A Cabernet Sauvignon dominant blend of Bordeaux varieties. Green aromas with texture and softness layered over massive tannin. Meant to age!
Variety: Grenache
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, Tannat, Fer, Abouriou, Negrette, Ste. Macaire, Ferrol
Vineyard: Scorched Earth Vineyard
Location: Columbia Valley, OR
Alcohol: 13%
Whole cluster fermentation amplifies both tannin and green aromas. The whole cluster also brings more volume, nuanced aromatics, texture and softness than is possible with a destemmed wine. This softness is layered over the massive tannin of whole-cluster Cabernet, This wine is made like red Burgundy but from Bordeaux varieties. This is the paradox. As the wine ages, the tannins will melt as the fresh green aromas make an epic shift toward celestial aromas of mint and spice.
This is a rare example of Cabernet fermented with whole clusters and even rarer in that it spent 50 days on the skins prior to pressing, then ared for two years in 300L barrels. Unfined, unfiltered, tiny dose of SO2 at bottling.
Scorched Earth, leased 9.83-acre site farmed by Hiyu since 2016 in the desert east of Lyle, Washington State (30 miles east of Hiyu). The site is on the banks of the Columbia River at sea level and the vines are planted in black (basalt) sand with basalt monoliths. This wine comes from a 1.5-acre parcel in the middle of the site’s steep northern hillside. Basalt cobble with very little soil, resulting in very small grapes and low yields.