Library wines are portions of vintages held back by wineries to be re-released years after their debut. They’re named as such because wineries refer to the section of their caves where they store their private stock—usually a few cases from each vintage as libraries.

The term “library wine” doesn’t refer to a specific age, but it does suggest a wine that has been cellared before drinking. How long does it take to call it a library wine? It depends… on the wine and on the person drinking it. There isn’t really a standard with the different types of wine.

Some wineries are able to hold back a portion of the wine from a given vintage for a number of years; when they sell it later, it’s typically called a “library release,” and the winery will have a “library tasting” or “vertical tasting” so you can compare the vintages. It’s a great way to get your hands on well-aged different types of wine. No fussing around with auctions or the grey market. No worrying about the wine’s provenance – was it stored in a cellar, a closet, or grandmother’s attic? Stored and aged at the winery is about as safe as you can get.

Not every winery has library wines to share with its customers. One of the main reasons library wines are not that common is Money! Many winemakers, just cannot afford to cellar their wines for long periods before releasing them. Along with financial resources, a winery also needs storage facilities to age these different types of library wines. Most wineries start small and grow so cash resources and large storage capability are not something they have a lot of in the early days.

Here at Lawrelin Wine Cellars, we are able to hold back all of our wines. We are known for our deep library of wines dating back to the mid to early 2000s. These bottles are appreciated by Columbia Valley wine lovers from around the Northwest who have had the pleasure of tasting these unique different types of wines; Lawrelin has established itself as a producer of distinctive age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.

One of the things that make our wine so unique is that it represents bottled history. Wine is a living thing, and like all living things, it will evolve with time. In order to ensure that a bottle will improve with age, proper care and cellaring are strongly recommended. Different types of wines will take years, and others decades, for the subtle nuances to manifest themselves from the grapes.

How do you purchase aged and collectible wines? That’s easy! Make a tasting appointment with us and come in and enjoy a selection of our library wines. It’s the best way to assure that you are buying something that has aged properly in the bottle. You will be able to enjoy a vertical tasting of our wines, different vintages of the same wine type, from the same vineyard, and from the same winemaker. This emphasizes differences between various vintages and shows quite easily to the savvy consumer whether or not this is an age-worthy bottle to spend your hard-earned money on.

Why schedule a library wine tasting?

• To have a great time with friends and family.
• See how wine has evolved over many years.
• Get a more accurate prediction of how well the wine will age and how long it will last in the cellar.
• To determine whether the producer or location is worth pursuing.
• To learn how different types of wine from the Columbia Valley wine region or vineyard will manifest themselves when in the glass.

We are fortunate at Lawrelin Wine Cellars to pour our library wines every day, and we are excited to offer our guests this opportunity. Of course, due to high demand and limited production, these intimate, seated wine tasting experiences are offered by appointment only.

If you are interested in experiencing a vertical tasting of 15+-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah and a window into the history of Columbia Valley wine, be sure to come to see us in Walla Walla.