FINN HILL IS A SMALL FAMILY WINERY WORKING TO BRING YOU ELEGANT AND POWERFUL WINES WITH A DISTINCT "SENSE OF PLACE" FROM THE BEST VINEYARDS IN WASHINGTON STATE.

It all started with a question..... 

"How is it that two wines made from exactly the same grapes can taste completely different?"

Chasing the answer to that question transformed biomedical engineer Rob Entrekin from a wine drinker into  a winemaker.

Rob enrolled in the Washington State University enology certificate program in 2007. Inspired by his fellow classmates, many of whom were already professional winemakers, Finn Hill Winery was licensed and bonded in Rob's two-car garage on Finn Hill  in September 2008.  Annual production started at 150 cases, but after a few years, space constraints dictated a move to the warehouse district where annual production today is less than 1,000 cases -- still at the "micro-winery" level.  

This small scale allows Rob to pay tremendous attention to every detail of the wine making process, and to use the best grapes and the finest French oak barrels available.  This results in wines with elegance and power, which reflect the vineyard's distinct terroir or "sense of place".

Rob's goal is to handcraft small lots of premium Washington wine that he thinks taste fantastic. He hopes you will think they taste fantastic, too.

WHY IS IT CALLED FINN HILL?

They named the winery after the Finn Hill neighbourhood north of Kirkland, WA where they live, and where they started the garage winery. The labels on their white and rosé wines depict the beautiful flowering trees and other blooms that are plentiful during spring and summer in their neighbourhood. 

But how did Finn Hill get its name?   This story started in December 1903 when Ben and Hilma Reinikainen set sail from Helsinki, Finland, for America. After living in Ballard for a few years, they bought 10 acres for $300 and were the first family to build on what is now Finn Hill.  Most of the first growth timber had been cut, so the land was was not expensive due to all of the large tree stumps.  Over the years, other Finnish family and friends joined them and bought property, until by 1945 there were approximately 50 Finnish households located on the main section of what became known as Finn Hill.

WHAT ABOUT THE GNOME?

In Finland, the 'tonttu" is a mythological creature from Scandinavian folklore, associated with the winter solstice and the Christmas season. It is generally no taller than three feet, has a long white beard, wears colorful clothes, and is likened to a garden gnome. According to tradition, these gnomes secretly live in a house (or in our case, a winery) and act as its guardian. If treated well, they protect children and animals from evil and misfortune, and they also help with chores and farm work. However, they are known to have a temper, especially when they are offended, and can cause mischief.

Finn Hill  winery gnome - whose name is "Finn Hillesen" seems pretty calm, and he has never lost his temper, to the best of their knowledge. But they do their best not to offend him.

Wines Of Finn Hill

2014 "L'ABIME" SYRAH - NEW RELEASE!

30.00

CORFU CROSSING VINEYARD IS NEAR THE TOP OF THE FRENCHMAN HILLS NORTH OF ROYAL CITY, AND THESE SYRAH VINES RANK AMONG THE “HIGHEST” IN WASHINGTON.  YOUR NOSE IS GREETED WITH AROMAS OF RED FRUIT JAM, POTPOURRI, CIGARBOX, AND SADDLE LEATHER, WITH HINTS OF EUCALYPTUS AND GRILLED MEAT.  ON THE PALETTE THIS 100% SYRAH DELIVERS FRESHNESS AND MEDIUM BODY, FEATURING FLAVORS OF RED PLUM, BAKING SPICE, AND PAIN GRILLÉ, WITH SUGGESTIONS OF BLACK OLIVE AND BRAMBLE.  THE FINISH IS BALANCED, WITH MODERATE ACIDITY AND SMOOTH, CHERRY-SKIN TANNINS

2015 "VIVANT" MALBEC - NEW RELEASE!

30.00

THIS 100% MALBEC IS STILL YOUNG AND FRISKY, WITH LIVELY ACIDITY AND TANNINS.    IT WILL BENEFIT GREATLY FROM AN ADDITIONAL YEAR OF BOTTLE AGING IN YOUR CELLAR.  IF YOU CAN’T WAIT, THE WINE SHOULD BE DECANTED FOR AT LEAST TWO HOURS PRIOR TO DINNER.  TYPICAL OF ROSEBUD MALBEC, THE 2015 VINTAGE EXHIBITS AN INKY CRIMSON-RUBY COLOR AND WAFTS PERFUMED AROMAS OF CRUSHED BLACK AND RED BERRIES ON WET GRAVEL, WITH HINTS OF MOLASSES AND BAY LEAF.  THE POUR DELIVERS PREDOMINANT FRUIT NOTES OF BLACKBERRY, BOYSENBERRY, RED CURRANT, AND BLUEBERRY. THE FINISH BRINGS CRANBERRY ACIDITY WITH PLUM-SKIN TANNINS, WHICH WILL MELLOW OVER TIME.

2012 "BON MOT" CABERNET FRANC

35.00

BON MOT IS A FRENCH PHRASE FOR A WITTY REMARK, YET WOODINVILLE WINEMAKER ROB ENTREKIN TREATS THESE THREE BARRELS OF CABERNET FRANC WITH TREMENDOUS RESPECT, ALLOWING FOR THE EMERGENCE OF AROMAS HINTING AT SWEET HERBS, DUSTY RED CHERRY, BLACKBERRY, MILK CHOCOLATE AND A FRESH CEDAR FROND. THE ENTRY IS RICH AND ELEGANT AS PLUM AND MARIONBERRY LEAD TO A BITE OF BLUEBERRY IN THE FINISH.

REVIEW BY GREAT NW WINE.                   

RATING: OUTSTANDING!

ACCOLADES:  GOLD MEDAL, 2016 GREAT NORTHWEST INVITATIONAL WINE COMPETITION,  WINE ENTHUSIAST 88 POINTS