Kobayashi Cabernet Franc 2022

“Experimentation is the name of the game for winemaker Travis Allen as he continues to craft this extremely limited and highly sought-after portfolio. Collectors hunt for and praise Kobayashi’s wines due to their wonderfully unique style, which marries some of the best fruit from Washington State with Euro-centric balance and a bit of winemaking magic. Allen also produces extremely limited wines in an even more experimental style, such as a 2019 Syrah from the WeatherEye Vineyard that refined for 41 months in a single 500-liter puncheon, and a 2023 Roussanne that matured in 100% new French oak where the staves were primed by being submerged in the salty Atlantic Ocean waters. To anyone who hasn’t tasted this portfolio, the lengths to which Allen goes to remain completely unique may seem extreme, yet I can assure you that the results are nothing short of fantastic. Sadly, in this thirsty world, there are no plans to grow the production of Kobayashi. If you can get on the mailing list, do not hesitate to do so.” –Vinous Media

Kobayashi Winery is one of the most exciting and distinctive projects to emerge from Washington State’s wine scene in recent years. Founded in 2014 by Travis Allen and Mario Kobayashi, their journey into winemaking was anything but conventional, as neither had a formal background in the field. Travis, a nurse anesthetist by profession (a role he still holds part-time), started with a single barrel of Cabernet Franc, growing the winery to produce fewer than 1,000 cases annually – intentionally remaining small-scale to maintain quality and focus. They now produce their wines at the Force Majeure Winery in Milton-Freewater, just south of Walla Walla.

What sets Kobayashi apart is their incredibly unique style, marrying some of Washington State’s best fruit with a Euro-centric balance and a willingness to experiment. They focus heavily on Northern Rhône varieties like Syrah, Viognier, Roussanne, and Marsanne, alongside Cabernet Franc, sourcing from premier Columbia Valley vineyards like WeatherEye and Red Willow. Their winemaking approach is highly hands-on and innovative, from hand-crushing Syrah clusters to fermenting in puncheons, and famously, aging Cabernet Franc in Mizunara oak barrels imported from Japan.