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This wine was just released November first and it is going fast! Having been out of Cabernet for a full year now, we are delighted to have this wine back in the tasting room, even if just for a short time. Pretty, silky, rich and delicious. This is the follow-up to our first release, and we think you will enjoy it even more. Seven Hills Vineyard and Conner Lee, which were significant in the 2001 release, are blended with old vines from Sagemoor and our first harvest of Cabernet from our estate vineyard Heather Hill. These outstanding fruit sources combine to make a stunning wine that is stylish, elegant, and pure. The nose is loaded with dense, dark blackberry fruit, cassis, sweet wood and shaved chocolate. The continuity from nose to palate is seamless. It is rich, intense and superbly balanced with excellent depth and length.

blend for this wine changes with each vintage, but always consists predominately of Cabernet Sauvignon. This is especially true for the 2004 vintage because of winter damage to our Cabernet Franc and Merlot vines. Consisting of one hundred percent Cabernet Sauvignon, this vintage is a blend of fruit from four vineyards. Those of you familiar with this wine know how much wine it is for the price and this vintage is no exception. It delivers generously with bright fruit and spice, combined with soft tannins and nice balance.

This vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon is big and with layers of complexity that really show themselves after a little time in the glass. Initially, it is deep and mysterious and then opens to reveal fragrances of plum, dark raspberry, and sweet vanilla. Cocoa and lightly roasted coffee mingle with hints of spice and cedar. A long finish is generous and engaging. It has an impeccable balance of integrated tannin, acidity, and alcohol that perfectly accompanies the meal and provides for excellent longevity in the cellar.

If you enjoyed our first release of Chardonnay for its lovely combination of elegance and richness, then this vintage will again please you. Fruit from the same three great sites—Celilo, Kestrel View Estates, and Conner Lee—were blended here. All hand-picked, the fruit was delicately whole-cluster pressed. After settling, the juice was put down to barrel and inoculated with two strains of yeast. After fermentation, each barrel was lees-stirred weekly, for up to six months. In total, barrel aging was in one hundred percent tight-grained French oak, fifty percent of which was new and the balance one and two year old barrels.

Once again this Chardonnay is a blend of fruit from Celilo, Kestrel, and Conner Lee vineyards. It is one hundred percent barrel-fermented with one hundred percent malo-lactic fermentation, yet this is a Washington State Chardonnay that is pretty and clean, with a waxy texture that gives it richness. A classic minerality and brilliant acidity complete the profile. We have watched previous vintages of this wine re-acquaint many a skeptic with Chardonnay.

Drastic winter temperatures in 2003 relieved us of most of our crop in 2004. However, the two barrels that we were able to produce are delicious, dense and textural. Dark floral aromas give way to wild strawberries, smoked meat, and dried fruits. This is cooler climate Syrah grown on the grounds of Abeja. The result is a wine with complexity and balance without the alcohol levels of Syrah produced in warmer areas.

2005 viognier MILL CREEK VINEYARD 100% Estate, Walla Walla Valley May 1st Release 750 ml $26 per btl / $280.80 per case Each vintage of this wine reflects our determination to fine-tune how we grow this tricky yet rewarding varietal. A crop level of less than two tons per acre and extremely careful shoot management allowed us to achieve ripeness with the lowest sugar levels yet. Pressing it as gently as possible gave us the lowest pH level so far, maintaining an optimum level of acidity. These factors combined to make the most balanced and finessed Viognier we have made to date.