XSV Winery

Unedited

OK I must admit it; I’ve actually never tasted the wines of XSV Winery. Truth is I’ve been to their Woodinville Warehouse District winery location on many occasions only to be disappointed with the “Closed” sign greeting me. I realize that I just need to call owner/winemaker Michael LeMieux and set up an appointment to meet and greet but alas I just haven’t found the time. I keep hoping that XSV Winery will be open.

Now here’s where I’d shamelessly turn to Facebook, Twitter or YouTube for more information about XSV that I did only to be disappointed with scant information. In other words, nada, zilch, nothing. This stealth-like winery makes me even more intrigued to discover more about XSV. All we know is that the winery began in 2000 and that they produce chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon. I suppose that if you had to produce a couple wines, those are two nice wines to make. Smart.

However, if I did have the pleasure of meeting Michael, I would surely ask him about the winery’s name. More specifically, just what does XSV stand for? I understand that these our estate wines from his 50-year old vineyard in the Columbia Valley, which is extraordinary by itself because that would mean the vines, sprouted in the 1960s. That’s rarified air in Washington with few vineyards planted that far back. It makes me wonder if Michael’s ancestors knew Dr. Walter Clore – the so-called father of the Washington wine industry.