~ Written by Amber Schmitt, Marketing Director of Woodinville Wine Country
This last Thursday we joined Long Cellars for another ‘At The Tasting Room’ experience. Did you know Frankenstein lives in Woodinville? Winemaker and owner, Jason Long has given Frank a nice home inside Long Cellars. Are you confused? Well…keep reading to learn more about Long Cellars and my experience.
Long Cellars is a boutique winery located in Woodinville, Washington founded by Jason Long.
Jason became involved in the wine industry in 2006 when he began assisting several Woodinville wineries. Working with them taught Jason how to appreciate, make, and sell wine while simultaneously incorporating fun and laughter. In 2010, Jason produced his first vintage of wine and has never looked back. The primary mission at Long Cellars is to produce fine wines using Bordeaux varietals from some of the most notable vineyards in Washington. Currently, Jason is sourcing fruit from vineyards located in the Red Mountain and Yakima Valley A.V.A.s, which are two of the oldest A.V.A.s in Washington. Since 2014, Jason has produced single varietal and blended wines using all 6 red Bordeaux varietals.
Producing fine Bordeaux wines is only part of the dream. Jason also enjoys providing an entertaining social environment by connecting good people with fine wine. Who doesn’t love to have a conversation while enjoying great wine? Producing something as elegant and complex as wine is an honor and it satisfies a lifelong urge to create.
Jason is a landscape architect with a strong affinity for the environment, sustainability, and the natural world. Designing and restoring natural elements is a large part of his background and winemaking provides another creative outlet. All of the winemaking parts and processes at Long Cellars take into consideration that consumables should have limited or no unnatural ingredients. All of the vineyard sources follow sustainable practices, and in some cases are certified Live Sustainable or USDA Organic.
Jason Long did not pursue the typical education route for becoming a winemaker. Instead, he decided on a hands-on approach where he learned from several Woodinville winemakers about the business and winemaking. He now carries the torch teaching others about winemaking and the industry. Jason recently brought on his Assistant Winemaker, Steve McDonough, to work in tandem throughout harvest and production.
Early on in Jason’s winemaking career he realized that Bordeaux varietals were his favorite to drink, so it made sense to make the wines he loved. Not to mention, the 6 Bordeaux varietals each have their own character, which makes it easy to offer a diverse list of wines on the tasting menu. In 2019, Sémillon was added to strengthen the Bordeaux varietal theme.
Half of Jason’s interest in starting the winery came from his love for creating new things. Jason is very creative at heart and at one point thought about going to culinary school. The winery satisfies his need to create, but the other major interest for starting Long Cellars was the social aspect. Connecting good people with fine wines is a constant goal at Long Cellars.
Jason’s background in sustainability and landscape architecture is visible within Long Cellars’ wine labels and throughout the tasting room. Long Cellars sources their grapes from sustainable vineyards, and many materials within the tasting room are recycled or reused. Additionally, Long Cellars’ wine labels depict plant life and there is no shortage of plants throughout the tasting room. Jason definitely has a green thumb… not to be confused with Frank’s purple thumb.
Here I am confusing you all once again. Let me explain why Frankenstein has found a home at Long Cellars here in Woodinville. Cabernet Franc is a flagship varietal for Long Cellars and is their most produced varietal. Jason refers to Cabernet Franc as his sweetheart wine. In October of 2017, Jason made his first wine. You guessed it- this wine was Cabernet Franc! Given he pressed this wine on Halloween night, he gave this wine the name “Cab Frank”. It only makes sense that Frankenstein made its way on the label of Cab Frank in a unique play on words.
That being said, don’t be surprised when you walk into the tasting room and see a larger than life “Frankenstein” mascot. I have taken a picture of Frank and included it in the gallery below. Frank may be an inanimate object but he is known to celebrate the seasons with festive attire. Frank also does his part to stop the spread of Covid-19 and can be seen wearing a mask inside the tasting room. 😉
Long Cellars is located in Woodinville’s Warehouse District. Located on the hill above Woodinville and Highway 522, the Warehouse District is a bit like the Meatpacking District of New York. This is a smaller, grittier, no-frills style of winemaking. The results, however, are anything but. And what it lacks in scenery and façade, the Warehouse District more than makes up for in vibe and taste. For wine, beer and spirits enthusiasts, there’s a density here that’s to die for. This is the home of more boutique wineries per square foot than any wine region in the world—right in Seattle’s backyard.
You’ll know when you’ve hit the heart of the Warehouse District because you’ll hear the buzz. With winemakers packed tooth-to-jowl, there’s an energy here that fuels both friendly competition and amazing cooperation. So much so, that you’ll often see wineries borrowing and lending equipment, expertise and manpower to one another—especially at crush season. This is where the person pouring is often the winemaker, and the personalities you’ll meet and the methods and opinions they share make the perfect pairing to any glass. You’ll learn as much about the process as you do about the palate.
Long Cellars has both indoor and outdoor seating options. Jason Long has quite the sense of humor, so outdoor seating is available above 68 degrees.
Currently Long Cellars take reservations through their website. Reservations are not required and they provide plenty of availability for walk-up guests. You can make a reservation online here.
LET’S TALK WINE
While many of my recent tasting room visits have involved food pairings, Long Cellars does not focus on food but instead highlights Bordeaux varietals on their own. Winemaker, Jason Long strives to provide education about his wines and WA varietals. While we can all agree food and wine pairings are fun, Jason is a wine first and food second kind of guy.
That being said, let’s talk wine!
Amber’s Notes~ This wine is a heavier style white with moderate acidity. Jason prefers a creamier style white which you can see reflected in his Sémillon and Pinot Gris wines. Sémillon is known for its citrus style and the 2019 vintage has flavors of lemon and lime on the palate with aromas of white flowers.
*Insider note: Their 2020 vintage will be released very soon and leads with grapefruit flavors on the palate versus the citrus notes from the 2019 vintage.
A creamy white wine. Aromas of pear and white flowers. Balanced acids and bright color. Lemon-lime zest with hints of butterscotch with a refreshing finish. “Sur lie” style, 25% new oak.
2018 Cabernet Sauvignon
Amber’s Notes~ This Cabernet Sauvignon is softer style and low in tannins. Big red fruits on the nose and in flavor. I would say this wine is an equivalent to an Old World/European style Cabernet. The perfect summer red if you ask me.
*Awarded 90pts on The Wine Panel
Bold/intense ripe red fruits, light spices/smoke, deep/bright color, balanced and smooth finish. Medium-bodied, soft tannins. A terrific “year-round” red. 25% new French oak.
This wine has a jalapeño/poblano pepper aroma. The grapes were sourced from a small vineyard near Zillah called Glacier Vineyard. To give you a better idea of where this vineyard is located, it is right down the street from Dineen Vineyards. The thing Jason likes about Carménère from this region/vineyard is that is has Old World character. This varietal and style is difficult to find in WA for now, but Jason thinks it will be a “trending” grape soon.
*Awarded 92pts on The Wine Panel
Soft, pensive, herbaceous, elegant, and alluring. Aromas of jalapeño, sage, and poblano pepper. Balanced finish with lingering spices. Old World style. 25% new French oak.
2018 Cabernet Franc
Amber’s Notes~ Cabernet Franc is a flagship varietal for Long Cellars and is their most produced varietal. Jason refers to Cabernet Franc as his sweetheart wine. In October of 2017, Jason made his first wine. You guessed it- this wine was Cabernet Franc! Given he pressed this wine on Halloween night, he gave this wine the name “Cab Frank”. It only makes sense that Frankenstein made its way on the label of Cab Frank in a unique play on words.
The aromas of light leather, dill weed, and bell peppers immediately caught my attention. As the brick-colored wine sorted across my palate, I caught several exotic spices and a burnt toffee/caramel note. Jason later explained that this is attributed to a late pick. When Cabernet Franc is picked earlier, more of the herbaceous character surfaces. In my experiences with food and wine pairing, I am guessing this wine would pair nicely with food that has light spices on it – paprika, garlic, cilantro, etc
New World style – bigger more impactful.
Big exotic spices, intense red fruits, toffee, anise, dill weed, white pepper, herbaceous dryness with a long lingering finish. An elegant, New World wine. 50% new French oak.
2018 “MIOLIN” Premium Red Blend
The name of this wine is an acronym for the people who made this blend. Each year, Jason chooses a handful of people (colleagues, friends and wine club members) to make a blend. The 2018 MIOLIN is the product of the blending group hosted in 2017.
Bigger, bolder, New World style blend. Broad finish and full bodied with leather and red fruits on the palate. Currently Jason’s favorite wine as he says this wine has aged beautifully in bottle so far (last 8-9 months).
A well-structured, elegant wine. Light fennel, cedar smoke, lingering spices, red fruits, balanced tannins. Broad and lively finish. New World style. 50% new French oak.
2018 Petit Verdot
Amber’s Notes~ Higher acidity for a red. In Bordeaux France, 100% of the grape would be outrageously acidic but here in Washington State the grapes ripens better and you can produce this wine outside of a blend.
Jason calls Petit Verdot another “trendy” grape as it is mostly used as a blending grape. He expects to see more of this varietal outside of blends and in full expression.
*Awarded 90pts on The Wine Panel
A big, robust mouthfeel. Velvety/silky, dark fruits, rich spices, lively acidity, light violets, deep blue color, balanced/lingering finish. 50% new French oak.
In my typical fashion, Long Cellars gave me a bonus pour off their standard tasting menu. This wine just so happens to be named after me… Coincidence? I like to think not, but technically yes.
*Bonus Pour: 2020 Amber Wine
This wine has not been bottled yet, but is just about ready. You can expect to see this wine in bottle in about a month or so. Long Cellars’ Amber Wine is 100% Sémillon from Konnowac Vineyard (Pomum Cellars’ Estate Vineyard). The organic certification of Konnowac Vineyard is pending, but that is a large reason why Jason chose to source grapes from this vineyard.
This wine has a special place in my heart. While this wine does share the same name as me, I also helped press this wine during last year’s harvest. Jason kept the Sémillon grapes on their skins during fermentation for days to give this wine its amber coloring.
This wine is something I would start and finish the night with. As mentioned, this wine did spend some time on the skins so the tannins are prominent. I mentioned eating a creamy cheese with this so naturally we pulled out Brie and it was to die for!
IPA lovers will LOVE this wine. This is the wine equivalent.
UNIQUE TO LONG CELLARS
Before I wrap this up, I want to make a few mentions of unique experiences at Long Cellars.
Jason Long tapped into his creative side this last year and produced a Sake! How cool is that!? This was an experiment for Jason and all Long Cellars’ wine club members received a bottle of the Sake. Unfortunately, only a small amount of Sake was produced and is not available within the tasting room, but fingers crossed this experiment returns. As you can see, Long Cellars’ wine club members definitely receive royal treatment. Their wine club is almost full and a waiting list will start sometime this year. If you are interested in joining their club, now would be the perfect time.
Additionally, within the last 9 months Long Cellars has received 10 scores in the 90-93 point range from The Wine Panel and Wine Advocate combined. Well done!
If I have not given you enough of a reason to visit Long Cellars already, they are also known for hosting unique events like burlesque, rock painting, blending classes, and comedy shows. There is definitely no shortage of entertainment at Long Cellars. Come out to the Warehouse District this weekend to try Long Cellars’ wines for yourself!
Last but not least, give them a follow on social media or subscribe to their mailing list by using the links below. See you soon for another “At The Tasting Room” experience.