Notes from the Winemaker
 

February 18, 2009

A lot has happened since I wrote my last notes in August:

• We received some great reviews from a number of wine publications including Steven Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar, Wine Enthusiast, and The Wine Spectator. 
• We were named “Washington Winery of the Year” by one of Washington’s premier wine shops, Compass Wines in Anacortes.
• We hosted a winter Wine Club Appreciation Night which was even more popular than we had anticipated.  It was a great evening that included wonderful people and great food to go with a number of our library wines.
• We released a very small amount of L.M.S. (100%Malbec) which was wildly popular and sold out very quickly.
• We also released two Syrahs:  a 2006 Columbia Valley Syrah that received 92 points from the Wine Spectator, and a 2006 Reserve Syrah that was rated 90+ from Steven Tanzer.
• We survived harvest.  The 2008 harvest had its tense moments but it has turned into another good looking vintage. The weather was generally cool, and the grapes ripened about two weeks behind schedule. But there was a ten day period just before Halloween that was clear and sunny which helped get some of the later ripening grapes to where we wanted.  Overall the grapes are looking good and we are looking forward to watching these wines mature over the next year or two. 

This coming year: 

Every year gives us a chance to make wonderful (small lot) wines that receive minimal amount of handling. This year promises to keep in pace starting with the February 28th release of our first ever Indomitable - the new name for our flagship wine. The name means a lot to us - to never be out done or dominated. This says a lot about who we are as a winery. As we have grown over the years there have been the usual trials and tribulations of starting and nurturing a new business, but we always felt Indomitable!  We feel this name really embodies the spirit of our wines and our winery.  The blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 25% Merlot. I think easily one of the best yet of our flagship wine.  Because we put only the very best into this blend, we have made only 175 cases which are far less than in previous years. So, consider yourself warned…this wine may sell out very quickly.

In May we will be releasing our 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, a revisit of the 2006 style with a blend of grapes from the Artz Vineyard on Red Mountain and Stillwater Creek Vineyard in the Columbia Valley. 2008 was a wonderful vintage for white wines resulting in wonderful tropical notes, and balanced acidity. 

Also in May, we will be releasing a special 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon of which we made only 150 cases!   These barrels were so amazing and promising during my initial evaluations that I decided to do an extended aging on these select barrels. This wine promises to be a winner.

As the year unfolds with the release of these wonderful wines we will be looking forward to sharing wine and creating some memories with you, our loyal customers.  We appreciate your support and loyalty and hope to reward you with more great events this year like our annual summer party along Little Bear Creek and special Wine Club only events.  Best wishes to you and yours in 2009.

Cheers,

Sean Boyd
Winemaker