Winemaker Notes
Cassis, blackberry, dark chocolate, leather, coffee, with a hint of cloves and toasted hazelnuts. Full and rounded palate with bright, intense fruit and a lush cocoa, spicy finish. This wine has a classic Hedges style with a modern touch, very enjoyable now and will age for years to come.
Blend: 43% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Syrah, 4% Cabernet Franc, 7% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot, 1% Souzao, 1% Touriga, 1% Tinta Cao
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Tobacco leaf, rose and black cherry on the nose. Medium-bodied with silky tannins. Transparent and earnest with bright acidity and rounded fruit. Balanced, with presence and length. Vegan. 43% merlot, 23% cabernet sauvignon, 17% syrah, 7% malbec, 4% cabernet franc, 3% petit verdot, 1% souzao, 1% touriga and 1% tinta cao.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Spiced plum, sandalwood, dried herbs, tobacco, and leather notes all emerge from the 2019 Red Mountain, a round, supple, nicely balanced, complex Red Mountain release. I like its balance, it has tons of character, and should keep for a solid decade. The blend is 43% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Syrah, 4% Cabernet Franc, 7% Malbec, and the rest a mix of other varieties. Best After 2022
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.