Perennial Vintners
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This page lists our "library" wines. We may still have a few in our library saved for special events, but otherwise these are the wines wines we've sold out of. We are happy to keep the notes online for those who may still have a bottle or two of these older releases hiding in their collection.

We will try to update this page occasionally to let you know how they're aging, and to let you know if a particular wine is approaching it's peak so you'll have time to enjoy it at it's best.

Our current releases are available Our wines page.

If you're interested in our future plans (plantings, etc.) please see our Possible future wines page.

  • Müller Thurgau 2005
    Released: Mar-2007, Sold out: Nov-2007, Quantity: 59 cases, Retail price $14.00
    Current notes: (Jan-2008) Is drinking very nicely now, though the nose has tamed down slightly. Enjoy by this summer.
    Original notes: We maintain a half-acre of grapes originally planted in 1981 by our neighbor Bainbridge Island Vineyards & Winery. From this block we are producing delicate floral wine in a clean (un-oaked) bone dry (swiss) style.
    Original tasting notes: An outstanding wine for matching with seafood.
  • Müller Thurgau 2006
    Released: Nov-2007, Sold out: Jan-2009, Quantity: 58 cases, Retail price $16.00
    Current notes: (Jan-2009) Is drinking well now, though the fruitiness has settled down and a more steadfast strength has come up on the tongue. It's wonderful to compare this side-to-side with the 2007 release. Overall, it has past it's prime -- enjoy by this summer.

    Original notes: Our family hand maintains a half acre block of vines originally planted in 1981 by our neighbors at Bainbridge Island Vineyard & Winery. From this block we've harvested about a ton of grapes, yielding 58 cases of wine.

    The vineyard being in the Puget Sound American Viticultural Area (AVA) means we get all the benefits of the maritime-influenced cool climate growing area as well as the extended length days of our more northerly latitude. What all this leads to is the most fragrant and aromatic wines imaginable...

    We brought in the 2006 harvest with excellent numbers and clean bright flavors. It is a dry white wine, and is an excellent accompaniment to most fish and other seafoods; it especially shines with Mike's specialty Dill-Caper Chicken. This wine was not intended to be aged -- please enjoy it young, while its fresh fruit aromatics are at their peak.

    Original tasting notes: This is a German cool climate wine, which are typically light, fruity, and lower in alcohol. Perennial Vintners wine is made in a dry style, with crisp acidity and overtones of peaches, apricots and pineapple. It was fermented entirely in stainless steel, and aged partially in neutral barrels to enhance complexity. An outstanding wine for matching with seafood.


  • Müller Thurgau 2010           sold out
    We maintain a half-acre of grapes originally planted in 1980 by our neighbor Bainbridge Island Vineyards & Winery. From this block we are producing delicate floral wine in a clean (un-oaked) dry (swiss) style.

    Tasting notes: This is a German cool climate wine, which are typically light, fruity, and lower in alcohol. Perennial Vintners wine is made in a dry style, with crisp acidity and overtones of green apples and pineapple. It was fermented entirely in stainless steel, and aged partially in neutral barrels to enhance complexity. An outstanding wine for matching with seafood.

    Details: 80 cases produced; released Jun-2012.

    Note that we did not get a 2010 or 2011 harvest due to poor weather throughout the growing season.

    Note that 2012 and 2013 were tiny harvests and instead were used in the Isletage blend (see below).

  • Ichigo (2008)
    Released: 22-Nov-2008, Sold out: Mar-2008?, Quantity: 14 cases (500ml btls), Retail price $22.00
    Current notes: (Oct-2009) Has added some complexity, but there's not enough fruit left -- if you have any, best to open it up.
    [update: Autumn 2014] Just opened a bottle of the Ichigo Lot 2 2008 with Thanksgiving dinner dessert. I was amazed to find it's still quite wonderful! Not as bright/fresh/fruity as originally, but still very nice. I've been pouring the rest of this bottle in the tasting room this last week and everyone has wanted to buy it... If you've got one of these, open it up and enjoy it now!

    Original notes: (Pronounced eech-ee-go.) We've done something entirely new to us and created a strawberry liqueur. Made from 100% Bainbridge Island strawberries, with grape neutral spirits added, this is a fine after-dinner digestif. A close friend suggests having Ichigo as a "great way to finish up a backyard bbq with friends".

    Original tasting notes: Amazing strawberry scents in the nose, great "legs" in the glass. This wine is 19% alcohol, so be sure to sip it lightly to enjoy it to the fullest. Please note that this new lot of wine is quite different than the original 2008 release -- like our Frambelle, this lot is all about the simple fresh fruit aromas and flavors.

  • Frambelle (2008)
    Released: 12-Feb-2009, Sold out: Apr-2009?, Quantity: 11 cases (500ml btls), Retail price $24.00
    Current notes: (Oct-2009) Just plain wonderful! The fruit has subdued slightly, but a slight softening has made it even nicer.
    Original notes: When we took the plunge to try our hand at making our first port-style wine (Ichigo), we really dove in, and also made a raspberry liqueur. Made from 100% Bainbridge Island raspberries and grape neutral spirits, this is a fine after-dinner digestif. You'll immediately be looking for the dark chocolate bar to go with it!

    Original tasting notes: You're greeted with stunning fresh raspberry aromas, and on the tongue a touch of sweetness with just enough acid to keep it from being a cloying pancake syrup. This wine is 19% alcohol, so be sure to sip it lightly to enjoy it to the fullest.

    [Added somewhat later] Although it may sound sacreligous, this wine can also be layered carefully into a narrow cordial glass with a Limoncello. If poured gently, the two liquers will each maintain their own level for seperate red and yellow layers -- delicious! (See our recipes page for details.)

  • Ichigo Lot 2 (2008)
    Released: Apr-2008?, Sold out: May-2008?, Quantity: 19 cases(500ml btls), Retail price $22.00
    Current notes: (Oct-2008) Softened up a bit, but still enough acidity to give it a good mouthfeel -- overall drinking quite well now.
    Original notes: (Pronounced eech-e-go.) We've done something entirely new to us and created a strawberry liqueur. Made from 100% Bainbridge Island strawberries, with grape neutral spirits added, this is a fine after-dinner digestif. A close friend suggests having Ichigo as a "great way to finish up a backyard bbq with friends".

    Original tasting notes: Amazing strawberry scents in the nose, great "legs" in the glass. This wine is 19% alcohol, so be sure to sip it lightly to enjoy it to the fullest. Please note that this new lot of wine is quite different than the original 2008 release -- like our Frambelle, this lot is all about the simple fresh fruit aromas and flavors.


Madeleine Angevine 2009           sold out
As of 2007 we have been working with a previously neglected block of Madeleine Angevine grapes at our neighbors (BIVW). With a great deal of "TLC" (meaning a lot of Mike's time!), we have managed to restore these vines to good health. We make it as a lovely dry white wine with clean floral notes.

Tasting notes: This is a French cool climate wine, which are light, fruity, and lower in alcohol. This wine is wonderful as a sipping wine, though goes nicely with most any lighter fare. With delicate floral scents in the nose and a light touch on the tongue that you're sure to enjoy.

Details: 44 cases produced; released Nov-2010. Note that we did not get a 2010 or 2011 harvest due to poor weather throughout the growing season.


Madeleine Angevine 2011           sold out
Dry white table wine from the Puget Sound AVA. Note that this was not an estate wine, thus the white background label.

Tasting notes: Bright, fresh citrus flavors.

Details: 114 cases produced; released Aug-2012

Note that 2012 and 2013 were tiny harvests and instead were used in the Isletage blend (see below).


Melon de Bourgogne 2009    sold out
In 2004, Perennial Vintners took a huge gamble by planting the first Melon de Bourgogne grape vineyard in WA state. We felt that the growing area of this grape in France (near Nantes) was sufficiently similar to the cool climate Puget Sound AVA that it would do well here. From the 2008 harvest we have finally released the first wine proving our gamble was worthwhile.
Awarded Bronze medal by NW Wine Summit Apr-2010.

Tasting notes: This is a French cool climate wine, done "sur lies" meaning the wine is left on the fermentation lees for an extended amount of time. Like all cool climate wines, it is crisp and citrusy, and is lower in alcohol. Ours is made in a dry style, all stainless steel (no oak) for a clean fresh fruit nose and bright on the tongue. Throughout Europe this wine (known as Muscadet) is renowned as the wine for matching with seafood.

Details: 64 cases produced

Note that 2010 and 2011 were poor growing years, with no harvest of MdB.

[update Spring 2016] MdB 13; 21 cases, released May-2015.
[update Spring 2016] MdB 14; 187 cases, released Nov-2015.
[update 22-Apr-2020] Opened a bottle of this release. Classic aged wine note of caramel - a bit surpising for a white wine. Overall still worth drinking, but definitely past it's prime. Interestingly, was more enjoyable at closer to room temp.

Melon de Bourgogne 2012
Melon de Bourgogne 2013
Melon de Bourgogne 2014
Melon de Bourgogne 2017
Melon de Bourgogne 2018
Melon de Bourgogne 2019
Melon de Bourgogne 2020


Siegerrebe
Siegerrebe 2014
Siegerrebe 2016
Siegerrebe 2018
Siegerrebe 2019


Isletage 2012           sold out
Although 2013 was a warmer growing year, we had a very small fruit set. Instead of having tiny lots of individual wines, we came up with a blend of all three of our Estate grown wines, Madeleine Angevine (25%), Siegerrebe (25%) and Müller Thurgau (50%).

Tasting notes:

Details: 46 cases produced; released Apr-2015.


Isletage 2013           sold out
Although 2013 was a warmer growing year, we had a very small fruit set. Instead of having tiny lots of individual wines, we came up with a blend of all three of our Estate grown wines, Madeleine Angevine (25%), Siegerrebe (25%) and Müller Thurgau (50%).

Tasting notes:

Details: 46 cases produced; released Apr-2015.


Ichigo Strawberry Dessert Wine    sold out
Due to the poor growing season in the Puget Sound area, strawberries were not available from the Suyematsu Farm in 2010 or 2011. We're sorry that we have been unable to make the Ichigo wine again.


Magelica 2010          sold out
The 2010 growing season in the Puget Sound AVA was exceptionally cool. This led to an overwhelming Botrytis spread, which is disastrous for a dry wine. However, it makes for a fantastic dessert wine. Our Madeleine Angevine grapes have given us a tiny but magnificent Sauterne-like dessert wine. We've taken this one step further and made it in a port-style.

Tasting notes: Not super sweet (only 3%RS), and with the wonderful honey-like flavor that Botrytis imparts, this will remind you of a Sauterne wine, but without the typically almost overwhelming sweetness of a Sauterne. Will make a fantastic dessert all by itself.

Details: 26 cases produced (500mL bottles); released 28-Apr-2012


Rosé 2013          sold out
A lovely blush wine for summer sipping. Entirely dry, with a wonderful salmon color. 100% Cabernet Franc from the Yakima Valley AVA

Tasting notes: Dry wine with bright citrus flavors.

Details: 50 cases produced; released Jul-2014


Lemberger 2013          sold out
This wine is done like a Beaujolais-nouveau wine, without oak or aging. We want unencumbered bright fresh fruit flavors in true Perennial Vintners style. Grapes from Kiona Vineyards, Red Mountain AVA.

Tasting notes: Bright fresh berry flavors.

Details: 71 cases produced; released Jul-2014


Viognier 2011               sold out
Dry white table wine.

Tasting notes: Soft round smooth textures.

Details: 86 cases produced; released Aug-2012


Dry Orange Muscat 2011          sold out
Dry white table wine.

Tasting notes: Incredible floral nose, with bright fruit.

Details: 67 cases produced; released May-2013



2019 Rubrus


2019 Roseus

20180823 - MikeL - Thanks to the private collection of our executive chef, Andrew Macmillen, we got to taste several old vintages this weekend with our bottling party lunch:

  • MdB 2008 - still showing well, though a bit flat; good tartness still
  • Sieg 14 - rather light, still drinkable but certainly past it's peak due to lack of bright fresh fruit that's so much of the joy of Sieg
  • OM 11 - showing very well, still quite nice
  • Rose 13 - a tad bit fizzy, but lovely on the tongue because of it

20191203 - MikeL - A few older bottles found their way back to the winery a few weeks ago; they'd been sent for pouring to an event but weren't used:

  • MdB 2014 - Showing very well now, almost interchangable with our current release, the 2016

20200820 - MikeL - Just dug into a box of oddball bottles and found:

  • Lem 2015 - For a wine that was made with the intent of being enjoyed early-on, with bright fresh flavors, this 5 year old bottle could have been disappointing - it was absolutely wonderful! Showing bright fresh fruit with chocolate undertones and a touch of violets.
20211101 - MikeL - found an unmarked dessert bottle in the back of the fridge and decided to open it:
  • Magelica 2015 - Good thing it was in the fridge, as it gave off a fantastic mousse - bubbles as perfect as any sparkling wine. It still carries the flavors of the original dessert wine, though much more subtle and delicate. If you have one of these - drink it now, it's beyond fabulous! If you can't drink it ASAP, be sure to put it in the fridge as it could push it's cork.
20220628 - MikeL - pulled an early experimental Melon de Bourgogne from the library:
  • Melon de Bourgogne 2006 - this was one of only a few cases produced as our new vineyard was only two years old! Due to the extremely limited production, it was never available to the public - the label was a piece of blue masking type with sharpie writing!
    It showed slight oxidation, but plenty of good fruit remained. It had a really nice minerally background that I'm guessing came from the age as I'm not seeing it as much in more recent releases. It had notes of honeycomb, melon, Bosc pear, lime zest, and salt.
20220824 - MikeL - pulled an early experimental Melon de Bourgogne from the library:
  • A few weeks ago we opened a Melon de Bourgogne 2012 - this was one of our earliest commercial releases of MdB!
    Serena's comments: "oxidized, very dark color, bruised pear, overripe lemon, slight sherry-like character, a bit of marzipan, old flower vase water" - overall, not really very flattering. I didn't get the "flower vase water", I simply got the fruit characteristics and oxidation - we did finish the bottle with dinners the next few days. If you have one of these, open it soon, but have a backup bottle in case you don't care for where this one has gone.
20220910 - MikeL - pulled an early wine from the library:
  • Cabernet Sauvignon 1999: This was my 3rd vintage, and considering not only my inexperience and it's age, I'd have to give it high marks. It was past it's prime for sure, with dried fruit flavors, and not much tannin left, but overall quite respectable.
20221116 - MikeL - Needed to mention here, that we no longer produce Müller Thurgau, or Madeliene Angevine. We made these wines each year from blocks of grapes that we leased from our neighbors (BIVW). As of 2020 we returned use of these blocks back to BIVW.

20221126 - MikeL - Pulled an early PV wine from the library

  • Cabernet Franc 1999: Grapes from Stout Vineyards in Yakima Valley AVA.
    The wine was fairly cloudy and had a lot of crud at the bottom, and the agglomerated cork came out cleanly. It was very delicate, soft, and overall very nice. The fruit was still present, though somewhat muted.
20221207 - MikeL - Pulled an early PV wine from the library
  • Rubrus 1998: Grapes from Yakima Valley AVA.
    The wine was fairly cloudy and had a lot of crud at the bottom, and the agglomerated cork came out cleanly. Not a lot of varietal characteristics, just fabulous strawberry flavors, soft texture, and lovely. This was my second attempt at making wine, total amateur effort, and it's still showing well 20+ years later. I'll have to call that beginners luck!
20240425 - AndrewM
  • 2008 Sieg: definitely past it's prime, but a surprising amount of tart flavor, favoring the musky Gewurztraminer heritage over the lychee and spice, with even a touch of Sauternes notes. Fairly simple, not long on the palette.

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