Reininger Winery Celebrates 25 Years of Winemaking Excellence in Walla Walla
Reininger Winery Celebrates 25 Years of Winemaking Excellence in Walla Walla
BY MEGHAN FITZGERALDPHOTOS COURTESY OF REININGER WINERYChuck Reininger started making wine at home in the early 90’s, channeling his passion for nature into the craft while paying particular attention to soil conditions and climate which can greatly influence the quality of the product in the bottle. His early dedication paid off as Reininger was one of the first 10 bonded wineries in the region.
Situated in what is known as Walla Walla wine country’s ‘Westside’, Reininger Winery is just off of US-12, in what used to be a potato factory. Of course, Reininger is in the business of producing something a little different.
For the past 25 years, Chuck and Tracy Reininger have installed themselves as part of Walla Walla Valley’s emergence as one of the most notable wine-producing regions.
A quarter of a century of successful operation in such a competitive market is certainly cause for celebration, and Reininger honored the occasion by hosting a retrospective tasting at the winery on June 15th, inviting family, friends and colleagues to raise a glass to the future with vintages from the past.
As each bottle was opened and shared, Chuck was able to tell stories from the winery’s past, citing the characters, plot twists, and chapters that propelled Reininger’s narrative from start to present day.
Chuck started making wine at home in the early 90’s, channeling his passion for nature into the craft while paying particular attention to soil conditions and climate which can greatly influence the quality of the product in the bottle. His early dedication paid off as Reininger was one of the first 10 bonded wineries in the region. In 1997, Chuck moved his home wine-making operation into Reininger’s first B&M location in Walla Walla’s Airport District with the help of his wife Tracy, his then-girlfriend.
Reininger moved into their current facility in 2004 where they now have more than 15,000 square feet to produce, store and share the more than 7,500 cases they craft each year. Reininger Winery invites guests to experience their tasting room, furnished with bistro tables, plush chairs and an impressive mirror to make the space seem larger while maintaining the feeling of a private tasting. Their lush, grassy outdoor seating area is dotted with umbrella- and tree-shaded seating and offers a view of the valley to the north. Not a bad way to enjoy a taste or two of the Valley’s finest, right?
The purpose of the winery’s anniversary tasting was dual, reflecting on the history of Reininger’s wines by tasting, of course, and also to appreciate the variations in taste influenced by evolving winemaking style and technique over the past 25 years.
Surrounded by barrels and tanks and tools (oh my!), guests of the retrospective tasting were treated to a taste of Reininger’s history in the room where much of it happened, the winery’s production facility. Utilizing barrels to serve as tasting stations, each barrel was crowned with a series of vintages lined up chronologically, for the most part as well showcasing a specific variety. Reininger, having initially focused on producing Bordeaux wines, the tasting appropriately began with a series of Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots ranging from 1997 to 2010. These earlier vintages had clearly smoothed out since the wine had gone into bottle, rounding out the plum and berry flavors in the Merlots and dulling the peppery edge on the Cabs.
The tasting included 34 wines primarily from the Reininger label with 3 bottles from the CPR, or Premium, label, and the vineyard varieties included signature grapes of the brand, such as Syrah and Carmenere, as well as novelties like the Desiderata and the Anomaly, both red blends. Each guest was invited to enjoy the tasting at his or her leisure and in no particular order despite the arrangement of the vintages and varieties, establishing a casual atmosphere that encouraged attendees to socialize and discuss the wine, rather than move mechanically through the tasting.
Guests included a variety of people from the Walla Walla area and beyond, including friends and family of the Reiningers, industry colleagues, media personnel, etc., many of whom played, and continue to play, essential roles in service to the winery and to the Reiningers.
You don’t need to hear it through the grapevine to know that the only thing better than discussing wine is drinking wine, and you don’t have to drive all the way down to Walla Walla to try Reininger’s wine.
Located at 824 W. Sprague Ave in Downtown Spokane is the Helix Tasting Room. There guests can sample a selection of Reininger-produced wines. The tasting room featuring varieties from all over the Columbia Valley, including the usual enological suspects such as Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as a few surprise guests such as Viognier and Petit Verdot.
The tasting room also offers exclusive access to limited and library release wines through the Helix and Reininger Wine Clubs, giving members the opportunity to enjoy winemaker select wines every March, May, October, and December with discounts.
For more information visit reiningerwinery.com
