18401 Cellars
How It Started
18401 Cellars began with a simple phone call. While boarding a flight home to Oregon, Trisaetum winemaker James Frey received an offer from longtime friend and acclaimed Washington winemaker Chris Figgins: trade some Pinot Noir for Bordeaux varieties from Figgins’ vineyards in Walla Walla. By the time the plane landed, James had a vision—a new kind of blend, one shaped not by tradition, but by a Pinot Noir winemaker’s touch.
Instead of mimicking established Bordeaux-style blends, James saw an opportunity to bring finesse and nuance to the power of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. From minimal intervention winemaking to aging in Burgundian casks, he would bring the soul of Pinot to the strength of Washington fruit. And just like that, 18401 Cellars was born.
The PRocess
Fruit for 18401 Cellars comes from some of Walla Walla’s most respected vineyards – grapes are transported to Oregon the same day they’re harvested, then chilled overnight to preserve their integrity.
Every step of the winemaking process is done by hand—from berry crushing by a small crew to fermenting in French oak open-top vats and managing extraction through foot pigeage. After fermentation, the wines are aged for 18–22 months in underground cellars using custom Burgundian barrels, crafted to subtly layer complexity and texture over time.
Art & Science
At 18401 Cellars, every wine is an expression of balance—between precision and creativity. While science provides the foundation, it’s the artistic choices that elevate the wine: tasting daily during fermentations, blending by feel, and trusting instinct as much as data.
That philosophy is also reflected on the label, which features one of James Frey’s original drip paintings. Just as in the cellar, his artistic practice honors the same pursuit: to create something expressive, layered, and deeply personal.
