Winemaker Notes
Bright, fresh feel, great balance and acidity, 2017 has it all. Bel Canto opens with stunning, deep aromas of minerals, plums, and spice. The palate is impeccably balanced but powerful with tremendous concentration and length. Plums again, blueberries and cherries make up the fruit core but there’s much more going on than pure fruit. Today the wine is best on the finish - long, concentrated and lifted by acidity and an amazing tannic structure. Decant for pleasure now or hold until your patience wears thin!
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Bel Canto comes from the Cara Mia vineyard and is a blend of 73% Cabernet Franc, 18% Merlot and 9% Petite Verdot. The core is dark ruby in color, and aromas of dusty dark cherry, plum blossom and baked earth waft from the nose. Medium to full-bodied, the blend displays a firm mineral tension on the palate with still-tight tannins, concluding with a dusty, tannic edge that will remain food-friendly for years to come. Only 3,400 bottles were filled. Give it a try.
-
Wine Enthusiast
Cabernet Franc (73%) makes up most of this wine, with the balance Merlot (18%) and Petit Verdot. The aromas aren't ready to reveal themselves, opening to show notes of earth, flower and fresh herb. The flavors are textured, undulating across the palate. It brings a sense of intensity and freshness that is thoroughly captivating.
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 coveted source of top quality red grapes among premier Washington producers, the Red Mountain AVA is actually the smallest appellation in the state. As its name might suggest, it is actually neither a mountain nor is it composed of red earth. Instead the appellation is an anticline of the Yakima fold belt, a series of geologic folds that define a number of viticultural regions in the surrounding area. It is on the eastern edge of Yakima Valley with slopes facing southwest towards the Yakima River, ideal for the ripening of grapes. The area’s springtime proliferation of cheatgrass, which has a reddish color, actually gives the area the name, "Red" Mountain.
Red Mountain produces some of the most mineral-driven, tannic and age-worthy red wines of Washington and there are a few reasons for this. It is just about the hottest appellation with normal growing season temperatures commonly reaching above 90F. The soil is particularly poor in nutrients and has a high pH, which results in significantly smaller berry sizes compared to varietal norms. The low juice to skin ratio in smaller berries combined with the strong, dry summer winds, leads to higher tannin levels in Red Mountain grapes.
The most common red grape varieties here are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Syrah, among others. Limited white varieties are grown, namely Sauvignon blanc.
The reds of the area tend to express dark black and blue fruit, deep concentration, complex textures, high levels of tannins and as previously noted, have good aging capabilities.