Winemaker Notes
Blend: 70% Mourve`dre, 25% Grenache, 5% Syrah (co-fermented)
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
A cuvée made for winemaker Brennen Leighton's wife and a field blend of 70% Mourvèdre, 25% Grenache, and 5% Syrah, the 2017 Gratitude ranks with the finest Mourvèdres to come from the state. Awesome notes of black raspberry liqueur, incense, ground pepper, and forest floor give way to a medium to full-bodied, ripe, powerful yet weightless 2017 that does everything right. It’s already just about impossible to resist, yet my money is on it evolving for a solid decade.
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James Suckling
This field blend of 70% mourvedre, 25% grenache and 5% syrah has a smooth, silky texture that is captivating and beautiful with crushed berries, such as raspberries. Stone and tea-leaf undertones. It’s full-bodied, yet polished and creamy-textured. Spicy aftertaste with cloves and black pepper. Drink now or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Beginning with a red-berried and spicy nose, the 2017 Gratitude Olsen Brothers Vineyard has aromas of dusty leather, raspberry blossom, plum and cherry skin essence. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is a co-fermented blend of 70% Mourvedre, 25% Grenache and 5% Syrah, shooting with flavors of cherries and red spice with hints of peppercorn before moving onto a soft, dusty finish. Nicely made.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
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.