Madrona Bay 2022 Iteration GSM, Yakima Valley, USA

The Moment

Some Rhône blends are built around weight.
Others are built around movement.

The 2022 Madrona Bay Iteration GSM is the kind of wine that shows why this family of blends has stayed so compelling — fruit, herbs, spice, structure, and freshness all moving together at once. James and Pearce Stickney describe cranberry, cherry, and pomegranate layered with sage and thyme, while the palate brings those same herbal notes into conversation with grapefruit and plum. The result is a red that feels vivid, savory, and a little more alive than its rounded body first suggests.

This is Yakima Valley Rhône-inspired wine with real shape. The blend of 41% Syrah, 33% Grenache, and 26% Mourvèdre gives it both lift and grounding, while the cellar work — 50% whole cluster fermentation, 20 days on skins co-fermented, and 30 months aged on lees in neutral and once-used barriques — adds a lot of the detail that makes this wine linger. It is not just fruit-forward. It is layered, herbal, and built to keep unfolding through dinner.

What It Feels Like

Think roasted meat, candlelight, a table settling in for the night, and a bottle that keeps shifting every time you come back to it.

What makes this wine work is the balance between freshness and savoriness. The cranberry and cherry keep it lifted, the plum gives it a little breadth, and the sage, thyme, and grapefruit note bring a more unusual kind of energy. The acidity is quenching, the tannins are fine-grained, and the whole thing feels rounded without ever getting heavy. It is the kind of red that feels composed, but never static.

In the Glass

Aromatics
Cranberry, cherry, pomegranate, sage, and thyme with a lifted Rhône-style herbal edge.

Palate
Red fruit, plum, and grapefruit woven through with savory herbs and a fresh, lightly spiced core.

Texture
Rounded through the middle, but energized by quenching acidity and fine-grained tannins.

Finish
Lingering, savory, and quietly vibrant, with fruit, herbs, and spice carrying through the close.

Why We Love This Bottle

A Rhône Blend With Real Lift
This is not a heavy, broad GSM. The acidity and herbal detail keep it moving, which makes it much more interesting at the table.

Herbs And Red Fruit In Balance
Cranberry, cherry, and pomegranate give the wine brightness, while sage, thyme, and spice make it feel more grounded and complete.

Tiny Production, Long Elevage
At just 45 cases produced and with 30 months on lees, this feels like a very intentional bottle — the kind of wine that was given time to become itself.

Pair It With

• Lamb
• Grilled sausages
• Roast chicken with herbs
• Mushroom dishes
• Charcuterie

These are my pairing recommendations based on the wine’s red-fruited, herbal, spice-driven profile, rounded body, and fresh acidity.

Technical Notes

Producer: Madrona Bay
Cuvée: Iteration GSM
Region: Yakima Valley, Washington, USA
Vineyard: Knox Road Vineyard (formerly Les Vignes Le Tendre)
Grapes: 41% Syrah, 33% Grenache, 26% Mourvèdre
Alcohol: 14.3% ABV
Residual Sugar: None
Production: 45 cases
Yield: 3.3 tons per acre

Vineyard Notes
Knox Road Vineyard sits at the far east end of Yakima Valley AVA, five miles west of Red Mountain on Knox Road in Benton City. The site ranges from 850 feet to 775 feet in elevation and includes registered vineyard block status for certified clean plant material.

Winemaking
50% whole cluster fermentation, 20 days on skins co-fermented, Syrah yeast, aged in 50% neutral oak barriques and 50% once-used barriques for 30 months on lees.

Body: Medium
Structure: Quenching acidity · rounded body · fine-grained tannins · lingering finish

Flavor Profile
Cranberry · Cherry · Pomegranate · Sage · Thyme · Grapefruit · Plum

Drink Window
Now–2030