Col Solare 2004
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Winemaker Notes
Grapes were gently crushed and pumped over twice daily during a ten-day fermentation. At dryness, a portion of the wine went through an extended maceration of about two weeks to increase extract. We moved the wine with gravity into new and one-year-old French oak barrels; each barrel was racked periodically throughout 22 months of barrel aging. Sensational chocolate and caramel aromas join with an earthy note and a hint of tobacco to introduce a wine with generous black currant and black cherry set off by a trace of allspice. Silky with both abundant, soft tannins and plenty of muscle, this is a wine of significant dimension.
"...The terrific 2002 Col Solare is unquestionably the finest to date. A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 20% Syrah, it explodes from the glass with aromas of black fruits, tar, and licorice..."
-Wine Advocate
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This is a sophisticated blend of cabernet sauvignon (80 percent) with cabernet franc, merlot and petit verdot; it comes from a variety of sources, most notably Chateau Ste. Michelle's Cold Creek Vineyard. Classical in its elegance, this wine's earthen brown spice supports lean black cherry flavors kissed by oak. The flavors feel lithe, possessing astonishing length.
- Wine Enthusiast
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2004 Red Table Wine is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It was aged for 27 months in French (60%) and American (40%) oak, 100% new. Purple-colored, the expressive bouquet reveals pain grille, pencil lead, mineral, black currant, and blackberry. The wine glides across the palate smoothly and the flavors are savory. There is enough tannin to support 4-6 years of evolution but the finish is slightly muted and compressed.
- Wine Spectator
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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.