Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesWith 2% Syrah blended in, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain features classic black fruit aromas that are rich and lush, with nots of soft oak spices and purple flowers. Medium to full-bodied, the Cabernet is youthfully tight and rigid in the mouth, with grippy, structured tannins and a complex, mineral-driven tension, showing exceptional quality. The finish is dusty, with a composed yet tight complexity that will age beautifully over the next decade. 3,051 cases were made. Rating: 92+
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain (which includes 2% Syrah) sports a saturated purple color as well as a beautiful bouquet of black cherries, scorched earth, new leather, and ample gravelly minerality. Medium to full-bodied, ripe, and beautifully textured on the palate, it’s a balanced Red Mountain Cabernet that can be enjoyed any time over the coming 10-15 years.
Chateau Ste. Michelle is Washington State’s oldest winery, located in Woodinville, Washington. Celebrating more than 50 years of winemaking, they have combined Old World winemaking traditions with New World innovation. With deep roots, and a history of innovation, Chateau Ste. Michelle’s winemaking philosophy is to highlight the style, quality, and expression of their Washington State vineyards.
Quality is the driving force in everything they do at Chateau Ste. Michelle. The winery has spent decades investing in quality vineyards throughout the Columbia Valley, the finest winemaking equipment, and world-class, top winemaking talent. This commitment to quality has led Chateau Ste. Michelle to earn some of the highest accolades in the industry today.
22 "Winery of the Year" Honors from Wine & Spirits
18 "Top 100" Wines from Wine Spectator
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.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.