachable, softer wine,” Mueller says.

The target, for the Rhône wines in particular, is low 14s to high 13% alcohol. The acids have been commensurately lowered to make sure the wines stay in balance.

“It’s probably been a five year journey to get where we want to and dial that in,” Mueller says. “I think we’ve finally reached the level that we’re looking for in ’22.”

That same year, Jakob Edens joined the winery as co-owner. Edens and Mueller met in middle school and went to high school together, and Edens had been assisting at Virtue during harvest since 2019.

Virtue also increased production in 2022, though the winery is still modestly sized at fewer than 3,000 cases per year. The intent was to supply the winery’s tasting room, which opened in September, 2023. Virtue also plans to expand beyond direct sales.

“We’re about to embark on our a new chapter in our winery, which is building partnerships beyond the tasting room,” Mueller says.

Virtue’s tasting room has been a success. The space is located on Main Street in Edmonds, next to Molly Moon’s ice cream and across the courtyard from The Victor Tavern, an Ethan Stowell restaurant.

“It’s done well,” Jake Edens says. “It’s more of a community spot.”

Additionally, Virtue expanded fruit sources in 2022, getting grapes from Walla Walla Valley’s Rocks District for the first time. The winery’s 2022 offerings, reviewed below, include a Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre blend from the appellation, which is a rarity. Virtue also planted estate vines, which will be harvested for the first time in 2025, in the Rocks District. “We love that area,” Mueller says.

As in previous vintages, the 2022 Virtue wines are all notable for their vivid clarity and focus on the fruit. The cool 2022 vintage played well into the winery’s style. Best of all, the Virtue wines remain well-priced for their quality level. They are worth seeking out.

Image courtesy of Virtue Cellars. 

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