Colvin Vineyards in Walla Walla has shut its doors . Mark and JoAnne Colvin launched their winery south of Walla Walla in 1999 and relocated their tasting room two years ago to the Walla Walla Airport, taking over the space vacated by Reininger Winery's move west of town.

The Colvins focused on red wines, making several delicious blends, Syrahs and Cabernet Francs over the years.

Most importantly, Colvin Vineyards introduced many of us to Carmenere, the obscure red Bordeaux variety that has gained fame in Chile and now has followers in Washington. Famed British wine writer Jancis Robinson once called Colvin's the best Carmenere she'd ever tasted. Now, a half-dozen wineries make the spicy red wine. They can all thank the Colvins for that.

I'm not sure what the issues are that are forcing the Colvins to retire from the wine industry. They didn't crush grapes this fall and anticipate selling out of their wine inventory by spring. - Andy Perdue, Wine Press Northwest

Wine Press NW says: "This rare Bordeaux variety shows why it was so revered more than a century ago and why Mark Colvin is reviving it in the Walla Walla Valley. It reveals elegant vanilla and sweet herb aromas with flavors of ripe huckleberries and creamy milk chocolate across the palate."

Colvin is known for their introduction of the Carmenere, or Grand Vidure grape, to the Walla Walla Valley. Hundreds of years ago, it was well-known as a terrific blending grape. For years, winemaker Mark Colvin had been looking for this Bordeaux varietal, thought to be extinct following the in the mid-1800s destruction of French vineyards by phylloxera.

Seven years ago, however, the grape was rediscovered in Chile. Mark had been searching for it for ten years, and finally tracked plants down in California. Colvin Vineyards is a pioneer in planting Carmenere grapes in the Walla Walla Valley.