Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Coming from the En Cerise and Cailloux vineyards, the 2017 Camaspelo doesn’t match the stunning 2016 but still offers a gorgeous perfume of red and black currants, toasted spices, flowery incense, and green tobacco that develops nicely with time in the glass. Playing in the medium to full-bodied end of the spectrum, with silky tannins and a great balance, it’s an ethereal, balanced Bordeaux blend (it’s mostly Cabernet Sauvignon) that’s going to develop even more complexity with 2-4 years of bottle age and have 15-20 years of prime drinking.
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James Suckling
This is all about drinkability with its pure fruit, fine and creamy tannins and a smoky, meaty aftertaste to the finish. Hints of burnt citrus. Medium to full body. Delicious and succulent at the end. Drink now.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Cabernet-based 2017 Camaspelo displays with a deep ruby core that fades to a soft purple edge and gives up aromas of blackberry, cassis and dark cherry skin that waft with delicate herbal essence and dried purple flowers on the nose. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is energetic and lively on the palate, with a balanced expression and ends with a long, classic finish. This will age gracefully over the next decade and a half.
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Wine Enthusiast
Appealing aromas of green pepper, cherry, fresh herb, saline and moist earth are followed by concentrated, focused, pillowy-soft cherry flavors. It brings a compelling sense of purity and freshness, with mouthwatering acidity seldom seen from this area. It’s a complete standout.
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Wine Spectator
A dense core builds gradually as this wine opens up, which helps to highlight the structured blackberry, tobacco and stony mineral accents that power the finish. Drink now through 2029. 388 cases made.
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.
Responsible for some of Washington’s most highly acclaimed wines, the Walla Walla Valley has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years and is home to both historic wineries and younger, up-and-coming producers.
The Walla Walla Valley, a Native American name meaning “many waters,” is located in southeastern Washington; part of the appellation actually extends into Oregon. Soils here are well-drained, sandy loess over Missoula Flood deposits and fractured basalt.
It is a region perfectly suited to Rhône-inspired Syrahs, distinguished by savory notes of red berry, black olive, smoke and fresh earth. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot create a range of styles from smooth and supple to robust and well-structured. White varieties are rare but some producers blend Sauvignon Blanc with Sémillon, resulting in a rich and round style, and plantings of Viognier, while minimal, are often quite successful.
Of note within Walla Walla, is one new and very peculiar appellation, called the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater. This is the only AVA in the U.S. whose boundaries are totally defined by the soil type. Soils here look a bit like those in the acclaimed Rhône region of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but are large, ancient, basalt cobblestones. These stones work in the same way as they do in Chateauneuf, absorbing and then radiating the sun's heat up to enhance the ripening of grape clusters. The Rocks District is within the part of Walla Walla that spills over into Oregon and naturally excels in the production of Rhône varieties like Syrah, as well as the Bordeaux varieties.