Wine Tasting – Esja Wines with Winemaker Tanya Bjornsson

For our next tasting event, we are thrilled to welcome Tanya Bjornsson, Owner and Winemaker at Esja Wines! On Tuesday, May 21 at 6 p.m., Tanya will pour five of her incredible wines to sample.

Tanya is a first generation American who found her focus in the wine industry in 2015. She worked for wineries in Oregon, New Zealand, and Washington before making her first wines in 2020. Born to Icelandic immigrants, working hard and drinking well is ingrained into her nature. At Esja Wines she strives to make minimally intervened Washington wine, that is funky, fresh, and fun. Tanya runs a tiny operation, producing only 700 cases each year.

Esja (pronounced Es-Ya) is a mountain range situated ten kilometers north of Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik. Nestled across the bay, Mount Esja overlooks the city providing peaceful and stunning views. Although she looks inviting, Esja is a force to be reckoned with. Her steep slopes and dramatic shifts in weather have proven to be severely treacherous. She is delicate, and powerful. Much like Tanya intends her wines to be.

TASTING LINEUP:

Dineen Vineyard Roussanne 2022
Textural with notes of apricot, white peach, fresh white flowers, and river rocks.

Cabernet Franc Rosé 2023
Bright and fresh with notes of strawberry, ripe raspberry, black tea leaves, and fresh garden herbs.

Carbonic Sangiovese 2023
Notes of crunchy red fruits, cranberry, tart cherry, and savory herb.

Sonrisa Vineyard Grenache 2022
Beautiful nose of cranberry, ripe strawberry, and a touch of star anise. The palate has lovely acidity and is very refreshing.

Dineen Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2022
The nose leads with fresh ripe raspberry and has subtle notes of black tea and herbs on the back end. This Cab Franc is juicy and mouthwatering.