Winemaker Notes
New beginnings. Provocative moment. Expressive, complex, bright, juicy, and forward in place... dark, big and with a lively disposition. Black plum, black currant, dried blueberry intertwined and layered with black licorice, dark chocolate, pipe tobacco with a touch of amaro, black tea and marzipan... delightful, exciting, and just truly awesome.
45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 10% Malbec, 2% Sangiovese | 100% whole berry fermentation in stainless steel tank | 35 days on skins | 10 months barrel aged in 30% new French oak barriques
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (there are small amounts of Sangiovese and Malbec), the 2022 Red Blend Rb is another solid barrel sample that will be a great value. Red and black fruits, flowers, spice, and leather notes all define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a beautifully layered mouthfeel, fine tannins, and great finish. Barrel Sample: (90-92)
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James Suckling
Blackcurrants, cocoa, violets and plums on the nose of this polished and juicy red. It’s full-bodied and nicely filled with dark, ripe fruit. Powdery tannins.
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Vinous
The 2022 Red Blend RB is dark and brooding, wafting up with a blend of mentholated herbs, incense and citrus- laced blackberries. It's soft and supple on the palate, with masses of ripe red and black fruits complicated by graphite mineral tones and a zesty acidic core. It tapers off with tremendous length and concentration, just gently tannic yet classic in feel. Beautifully done with perfect oak integration (30% new oak).
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Red Blend offers high quality for its modest price point. It’s composed of co-fermented Cabernet Sauvignon (45%), Merlot (43%), Malbec (10%) and Sangiovese (2%) and matured for 10 months in 30% new French oak. It has open-knit aromas of Luxardo cherries, charcuterie, thyme and glossy new oak. The full-bodied palate balances concentrated, layered flavors with grainy tannins and fresh acidity, and it has a long finish.
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 large and geographically diverse AVA capable of producing a wide variety of wine styles, the Columbia Valley AVA is home to 99% of Washington state’s total vineyard area. A small section of the AVA even extends into northern Oregon!
Because of its size, it is necessarily divided into several distinctive sub-AVAs, including Walla Walla Valley and Yakima Valley—which are both further split into smaller, noteworthy appellations. A region this size will of course have varied microclimates, but on the whole it experiences extreme winters and long, hot, dry summers. Frost is a common risk during winter and spring. The towering Cascade mountain range creates a rain shadow, keeping the valley relatively rain-free throughout the entire year, necessitating irrigation from the Columbia River. The lack of humidity combined with sandy soils allows for vines to be grown on their own rootstock, as phylloxera is not a serious concern.
Red wines make up the majority of production in the Columbia Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant variety here, where it produces wines with a pleasant balance of dark fruit and herbs. Wines made from Merlot are typically supple, with sweet red fruit and sometimes a hint of chocolate or mint. Syrah tends to be savory and Old-World-leaning, with a wide range of possible fruit flavors and plenty of spice. The most planted white varieties are Chardonnay and Riesling. These range in style from citrus and green apple dominant in cooler sites, to riper, fleshier wines with stone fruit flavors coming from the warmer vineyards.