Covale Cellar Scores from Paul Gregutt
2022 Merlot: 97/100
2021 Cabernet Sauvignon: 97/100
2022 Cabernet Sauvignon: 98/100
2022 Cabernet Franc: 96/100
About Paul Gregett:
My professional wine writing career began in the mid-1980s. I've written for every major wine publication, 25 years on Wine Enthusiast Tasting Panel, 10 years columnist for Seattle Times, several books etc. Currently focused entirely on Substack.
Here is what Paul Gregutt had to say about Covale Cellars:
Marvin Crum spent decades at Quilceda Creek, then briefly retired before starting Covale Cellars in 2020 with his wife Susan Burke-Crum. Total production is just 400-500 cases annually. Covale specializes in Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, and all of the fruit is sourced from the Quintessence Vineyard on Red Mountain. Hand picked and de-stemmed, not crushed. Only free-run juice is used.
These are remarkable wines with more than a passing resemblance to Quilceda Creek. The link to the website indicates that these four are still available.
Covale 2022 Quintessence Vineyard Merlot
Rich and concentrated, this is the sort of full-bodied, no foolin’ around Merlot that typifies Washington’s almost unmatched ability with the grape in a near solo role (there’s a splash of Cabernet and Cab Franc in the blend). Black cherry and cassis, dark chocolate and cold coffee, a streak of caramel and trailing highlights of pipe tobacco keep the wine lively and interesting start to finish. It’s aromatic, full-bodied and dense, with compact flavors that portend long term aging. 100 cases; 14.9%; $60 (Red Mountain) 97/100
Covale 2021 Quintessence Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
This single vineyard, limited production wine is as expressive as a Red Mountain Cabernet can be, with threads of dried straw, sandalwood, dried porcini mushrooms and hints of saline. It’s packed with ripe black fruits, and shows excellent layering and texture through a long finish, adding chocolate, espresso and more as it gently fades. This is a strikingly good Cabernet that belongs with Red Mountain’s finest. 275 cases; 15.3%; $65 (Red Mountain) 97/100
Covale 2022 Quintessence Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
It’s no easy task to ripen Cabernet close to 15% abv and not lose aromas and nuanced details. These Covale Cabs manage it quite well, being fully ripened, black-fruited and dense, without feeling heavy or jammy or overblown. In fact quite the opposite – aromatically inviting with scents of tobacco, sweet spice and composted earth; mouth-filling with layers of graphite, espresso grounds, dark chocolate and iron filings. The tannins are particularly well done – ripe, polished, lightly grainy and beautifully textured. 350 cases; 14.9%; $65 (Red Mountain) 98/100
Covale 2022 Quintessence Vineyard Cabernet Franc
The Cab Franc is just a bit lighter in body weight than the 2022 Cab Sauv. There is a clear throughline among all four Covale wines, reflecting the single vineyard focus throughout. So the expression is definitely showcasing a vineyard as much or more than the particular grapes. Which is a compliment. This wine is threaded with dried herbs and straw, textured and wrapped into a palate of cherry and blackberry fruits. The tannins are firm and the acids retain a pleasing juiciness, keeping the finish lively and refreshing. 75 cases; 14.5%; $60 (Red Mountain) 96/100
Source: Paul Gregutt’s NW Wine Guide, Nov 20, 2025. "Thoughts on Best of 2025 wine lists; reviews of Alloro, Covale, Force Majeure and Sidereus”