A number of years ago, we stumbled into a little tasting room during our first visit to Walla Walla. This winery only had one Google review at the time, and we were absolutely blown away by the wines of Kendall Mix. When we opened Ora et Labora, we asked Kendall if we could carry his wines, and he was gracious enough to obtain a license from the OLCC. We’re currently the only bottle shop in Portland to carry his wine!
Here’s a bit of Kendall’s story: originally from Canada, Kendall’s parents Lawrence and Elinor (hence “Lawr-elin”) encouraged him to move to California to attend UC Davis’s school of oenology and viticulture. Kendall moved to Washington to make wine from Red Mountain AVA, but for a few reasons didn’t sell what he made for a decade, as he made juice for other wineries.
Here’s what makes Kendall’s red wines so unique: he cellars them for a decade before releasing them, and they are remarkably well priced. Each year, Kendall makes tiny quantities (mostly in 50-100 case allotments) of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon from the appellations surrounding Walla Walla, and relatively recently began crafting white and rosé wine.
We’re thrilled that Kendall is making a rare trip to Portland to pour his wines for us, and get ready for a lineup ranging the spectrum of Kendall’s styles, with a focus his aged Cab Sauv, Syrah, and Rhone-style GSM blend.