Captivated by the synergism of blending wines, renowned Washington veteran winemaker, wine consultant and winery designer Brian Carter structured Brian Carter Cellars as a boutique artisan winery in the spring of 2005, the first in Washington to focus exclusively on an array of hand-crafted European-style blended wines.  A Woodinville-area tasting room was opened in 2006. 

        Under his own label, Brian concentrates on his passion for wines of complexity, while showcasing the terroir of Washington.  From the Woodinville tasting room, Brian Carter Cellars shares with visitors the art and essence of making and blending great wines through its five core blended wines, including two Bordeaux-style blends, a Rhône-style blend, a Super Tuscan-style blend and a white blend. 

       More recently, Brian began creating an additional wine for his portfolio – Abracadabra.  Using the same carefully selected vineyard sources and French oak barrels as the rest of the Brian Carter Cellars wines, Brian brings the magic of spontaneity to this wine each year, following his whims for that vintage.  While the wine is different each year, it is constant as the best value in Brian Carter Cellars' portfolio.

      Two of Brian's blends are available exclusively to the winery's wine club members - Trentenaire and Corrida.  Trentenaire is French for 'of thirty years,' suggesting the long ageability of this unique Bordeaux-style blend.  What makes it distinct from other Bordeaux-style blends is the prominent use of Petit Verdot - the biggest little grape in Bordeaux.  Occasionally used in small quantities, Petit Verdot is almost never used as the core grape for blending, making this wine a bold statement of what Washington terroir is capable of producing.   Brian's Trentenaire also contains Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc.  Corrida - Spanish for bullfight - is a Spanish-style red blend modeled after the noble Tempranillo-based blends of Spain; the wine also contains Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache. 

      “This is a fantastic time to be part of Washington winemaking," says Carter.  "The next revolution in fine wine is in the increased interest in blended wines in this country.  We have an excellent selection of fruit available that allows a winemaker to produce extraordinary quality blended wines.  By handcrafting each particular blend, I am able to bring forth the inherent beauty of the fruit, the unique qualities of the terroir, and fulfill my vision of a superbly balanced wines.”
 

The Brian Carter Cellars Wine Collection
Tasting fees are $8.00 per person and is refundable with a minimum bottle purchase of $24.00.

Our Tuttorosso Super-Tuscan style blend salutes the maverick winemakers who broke with tradition to create a new category of wines from Tuscany with a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Close your eyes, put your nose to the glass - there is a hint of white truffles, wild ripe blackberries and dark chocolate. Take a sip and open your eyes to Tuttorosso!

2007 Tuttorosso

A super Tuscan style blend crafted from 71% Sangiovese, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Syrah. With aromas of white truffles, raspberries and floral notes, it's zesty finish makes it the perfect combination for tomato based dishes.

This 'Right-Bank' style blend is carefully crafted using Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot.  Richly dark in color the aroma brings forth boysenberry, cherry, cassis and cedar.  Mouth-filling flavors show well integrated tannins and a long finish. This wine is a great combination of lively fruit and serious complexity.  Serve with your favorite cut of red meat.

2006 Le Coursier
$25 per bottle  [Order Now]

This Bordeaux-style red blend is crafted from 39% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 8% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot. Richly dark in color the aroma brings forth boysenberry, cherry, cassis and cedar.

Byzance
(French - Luxurious)
Southern Rhone-Style Blend

The Byzance blend is carefully crafted from Syrah and Grenache, almost all from the Outlook vineyard located high on the Rosa slope in the central Yakima Valley. Almost black in color, the wine has aromas of blackberries, truffles and spice. Seductively balanced, the wine has well-integrated tannins as dark fruit and spice linger on the palate.

2007 Byzance
Columbia Valley - Washington
$30 per bottle  [Order Now]

Rhone-style blend of 51% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre, 2% Counoise and 2% Cinsault. Has flavors of dried cherries, rose petals, bay leaf, white pepper and clove spice. The wine has dark fruit and spice flavors which linger on the palate.

Corrida
Columbia Valley

Corrida is styled after the noble wines of Spain. The central ingredient of this wine is the Tempranillo grape, widely regarded as the most revered grape in Spain, only recently available in Washington.

2007 Corrida
Wine Enthusiast Rating:  93
$36 per bottle  [Order Now]
Wine Enthusiast Rating:  93

Crafted from 70% Tempranillo, 14% Merlot, 9% Garnacha & 7% Cab.

Solesce
(Latin - Sun and Essence)
Bordeaux -Style Blend

Solesce is our signature Bordeaux-style blend. It was meticulously crafted using lots of Cabernet Sauvignon (Artz Vineyard), Merlot (Solstice Vineyard), Petit Verdot (Stone Tree Vineyard), Cabernet Franc (Solstice Vineyard) and Malbec (Snipes Canyon Vineyard).

2005 Solesce
Columbia Valley
$58 per bottle  [Order Now]
Gold Medal - Seattle Wine Awards 2009
Wine Enthusiast Rating: 90;  Wine Advocate Rating:  90

Beautiful garnet hue, the wine has aromas of blackberries, cedar tar and earth. Smooth rich tannins and a long finish. Summer Wine Club. 

Oriana utilizes two grapes originally from the Rhone Valley of France. The core variety, Viognier, is  rich in aromas of peaches and apricots and Roussanne deepens the peach character and adds a hint of melons. The blend is finished with Riesling to add a touch of pears and apple blossoms.  This richly textured wine finishes with food-friendly acidity.

2007 Oriana
Columbia Valley Valley
$20 per bottle  [Order Now]
Wine Enthusiast Rating:  91;  Wine Advocate Rating:  89

The 2007 Oriana was handcrafted from 52% Viognier, 35% Roussanne, and 13% Riesling. A richly aromatic wine, full of tangerines, apricots, apple blossoms and mango. Crisp acidity and mouth filling fruit flavors.

2007 Abracadabra
Columbia Valley
$15 per bottle  [Order Now]
Wine Enthusiast Rating: 87;  Wine Advocate Rating:  88

Abracadabra uses the same great red varietals and aged in quality oak barrels used in Brian Carter Cellars wines. Cabernet Sauvignon 35%, Petit Verdot 17%, Cabernet Franc 14%, Syrah 12%, Sangiovese 11%, Malbec 5%, Grenache 3%, Mourvedre 3%.