Winemaker Notes
This wine shows off the gorgeous fruit qualities (currant, red cherries) that pair up seamlessly with the notes of leafy herbs, cassis, graphite, and floral tones. There is a plushness and concentration that exemplifies the great texture and endless finish of this always elegant wine.
Blend: 52% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
With a compact nose of dark red, dusty fruits that sachet out of the glass with elegance and finesse, the 2017 Two Blondes Vineyard is seamless and full of complexity. Medium-bodied, the wine achieves a depth of flavor without being overly generous. The mouthfeel is impeccably balanced with energetic acidity and lifting tannins to compound the complexity and longevity. Flavors of dark plum and dark cherry linger on the long, drawn-out finish along with soft red flowers, hints of graphite and dried herbs. It’s nimble on the palate and will be amazing with food. Rating: 93+
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2017 Andrew Will Two Blondes Vineyard Red Wine is powerful yet restrained on the palate. TASTING NOTES: This wine excels with aromas and flavors of black fruit and oak, quite concentrated and long. Pair it with grilled beef. (Tasted: August 15, 2022, San Francisco, CA)
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
As the first recognized wine-growing region in the Pacific Northwest, Yakima Valley is centrally located within Washington’s vast Columbia Valley. The region also includes Washington’s oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines, Otis Vineyard, planted in 1957, and Harrison Hill Vineyard, planted in 1963. Yakima Valley contains three smaller sub-regions: Rattlesnake Hills, Red Mountain, and Snipes Mountain and is ideal for both red and white wine production. In fact, Yakima Valley is Washington’s most diverse region, boasting more than 40 different grape varieties over about one hundred miles.
The cooler parts of the valley are home to almost half of the Chardonnay and Riesling produced in the state! Both are made in a wide range of styles depending on the conditions of the vineyard site.
But its warmer locations yield a large proportion of Washington’s best Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. The finest Yakima Valley reds are jam-packed full of red cherry, currant, raspberry or blackberry fruit, as well as cocoa, herb, spice and savory notes, and exhibit a supple texture, great body, focus and length.