L'Ecole No 41 Semillon 2023

Refreshing and richly textured, this expressive Semillon shows vibrant melon, peach, Granny Smith apple, and fragrant honeysuckle set against a ginger and key lime character. On the palate, it is supple and energetic, replete with pear and stone fruit flavors, persisting to a balanced, crisp finish.

VINEYARDS:
Stillwater Creek, Rosebud, Lodmell, XL

• A cool spring was followed by a warm, dry summer that set the conditions for a manageable growing season; after a hot August, cooler temperatures in September resulted in lower yields, but a vintage characterized by high quality, rich fruit and outstanding concentration and balance.
• Overall yields were down compared to the bumper crop of 2022. This decline was partly due to the effects of several winter freezes.
• The cold winter and spring delayed budburst by two weeks, but a record warm May accelerated canopy growth, with flowering on a normal schedule and relatively little disease pressure.
• A warm summer with low rainfall accelerated fruit ripening. A short heat wave in August reduced yields and caused fruit shrinkage in some well-developed varieties such as Syrah.
• September was cool, with long hang time and ideal conditions for late-ripening varieties, resulting in a fast-paced harvest. The low yields resulted in wines of outstanding quality, with a perfect balance of color, fruit, acidity, and phenolic structure.

• 40 years of meticulous vineyard management and winemaking experience are the foundation of our quality and reputation for excellence.
• The grapes were harvested in the early morning hours and promptly delivered to the winery for whole cluster pressing, with measures taken to retain fruit aromatics.
• Juice was settled overnight and racked to French oak barrels, mostly neutral, for a slow, cool fermentation. The wine underwent 50% malolactic fermentation and periodical lees stirring to contribute to the weight and complexity of the wine.
• Before bottling, the wine underwent gentle fining and filtering.

L’Ecole N° 41 is a third-generation family-owned, artisan winery located in the historic Frenchtown School depicted on our label.  Founded in 1983, we were the third winery established in the Walla Walla Valley.  We have become one of the most prominent and visible Walla Walla Valley wineries with national and international distribution.

L’Ecole is one of the most honored wineries in Washington State and has garnered national and international accolades over the years for producing superior-quality wines.  We are proud to be recognized by Wine & Spirits Magazine as a Top 100 Winery of the Year seventeen times.  In 2014, Decanter awarded our 2011 Estate Ferguson the International Trophy for Best Bordeaux Blend in the World!  In 2016, the 2013 Ferguson won the International Trophy for Best New World Bordeaux Blend from the Six Nations Wine Challenge.