<body><div><figure class="Figure"><source height="563" type="image/webp" width="1000"><source height="563" width="1000"><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=153qxZ_0nI4IJ6k00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=153qxZ_0nI4IJ6k00" width="1000" height="563" ><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p> Valo wines showcase the purity of Washington terroir while focusing on Bordeaux and Rhône varietals. </p></figcaption><p> Photo by Valo </p></figure> Michael Ruhland and Matías Kúsulas still consider themselves the <i> new kids on the block </i> in the Northwestern winemaking world. While the business started five years ago, Valo only started selling wine in 2021 and opened its tasting room amidst the uncertainty of a pandemic. <br><br><i> However, </i><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><a class="Link" href="https://valocellars.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank"> the wines they’re producing at Valo </a> are proving age isn’t always the most significant factor for a winery to successfully make it in the industry. <br><br> Their vintages (the oldest from 2018 when they launched) have been <a class="Link" href="https://winejournal.robertparker.com/reviewer-favorites-2022-anthony-mueller-washington-south-africa" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank"> praised by Anthony Mueller </a> in Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and <a class="Link" href="https://www.winespectator.com/articles/scoring-scale" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank"> garnered high-point values </a> , including 94-point wines from Jeb Dunnuck for 2019 Valo Intemporal, 2019 Valo Reserve Cabernet Franc, and 2019 Massalto Artisan. <i> Read: </i> If they’re not on your radar, they should be now. <br><br> We recently caught up with the pair to get more insight into the brand’s vision and why they don’t necessarily choose favorites. <i> Here’s what they had to say: </i><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><br><h3 id="q-describe-valo-cellars-in-three-words"> Q: Describe Valo Cellars in three words? </h3><b> A: </b> Pure. Focused. Dynamic. <br><h3 id="q-what-sets-valo-cellars-apart-from-other-winemakers-in-the-region"> Q: What sets Valo Cellars apart from other winemakers in the region? </h3><b> A: </b> We have a tight connection with our vineyard sources, with the Winemaker also being the Viticulturist for all of them. We don’t follow a recipe. We evaluate every single vineyard as it is and make the wines accordingly. The results are hopefully the best vine expression of each year. <br><h3 id="q-out-of-your-current-lineup-what-is-your-favorite-wine-and-why"> Q: Out of your current lineup, what is your favorite wine and why? </h3><b> A: </b> We don’t play favorites. Each wine, even if it’s $25 or $100, has equal importance and intrinsic value to us. Even though we have a broad spectrum of varieties, our Bordeaux wines come from very old vines, some of the oldest in WA, so the purity and quality of those wines put them a bit aside from the rest. That being said, we are very proud of our BDX lineup, and we are also big fans of Cabernet Franc. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><br><br><figure class="Figure"><a class="AnchorLink" id="image-310000" name="image-310000"></a><source height="563" type="image/webp" width="1000"><source height="563" width="1000"><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3Dwfkj_0nI4IJ6k00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3Dwfkj_0nI4IJ6k00" width="1000" height="563" ><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p> Sip on Valo’s selection of wines at their tasting room located at Vancouver’s Waterfront. </p></figcaption><p> Photo by Valo </p></figure> Come enjoy a tasting at their space (671 W. Columbia Way, Vancouver, WA) or <a class="Link" href="https://valocellars.com/vancouver-waterfront-wine-club/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank"> become a member of the wine club </a> and get hand-crafted wines delivered to your door. <i> Cheers. </i><a class="Link" href="https://valocellars.com/valo-cellars-vancouver-washington-wines/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank"> Explore the wines. </a></div></body>

Mountain View, CA

Since launching in 2018, Valo has consistently turned out high-quality wines made with locally-grown grapes.