“Giggle Water” done right, at Prohibition Cellars
W.C Fields said, “Once, during Prohibition, I was forced to live for days on nothing but food and water.” Luckily in this day and age we don’t have to know that struggle of a life without wine, and if you fancy yourself a great glass of vino, you have to check out Prohibition Cellars.
Tucked away in the western corner of the Woodinville Warehouse District, is a fun themed, yet extremely classy tasting room, fit for a weekend jaunt or a wedding reception just the same. Founded in 2017 by owner and winemaker Sondor Faludi, Prohibition is his family legacy, a legacy that began with his grandparents in Hungary where his family still makes wine today. He has brought his old-world expertise into the new world market and makes fantastic wines with zero manipulation- just the grapes in a glass.
Upon entering, we were greeted by Karen, one of the wonderful pourers at Prohibition, and she led us through the spacious indoor seating, out to the roomy and sun filled patio to enjoy our flights. The tasting menu included 2 whites, 1 rosé, and 2 reds, all equally delicious and intriguing. The first was 2021 Foule White Blend, which is a mix of Viognier and Chardonnay. “Foule” which means Mob in French packs a delicious punch, with the complexity from the Chard and the acidity from the Viognier, making this a delight on a warm afternoon. Next was the 2020 Chardonnay crafted from the Royal Slope AVA, aged in stainless steel giving it the crisp and mineral characteristics of an unoaked Burgundian chard. Third, the 2021 Rosé, made from 30% Pinot Noir, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Malbec, and 19% Cabernet Franc, which is a gang of all the big reds in a bottle, but the lack of skins makes for a light and refreshing wine crafted from these hard-hitting grapes. Moving into the reds, we were poured the 2020 Cabernoir, which is a unique equal blend of Cabernet and Pinot Noir, taking the best of both. What’s better, the Cabernet is from WA and the Pinot from OR, arguably where both grapes are grown best, so this wine is truly an All-Star Game in a bottle, medium bodies, beautiful ruby color, and both fruit and earth notes with a long smooth finish. Very much my favorite pour of the day. Lastly, the 2019 Scarface Syrah, big and bold like the gangster himself. Thick and chewy with leather and tobacco notes, delicious ripe dark fruit, and a hard-hitting finish that would pair up with any savory meal.
I spoke with Sandor for a bit about his vision, his family history of winemaking, and plans for the future of Prohibition. What I found most interesting was his plans to grow some Hungarian grapes here in Washington as our climates are similar and the volcanic soil is perfect to bring a little taste of home here to the states. I’m excited to see how it fares over the next few years and will be one of the first in line once it’s released!
