Winemaker Notes
Blend: 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Cabernet Franc, 28% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Klein Bx Vineyard Collection checks in as a blend of 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Cabernet Franc, and 28% Merlot, all co-fermented and brought up in a mix of new and used barrels. It's a rich, powerful, concentrated Bordeaux blend delivering lots of red and black fruits, ample leafy herb, tobacco, cedar, and damp earth nuances, full-bodied richness, and a deep, rich, layered texture and mid-palate. There are a lot of ripe tannins on the finish, and it's holding things relatively close to its vest, which can be common in 2017. Give bottles 2-4 years in the cellar and it should drink brilliantly over the following 15 years. Rating : 95+
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James Suckling
This is a field blend and shows intense tobacco-leaf and floral character. It’s full bodied, chewy and powerful. Wild and thought-provoking. Moss, bark and black-tea undertones. A blend of 38% cabernet sauvignon, 34% cabernet franc and 28% merlot.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Consisting of 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Cabernet Franc and 28% Merlot, the 2017 Bx Klein Vineyard opens with a juicy and oaky essence that sways out of the glass with elements of dusty leather, hints of black olive and roasted plum before offering nuances of vanilla, cardamom and resinous purple flowers. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is juicy, with a distinct mineral tension, fine-grained tannins and lingering spice tones across the mid-palate. The wine concludes with the subtle flavors of worn leather and pencil shavings over the long, complex and juicy finish. The wine rested for 28 months in 73% new French oak barriques.
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.