Not many couples get married and apply for a bonded winery license within the same year, but that’s precisely what Brian Grasso and Brandee Slosar did in 2011. Grasso had taken winemaking courses at South Seattle Community College several years earlier and then spent time refining his abilities working as a cellar hand at various Woodinville wineries like Baer, Darby, and Sparkman Cellars.
Brian and Brandee opened a tasting room in Seattle’s SoDo district in early 2015. The space is a creative combination of eclectic-garden meets industrial-living room, with spacious comfortable seating and a wall-sized mural created by Brandee. Grasso’s wine style emanates restraint in the oak department and the wines are not overly extracted—resulting in fruit forward, approachable and food-friendly wines.
Structure Cellars 2012 Foundation Merlot, $25
Editor’s Choice – Outstanding
The Foundation Merlot is a showstopper, displaying purity to the blend of predominantly Yakima Valley Merlot (94%) from Olsen Brothers Vineyard with a splash of Cabernet Franc (6%) from Stillwater Creek that adds delicate spice and a touch of bright top notes. Rich, pure and supple and loaded with silky tannins, the palate delivers dense flavors of cherry, red currant, cocoa powder, cedar bough and spice.
Alcohol: 15%
Structure Cellars 2012 Bauhaus Syrah, $28
Editor’s Choice – Excellent
A solid Syrah blended with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon (13%) and sourced entirely from the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. Swarthy, dark earthy flavors of leather, black cherry, dark plum, violet and dried herbs on a balancing beam of fresh acidity and silky tannins.
Alcohol: 14.6%
Website: www.structurewines.com