Buty Winery

The story goes that Frank Buty gave his future son-in-law, Caleb Foster, this warning: “Any man who marries one of my ‘beauties’ will become the beast.” The beauty Frank was referring to was one of his three daughters, Nina Buty, but fortunately for everyone involved, Nina and Caleb didn’t heed her dad’s admonition. And behold, their marriage begot Buty Winery.

The winery wasn’t born of a whim, however. Before launching Buty Winery in 2000, winemaker Caleb Foster cut his teeth as an apprentice at Woodward Canyon Winery, working for Rick Small; did a stint at Mount Baker Winery; and spent time overseas in New Zealand and South Africa, where he cultivated his predilection for blends. During this period, Caleb and Nina fine-tuned their own style of winemaking and eventually opened their winery on a shoestring budget, using borrowed equipment and acquiring friendly grape contracts.

Then, a loyal fan base grew, which translated into quick sales. This success occurred despite a relatively high price tag for some of their wines ($55 for a bottle of their Buty “Rediviva of the Stones” 2007) and the fact that a large chunk of their sales took place exclusively at the tasting room. With Buty’s total production at approximately 3,500 cases, don’t be surprised to see the words “sold out” associated with some of their releases.

Well aware that great wine starts in the vineyard, Caleb and Nina collaborate with a who’s who of well-known growers, including Champoux, Lonesome Spring Ranch, Conner Lee, and Phinney Hill. However, in 2006 they realized a long-held dream of owning a 10-acre plot in the prized cobblestone-populated land located on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. The singular goal for this vineyard — planted in syrah, Mourvèdre, grenache, cabernet sauvignon, Marsanne, and roussanne — is to grow fruit for the production of their prized “Rediviva of the Stones” red blend.

Buty’s portfolio includes chardonnay, red and white Bordeaux blends, and the aforementioned southern Rhône blend (“Rediviva”). Their bottles bear the distinctive “buty mark” logo on the label — a clever touch. Along with the Buty label, the couple now has a second — dubbed Beast — which offers wallet-friendlier prices yet delivers stunning fruit-forward flavors. As I sampled their delectable Beast-labeled “Rosé of the Stones,” it hit me that Nina’s dad’s prophecy did come true — Buty and the Beast had a fairytale ending.

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  Order the book!

  Buty Winery was featured in WineTrails of Walla Walla as part of the Walla Walla Airport WineTrail on page 488!

• 

  Order the book!

  Buty Winery was featured in WineTrails of Washington as part of the Walla Walla Airport WineTrail on page 488!