Winemaker Notes
Black fruits, dark chocolate, vanilla, cumin, cedar dust, butterscotch and dried herbs. Lush chocolate custard with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger and licorice. Full, rich, lush with gorgeous fruit and spice notes. Long silky finish with flavors of blackberry, black pepper and touch of vanilla. This wine has a classic Hedges style with a modern touch, very enjoyable now and will age for years to come.
Blend: 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 13% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec, 1% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Complex, savory aromas of dark fruit, cassis, tobacco, smoke, burnt orange and grilled herbs. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, sleek tannins. Chewy and peppery with delicious, spicy layers. Fresh, energetic finish. 36% cabernet sauvignon, 34% merlot, 13% syrah, 10% cabernet franc, 6% malbec and 1% petit verdot. Vegan. Drink from 2022.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain checks in as 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the balance Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot, all from a mix of sites on Red Mountain. Plenty of smoked black fruits, lead pencil, leafy tobacco, and baking chocolate notes give way to a medium to full-bodied, well-made, nicely textured, and balanced Cabernet. The American oak is borderline too much, but again, it holds it together and certainly has character.
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.