New label from Doubleback and Bledsoe Family Winery proprietors will compare and contrast the popular Burgundian and Rhône varietals
(WALLA WALLA, Wash.) — With their Doubleback and Bledsoe Family Winery labels continuing to prosper, Proprietor Drew Bledsoe and President & Director of Winemaking Josh McDaniels have announced that they are launching a new collaboration — aptly named Bledsoe-McDaniels. The collaboration will focus on Pinot Noir from Oregon’s Willamette Valley and site-specific Walla Walla Valley Syrah, and highlight the obvious differences of varietal and site terroir while indulging in their lesser-known similarities.
“Bledsoe-McDaniels will allow us to dive deeper into the Pinot Noir and Syrah varietals,” said Bledsoe. “It’s a project we have talked about for some time. And now that the Doubleback and Bledsoe Family Winery labels are well established, and having found and worked on the perfect pieces of land for these varietals, we felt the time was right to make it a reality.”
The label’s first release will be in 2020, a 2018 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir from the Ribbon Ridge AVA. Also in 2020, Bledsoe-McDaniels will release a 2018 Syrah from Bledsoe’s Lefore Vineyard in the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, a sub-AVA of the Walla Walla Valley AVA. Bledsoe-McDaniels wines will be made in the same state-of-the-art facility in Walla Walla that is home to Doubleback and Bledsoe Family wines. And like Doubleback, Bledsoe-McDaniels wine will focus on small production and high-quality creations.
“Both Syrah and Pinot Noir afford us a chance to create something new and bold, and we have long loved these varietals and regions,” said McDaniels, a Walla Walla native who has long had an affection for Willamette Valley Pinot. “But while there are some very notable and obvious differences between Willamette Valley Pinot, Walla Walla Syrah, and the Walla Walla Cabs that are a hallmark of Doubleback, there is an elegance to all three that makes this a natural evolution for us as a winery.”
Added Bledsoe: “The work of a winemaker is tireless, particularly one of Josh’s caliber, and nobody works harder at their craft than Josh,” said Bledsoe. “That work also takes place largely behind the scenes, so to be able to celebrate Josh’s accomplishments by sharing a label with him is at once a tribute to his achievements and a privilege for me personally.”
For more information about Bledsoe-McDaniels Wine and to sign up for the waiting list, visit www.bledsoemcdaniels.com.
About Doubleback and Bledsoe Family Winery:
Founded in 2007 by retired NFL quarterback and Walla Walla native Drew Bledsoe and his wife Maura, Doubleback Winery is committed to producing ultra-premium, estate-focused wines from the Walla Walla Valley that enrich life’s experiences. In April 2018, Doubleback took occupancy of its new 14,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art winery and appointment-only tasting room along Powerline Road, on Walla Walla’s southside. The Bledsoe’s second label, Bledsoe Family Winery, is committed to producing premium wines for any occasion, with tremendous value, from the same family that brings you Doubleback. Both labels are managed and crafted by Josh McDaniels, president & director of winemaking. Bledsoe Family Winery operates two tasting rooms: At 229 E. Main St. in downtown Walla Walla, and at 555 NW Arizona Ave., Suite #198 in the Box Factory in Bend, Ore. For more information, or to join the Doubleback mailing list or the Bledsoe Family Winery wine club, visit www.doubleback.com or www.bledsoefamilywinery.com
