Who Is This Guy?

I first noticed that Scott Greer was a remarkable individual when I was standing outside the gates of Chateau Margaux. I was there on a warm spring day in 2012 along with a group of some 20 wine tourists including Scott and his wife, Karen.

This was the first day of our pilgrimage to the First Growths and other spectacular chateaux in Bordeaux. The tour was offered by Fine Vintage Ltd. and was led by the encyclopedic James Lawther and connoisseur, James Cluer, both Masters of Wine. Chateau Margaux was to be followed that day by Chateau Pichon Lalande and Chateau Lafite Rothschild. Our excited group held on to its last shred of collective dignity by calmly exiting the bus and feigning a casual stroll to the gate of the chateaux, each one of us inwardly ready to jettison decorum and sprint in a race for the tasting room. We clustered about the entrance waiting for our appointed guide, when I glanced back along the parade length drive flanked by vineyards to either side. There, deep amongst the vines and stooping to touch the earth, was Scott. He rubbed the soil between his palms, sniffed the air, and caressed the trellised vines. Tasting would wait, this was a man on a quest.

The exercise repeated itself throughout the next few days. Our eager crew would almost race to the door of each chateau, seduced by the sirens’ calls of the classified growths. Only our Odysseus, Scott, bound himself with the vines, walking directly into each vineyard to examine the ancient rootstock, the rows of near perfect cultivation, and the feel of the gravelly soil. It was clear that he heard a different song than did we. Upon reflection, I’d hazard that it was not so much a song as mantra. A relentless chant that commanded him to the making of the best wine that he could possibly craft. And what wine it is.

And You Thought It Was Easy

Scott Greer is the owner of, and head winemaker at, Sheridan Vineyard in Yakima, Washington. He is the focused force behind what are some of the State’s best wines. Scott’s quest began in 1997 when he located a 76 acre parcel of hilltop land in the Yakima Valley. Leaving behind the safe shore of a career in finance, he cleared and planted 10 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah the following year. He did this by hand. If you’ve been to Yakima, you’ll appreciate the arduous task that exercise presented. It takes a single minded and dare I say, obstinate man to stay that course. It’s also worth noting that his journey wasn’t without difficulties once the vines were planted. But this quiet, meticulous, and yes, obsessed winemaker, persevered with the result that today, his wines routinely receive critical acclaim. It’s a tribute to Scott that he generally ignores the accolades and believes he can do better.

Behind Every Great Winemaker…

I was very fortunate to attend a tasting of Sheridan’s wines in late October 2014 in Woodinville, Washington. Our guide for this event was Karen Greer – definitely the “yin” to Scott’s “yang”. Karen is unabashedly and rightfully proud of Sheridan’s wines and her enthusiasm is captivating.

Karen presented the following wines:

Crossfork Creek 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon

This is Sheridan’s “secondary label”. Having such a label gives Scott Greer a chance to “play” a bit with his craft. Admittedly not in the same league as Sheridan’s primary first tier wines, there is still plenty of fruit here with both freshness and balance. A real value. ($25 US)

Sheridan Vineyard 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon

A step up – supple and full with a lovely mouth filling texture. A classic Cabernet Sauvignon bouquet and palate coupled with smooth tannins. Yes, the cost is higher than the Crossfork Creek, but this wine still represents excellent value. I can’t recall the last time I experienced a finish of this length at this price point.
($25 US)

Sheridan Vineyard 2012 Mystique

50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon all come together in what was our tasting group’s favourite of the day. Dense, full, this one successfully walks the “too much” tightrope maintaining great balance and freshness. ($30 US)

Sheridan Vineyard 2011 L’Orage

“L’Orage” means ‘the storm’ in French. This wine came into being as an accident. In the early years of production, a storm took out a huge percentage of the crop at Sheridan leaving only a small amount of the two Cabernets. Necessity was the mother of invention forcing a blend of the surviving fruit as the only option. The end result was so good that Sheridan decided to continue with this wine. ($50 US)

75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cabernet Franc aged in 50% new oak for 2 years. This wine was my personal favourite of the day although one that is still a little tightly wound. It should really come into its own in a few years. Full and weighty – just a wonderful expression of Sheridan’s goal of producing rich yet balanced wines.