Winemaker Notes
Only shipping discounts can be applied to this product, other promotional discounts do not apply.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Spectator
Impressive for its purity of flavors and generosity. This gorgeous red fills the mouth with rich black cherry, blackberry and hints of cedar and sweet spices, waxing and persisting on an expressive finish that goes on and on. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot.
-
Wine Enthusiast
The Sorella is deep and dense with thick textures and tannins. The typical black currant and black cherry fruit character is here in spades, and yet at 14.4% alcohol the wine avoids any fatiguing jamminess or heat in the finish. It leaves a slightly chalky, chocolatey impression as it exits the throat, and promises a long life ahead.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2005 Sorella is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot. It has a medium garnet color and tertiary aromas of dried blackcurrant, tobacco, olive and dried thyme, and it carries some discernible oak character. The palate is full-bodied with ripe, concentrated, gently savory flavors. Its gently chewy tannins are balanced by juicy acidity, and it has a long, slightly dense finish.
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.
A large and geographically diverse AVA capable of producing a wide variety of wine styles, the Columbia Valley AVA is home to 99% of Washington state’s total vineyard area. A small section of the AVA even extends into northern Oregon!
Because of its size, it is necessarily divided into several distinctive sub-AVAs, including Walla Walla Valley and Yakima Valley—which are both further split into smaller, noteworthy appellations. A region this size will of course have varied microclimates, but on the whole it experiences extreme winters and long, hot, dry summers. Frost is a common risk during winter and spring. The towering Cascade mountain range creates a rain shadow, keeping the valley relatively rain-free throughout the entire year, necessitating irrigation from the Columbia River. The lack of humidity combined with sandy soils allows for vines to be grown on their own rootstock, as phylloxera is not a serious concern.
Red wines make up the majority of production in the Columbia Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant variety here, where it produces wines with a pleasant balance of dark fruit and herbs. Wines made from Merlot are typically supple, with sweet red fruit and sometimes a hint of chocolate or mint. Syrah tends to be savory and Old-World-leaning, with a wide range of possible fruit flavors and plenty of spice. The most planted white varieties are Chardonnay and Riesling. These range in style from citrus and green apple dominant in cooler sites, to riper, fleshier wines with stone fruit flavors coming from the warmer vineyards.