Experience the art of Old World-inspired winemaking on Thursday, March 26, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, as we welcome Marc Dillon Leahy, the visionary behind Walla Walla’s Dillon Cellars.

Marc’s winemaking journey is a global one, having studied and worked in nine distinct regions across France, Spain, Portugal, and Napa Valley before returning home to Washington. His philosophy is simple yet profound: elegance over excess, heritage over hype, and balance over brawn. At Dillon Cellars, Marc crafts scarce, terroir-driven wines using traditional techniques like native yeast fermentation and foot crushing. These are wines of intention that celebrate the unique character of prestigious sites like Stillwater Creek, Klipsun, and WeatherEye.

Why you should join us:

• Meet the Maker: This is a rare chance to chat with Marc personally and hear the stories behind his “transparent” winemaking style.
• The Tasting: Explore a curated flight of boutique, small-lot wines that are rarely found outside of the Walla Walla airport district.
• The Experience: Discover why critics and collectors alike are buzzing about Dillon Cellars’ sophisticated Chardonnays, Syrahs, and Bordeaux blends.

Whether you’re a fan of high-scoring Washington wines or you love the earthy complexity of European styles, this tasting promises to be a highlight of our spring calendar.

Event Details

• When: Thursday, March 26, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
• Where: Barrels Wine Bar, Mercer Island
• Format: Open-house style tasting.

2022 Walla Walla Merlot (Pepper Bridge Vineyard) Merlot is one of the wine world’s most underrated varieties when it is grown and made right. This vintage lands in a perfect just-ripe zone: generous red fruit and black cherry up front, with enough lift to keep the wine moving. The aromatics are open and immediate, while the palate has a satisfying, rounded feel without any heaviness. As it opens, the spice turns warm and classic—sandalwood and a faint cinnamon note—reminiscent of an old cellar. Fine-grained, orderly tannins lead to a clean finish with a quiet savory edge.

2022 “Stigma” Chardonnay (Freewater Rocks Vineyard) A restrained, low-intervention white that carries the soul of Burgundy but is rooted in the basalt cobbles of The Rocks District. This is a highly aromatic Chardonnay, led by orchard fruit and citrus followed by a flicker of struck flint. The 2022 vintage is lighter on its feet than previous years, offering more lift and less weight while remaining broad across the palate. The finish is long and savory, tightening into notes of stone and citrus oil with air. It is a seamless, classic wine built for the table. We’ll also pour some of the 2021 vintage for a little vertical.

2022 Cabernet Franc (Dineen Vineyard) This bottling captures the essence of classic, old-world Cabernet Franc with bright, linear red fruit—specifically red currant and black cherry—woven with a subtle ribbon of crushed dried herbs. A distinct pencil-shaving note keeps the wine feeling precise and detailed. It features fine, tidy tannins and lifted acidity with a savory undertone that keeps the profile grounded. It is an honest and polished wine that shows great clarity of site and varietal, making it the kind of bottle that pairs perfectly with food.