Prosser’s Newest Tasting Room!

On Friday, November 5th, I decided to visit Prosser’s newest wine tasting establishment.  Today was opening day for Narratif & NW Wine Collaborative’s new home!  Days before, I received an invitation to attend a “soft” opening of my friend’s latest venture.  AWC never turns down an invitation to taste wine!  So I decided to make the drive to Prosser and support one of my favorite winemakers – J.J. Compeau.  As it turned out, AWC became the first visiting and paying customer at his new tasting room!

Driving on I-82, take exit 82 to the Port of Benton Wine and Food Park.  The tasting room is located at 2880 Lee Road, Suite A, in Prosser, Washington.  If you haven’t met JJ, you need to introduce yourself.  He brings an array of talents, loads of energy and unbridled passion to the world of wine.  Based on first hand experience – I can tell you it is contagious for sure!  The tasting room is filled with stunning photography, vibrant colors and ultra comfortable seating options.  Now, let me tell you about the wines…

The Narratif Winemaker – JJ Compeau

I met JJ a handful of years ago at a Walter Clore Wine event known as “Rising Stars”.  At the time, he was pouring both Narratif (his personal label) and NW Wine Collaborative wines.  From that point on, Mr. Compeau was on my radar.  His NW Wine Collaborative produces delicious wines crafted by JJ in concert with great local winemakers.  Most recently, this included Hightower and WIT Cellars.  JJ is a winemaker and tasting room owner, but he’s also a wine historian.  His appreciation and knowledge of viticulture and enology are key to his dedication to terroir-driven wines.

JJ’s wine making philosophy is centered around choosing optimal fruit from high-end vineyards.  Vineyards like Red Willow and Dubrul.  In turn, his wines express terroir-based attributes that are distinctive and beautifully balanced.  Once you taste his wines, you’ll know exactly what I mean!  AWC is truly excited to see JJ bring his wines to the forefront of the Northwest wine industry.

Savour and NWWC Wines

Seated at the wine bar, I received lots of one-on-one attention throughout my tasting.  The line-up of wines included a Rosé, and three red blends.  The 2020 “Savour” Rosé was sourced from the Columbia Valley AVA.  This Rosé is considered part of his “Pairing Series” line of wines. With aromas of flowers and raspberries, this wine came in at 12.2% abv.  On the palate it offered crisp summer-time fruit with subtle citrus and notes of melon and cranberry.  Crafted from Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre varietals, it was smooth and enjoyable.

The 2018 NW Wine Collaborative “Collaboration Red” was next.  It was a blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.  This young and vibrant red wine packed a punch.  It offered flavors of dark and purple fruit, hints of herbs and lots of spice (pepper) on the finish.

Narratif Wines

The next two wines were absolutely my favorites of the day.  Both were Narratif wines.  Both were Right Bank (Merlot-dominant) Bordeaux style blends.  The 2018 red blend was sourced from Red Willow Vineyard in the Yakima Valley AVA.  With a medium-to-deep ruby color, pronounced aromas included spice and blackberries.  On the palate, I noted baked dark fruit mixed with delicious red fruit.  Notes of oak and vanilla bathed the back of the palate on the finish.

The 2017 red blend was sourced from Dubrul Vineyard in the Rattlesnake Hills AVA. While the color was nearly identical to the 2018, the aromas were slightly more subtle. I noted hints of wood, vanilla and cherries. On the palate, from the very start there was a distinct elegance and silkiness to the mouthfeel.  I noted nicely balanced nuances of red fruit, sweet blueberries and baked dark fruit on the front and mid palate. The body of this wine was opulent with round tannins.  On the back of the palate I tasted hints of oak and vanilla with a long, velvety finish.  I absolutely fell in love with this wine!

The Finale

My conclusion?  JJ’s winemaking skills kick ass!  What resonated with me most, was how delicious every wine tasted.  Coupled with the fact that JJ is a truly genuine and humble wine expert, my experience was outstanding.  Another huge factor is related to QPR.  Quality-to-price ratio.

Rest assured, when you purchase wine from Narratif and NW Wine Collaborative, the QPR is through the roof!  In other words, you are getting very high quality wine for a very reasonable price.  The Savour Rosé retails at $20 per bottle.  The 2018 NWWC Collaboration Red retails at $28 per bottle.  And both the 2017 and 2018 Narratif red blends have a retail price of $40 per bottle.  You will be hard pressed to find a better QPR anywhere!

The 2017 Narratif red blend was so delicious, I ended up walking away with 7 bottles.  I also threw in a bottle of the 2018 Narratif red blend so I could do a side-by-side bottle tasting with friends.  I am very grateful to J.J. Compeau for extending me the invitation to his soft opening.  And I’m truly excited to help support his new tasting room.  I’m certain there are many positive changes coming as the Narratif and NWWC tasting room evolves.  Thanks again JJ for the awesome wine experience!  I really look forward to my next visit.  Cheers from AWC!