Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Lastly, the 2016 Klein BX Vineyard Collection checks in as 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 28% Cabernet Franc, all of which was co-fermented and aged 27 months in French oak. Coming from a 3-acre parcel in the vineyard, it’s a monster of a wine loaded with notions of blackcurrants, cassis, chocolate, spice box, tobacco, and scorched earth. It’s not for the faint of heart and is full-bodied, super rich, concentrated, and structured, yet it stays balanced, has a seamless texture, and is remarkably elegant for a wine of this size. It’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and cruise for 15-20 years in cold cellars.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Bx Klein Vineyard begins with rich and caramelly tones of toasted oak, blackberry essence, plum reduction, dried herbs and purple flowers. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is lively and broad on the palate with dusty and juicy red and black fruit, elements of cedar, sweet spice and pencil shavings and a rocky minerality that continues to evolve on the palate. The wine ends with a long, drawn-out finish and makes me hungry for steak. Rating: 93+
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.
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.