Winemaker Notes
Fresh and lively with bright aromas and flavors of ripe strawberries and melon complemented by a racy acidity that lingers across a clean, dry finish.
Serve this rose chilled with light dishes or as an aperitif.
Long Shadows Vintners is a collection of seven ultra-premium wines, each built on the unique expertise of some of the world's most highly-regarded winemakers to showcase the viticultural quality and caliber of Washington State's Columbia Valley.
Founded by Washington wine visionary Allen Shoup in 2002, Long Shadows is the continuation of Allen's ongoing ambition to bring international recognition to the Columbia Valley. His idea for Long Shadows was as simple as it was complex. Recruit seven internationally acclaimed winemakers; give each access to Washington State's best grapes; and outfit a winery to the vintner’s exacting cellar specifications. The result, in effect, is seven stand-alone wineries, under one roof.
Since the beginning, Long Shadows' director of winemaking and viticulture Gilles Nicault, has overseen the operations of the winery and worked closely with the vintners to bring each winemaker's vision to completion. Internationally renowned winemakers Randy Dunn (Feather Cabernet Sauvignon); John Duval (Sequel Syrah); Philippe Melka (Pirouette Red Wine); and Michel Rolland (Pedestal Merlot) are active partners in their respective wines. Gilles now crafts Poet’s Leap Riesling and Saggi (Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon) in styles that remain true to their original winemakers, Armin Diel and Giovanni Folonari respectively. Gilles crafts Chester-Kidder, a Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah blend, independently.
Gilles works closely with the state's top growers to execute a diverse winemaking protocol at Long Shadows' state-of-the-art facility in Walla Walla to produce wines of exceptional quality, true to the Columbia Valley's terroir.
Whether it’s playful and fun or savory and serious, most rosé today is not your grandmother’s White Zinfandel, though that category remains strong. Pink wine has recently become quite trendy, and this time around it’s commonly quite dry. Since the pigment in red wines comes from keeping fermenting juice in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, it follows that a pink wine can be made using just a brief period of skin contact—usually just a couple of days. The resulting color depends on grape variety and winemaking style, ranging from pale salmon to deep magenta.
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.