Palate
Made with fruit from distinguished old blocks of the acclaimed Klipsun Vineyard, this robust structured Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend shows cigar box aromatics that build into rich flavors of ripe blackberry, dark chocolate, coffee, and leather. A fine-grained tannin structure balances a strong finish that showcases a wine that will continue to age beautifully in the bottle.
Growing Conditions
The 2016 vintage looks like another spectacular and large harvest for Washington State; it started early with a mild winter, hot spring, and early bud break, suggesting another warm year was on the way. Moderate June weather was ideal for bloom and fruit set.
July temperatures were lower than normal, allowing for healthy berry and cluster growth. Continued mild weather through August and September stretched the growing season allowing the fruit to ripen gradually and evenly, with lower sugars and higher acidity. The longer hang-time produced a fantastic balance of flavor and structure in both the white and red varieties.
Winemaking
Nearly 30 years of meticulous vineyard management and winemaking experience are fundamental to the quality of our wines and our reputation for excellence. We are engaged in growing and making 100% of our wines. A two week maceration on the skins allowed us to build structure and backbone into this classic Bordeaux-blend.
Aging
The wine was cleanly racked to 100% small French oak barrels, 35% new, with four rackings over 22 months.
