Growing up just outside of Sacramento, California, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Charles Smith began craving worldly travel at a young age due to his Welsh mother and French father. His wine journey began working in restaurants, spending winters in Palm Springs and summers in Lake Tahoe or Napa Valley from the ages of nineteen to twenty-nine. This period of his life became a catalyst for his passion for wine. In 1989 Charles decided to move to Denmark (for a lady friend he met in the states). While in Scandinavia, Charles spent the next nine years managing rock bands and concert tours throughout Europe, including the famed Danish duo, The Raveonettes. Wining, dining and hard partying while on the road ultimately triggered the career he has today.
Located at the base of the Blue Mountains in Walla Walla (Washington State), Charles Smith opened his first winery, K Vintners, in December of 2001. The first release,1999 K Syrah from Walla Walla Valley, initiated the style of winemaking that Charles continues today: small lots of single vineyard Syrahs and field blends of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Tempranillo, and Viognier, all of which are hand-picked, fermented with naturally occurring yeasts and basket pressed.
In Walla Walla the unconventional Smith met a kindred iconoclast, a brash young Frenchman named Christophe Baron, whose vineyards, planted in 1997, were producing distinctive, personality-rich red wines under the Cayuse Vineyard label. He encouraged Smith to make wine in Walla Walla and even sold Smith grapes to help get K Vintners started. Syrah from Baron's Cailloux Vineyard made one of the 1999 wines that got Smith started.
Charles Smith remains as one of the biggest players in Washington wine. He is the only person to have received Winemaker of the Year distinctions by both Wine Enthusiast (2014) and Food and Wine (2009). In 2008, K Vintners was recognized by Wine and Spirits magazine as one of the "Best New Wineries of the Last Ten Years," and as "Winery of the Year" in their annual buying guide. His wines continue to receive broad recognition from leading wine publications such as Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, and Wine & Spirits with 98 scores of 95 points and above, and 386 scores of 90 points and above.
JEB DUNNUCK 95 POINTS - "This is what I call a stacked lineup from K Vintners, and the team of Charles Smith and Brennon Leighton continue to make brilliant wines. The lineup is broken up into multiple brands today, with K Vintners focusing primarily on Rhone varieties."
"Blackcurrants, sliced strawberries, cured meats, and dried herb notes all emerge from the 2017 Syrah The Beautiful Powerline Vineyard, and it shows a more seamless, elegant style that still carries considerable power and richness. Polished, nicely concentrated, and long, give it another 3-4 years if you can. This comes all from clone 470 of Syrah and was co-fermented with 3% Viognier."
Located at the base of the Blue Mountains in Walla Walla (Washington State), Charles Smith opened his first winery, K Vintners, in December of 2001. The first release,1999 K Syrah from Walla Walla Valley, initiated the style of winemaking that Charles continues today: small lots of single vineyard Syrahs and field blends of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Tempranillo, and Viognier, all of which are hand-picked, fermented with naturally occurring yeasts and basket pressed.
In Walla Walla the unconventional Smith met a kindred iconoclast, a brash young Frenchman named Christophe Baron, whose vineyards, planted in 1997, were producing distinctive, personality-rich red wines under the Cayuse Vineyard label. He encouraged Smith to make wine in Walla Walla and even sold Smith grapes to help get K Vintners started. Syrah from Baron's Cailloux Vineyard made one of the 1999 wines that got Smith started.
Charles Smith remains as one of the biggest players in Washington wine. He is the only person to have received Winemaker of the Year distinctions by both Wine Enthusiast (2014) and Food and Wine (2009). In 2008, K Vintners was recognized by Wine and Spirits magazine as one of the "Best New Wineries of the Last Ten Years," and as "Winery of the Year" in their annual buying guide. His wines continue to receive broad recognition from leading wine publications such as Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, and Wine & Spirits with 98 scores of 95 points and above, and 386 scores of 90 points and above.
JEB DUNNUCK 95 POINTS - "This is what I call a stacked lineup from K Vintners, and the team of Charles Smith and Brennon Leighton continue to make brilliant wines. The lineup is broken up into multiple brands today, with K Vintners focusing primarily on Rhone varieties."
"Blackcurrants, sliced strawberries, cured meats, and dried herb notes all emerge from the 2017 Syrah The Beautiful Powerline Vineyard, and it shows a more seamless, elegant style that still carries considerable power and richness. Polished, nicely concentrated, and long, give it another 3-4 years if you can. This comes all from clone 470 of Syrah and was co-fermented with 3% Viognier."
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