Tertulia Cellars

Tertulia — a word of Spanish origin describing a social gathering with literary or artistic overtones, especially in Iberia or Latin America.— Wikipedia.com

Stevie Johnson, sales and marketing director for Tertulia Cellars, pointed to its new wine label and asked, “What do you think?“ My eyes focused on the prominent circle of children holding hands, and I was happy to see Tertulia’s signature "circle of friends" logo still on the label. The illustration symbolizes a friendly gathering reminiscent of a neighborhood block party involving potluck food and lots to drink. The fact that the boys have two legs each and the girls have only one apiece adds to the quirky charm of the label.

Jim O’Connell, the Arizona-based owner of Tertulia Cellars, envisioned the creation of a winery that serves as a place of “social gathering of friends” — and that vision is realized in this architecturally pleasing space (which includes state-of-the-art winemaking equipment, including an indoor crush pad). The facility and tasting room are downright beautiful, and the Mediterranean orange and red colors only add to the venue’s warmth. Moreover, although it was winter during my visit, I could easily imagine the outdoor patio filled with folks enjoying a summer evening, complete with good food, background music, and Tertulia Cellars wine to enjoy.

The dazzling wines I sampled during my visit are of a decided southern Rhône persuasion, with viognier, syrah, grenache, and Mourvèdre varietals on offer. The harmonious, full-bodied Les Collines syrah (I relish that midpalate taste explosion followed by a long finish) had me reading the label’s fine print to appreciate this wine’s pedigree. But there are also wonderfully rich Bordeaux varietals, including a sumptuous cabernet sauvignon. This wine would be perfect paired right away with that evening’s whisky burgers or left to age for years in your basement cellar.

New winemaker Quentin Mylet has the enviable challenge of producing more than 4,000 cases of wine per year for the growing number of Tertulia Cellars’ fans. Armed with an enology and viticulture degree from nearby Walla Walla Community College (he was the recipient of the Leonetti, the Dr. Walter J. Clore and the John Farmer scholarships), Quentin is expected to rely more on Tertulia Cellars’ estate fruit to craft an increasing mix of Rhône-style wines. I’m sure that to celebrate the release of his wines, there will be a gathering each spring in Walla Walla, complete with laughter, food, and wine — a tertulia in the truest sense.