Explorers Club
October 2026

2022 Kiona Lemberger “Red Mountain”

It is hard to believe in 2026, but the reason this grape exists in Washington State at all is because John Williams and his then-partner Jim Holmes had no idea what would grow or sell in the region back in 1972. In those days, Cabernet Sauvignon was not seen as the most important variety in the state; it was actually Riesling. This was based on the logic that Washington State shares a relatively similar latitude to Germany. Consistent with that idea, they also planted red grapes from Germany and central Europe, as the growing conditions for Blaufränkisch were deemed most similar to those of Red Mountain. This variety is also known as Lemberger, and the terms are used interchangeably depending on the winery. Since this winery uses the name Lemberger, we will stick with it for this write-up.

The origin of Lemberger dates back to the 1850s when it first appeared in records from Austria. For years, the belief was that the grape was carried to Austria from the Franconia region of Germany. However, DNA evidence now refutes that idea, suggesting it likely originated from a vineyard area between Dalmatia on the coast of Croatia and the eastern vineyards of Austria. The early pioneers of Washington wines believed it might work here because the variety thrives in warm, dry climates. Washington State not only has plenty of warmth during the growing season but also over 1,000 more hours of sunlight compared to Napa vineyards due to its high latitude. This helps push the darkly colored and tannic Lemberger to full ripeness. Most winemakers emphasize the great fruit of Lemberger over the tannins, as you will see with our example.

When John Williams planted the first vineyards in 1975, he started with a little less than two acres of Lemberger. They bottled the first example in the U.S. with the 1980 vintage. Shortly after, they also began selling Lemberger grapes to Hogue, who made the wine a piece of their national campaign. This helped launch the variety, and Kiona’s plantings of the grape grew to 13 acres. Unfortunately, the Hogue family sold the winery to Vincor in 2001, which was then purchased by Constellation in 2005. With the acquisition, Constellation became the largest wine company in the world and did not see value in a small Lemberger project at Hogue, so they discontinued the wine. At that point, John’s son Scott was running the show and decided to use the grapes to create a wine named after his wife called Vivacious Vicky. The label depicted a cartoon woman dancing barefoot in a vat of grapes, reminiscent of Lucille Ball. That wine was quite popular for a few years, until Scott and Vicky’s son, J.J., took the reins. He halted that project and adopted a more serious approach to their Lemberger, focusing on the fact that the vines are old and all estate-grown.
The 2022 growing season in Washington State was cooler than normal, which turned out to be ideal for the Lemberger variety. All of the grapes are hand-harvested and fermented in stainless steel to preserve freshness. The wine is then aged for a year in older barrels before bottling. One reason I love the Williams family is that they hold their wines back for a couple of years until release, allowing them to harmonize.

When you open this wine, let it breathe for 15 minutes in a decanter. Due to the cooler 2022 vintage, this wine shows more red fruit than usual, with notes of cherry fruit leather, raspberry, bitter orange, cinnamon, and Szechwan pepper. On the palate, it displays surprising weight, with a savory, leathery quality that frames the fruit in the finish. Serve this with a wide range of foods, from salmon to ham.

2021 Kiona Estates Cuvée

Despite the fact that Kiona Vineyards farms 272 acres of vines and sells grapes to more than 60 wineries, they also buy a small amount of fruit. For years, the family has crafted their Estates Cuvée to showcase the quality of their estate-grown grapes at an affordable price. However, in some years, they feel that it is better with additions from neighbors. Hence the name “Estate’s Cuvée,” indicating that it is not exclusively their estate. In this wine, only a small percentage of the blend comes from outside sources.

For lack of a better term, I always call this the Kiona “kitchen sink” blend, as you can tell by the makeup. The 2021 is produced from 29% Malbec, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Syrah, 9% Lemberger, 4% Zinfandel, 4% Merlot, 3% Grenache, 3% Petit Verdot, 3% Mourvèdre, 3% Sangiovese, and 1% each of Carmenère and Cabernet Franc. Whew! The wine is blended after fermentation and then aged in second-pass French oak barrels for 24 months. Like the Lemberger, they also hold the wine back for two more years in the bottle before release to allow the flavors to meld.

Decant this wine for half an hour before serving, then strap in! The nose explodes from the glass with rich, dark notes of maduro cigar wrapper, Luxardo cherry, black raspberry preserves, black olive, allspice, and black peppercorn. On the palate, this ample wine shows a core of deep fruit framed by firm oak tannins and a surprisingly structured finish. This wine has always punched above its weight class for the price, and the 2021 is no exception. Drink between 2026 and 2030 with steaks, pot roast, or lamb.