Production Notes
Varietal Composition: 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Malbec, 1% Merlot; Selection: We blended in the Malbec immediately after pressing off the 1989-block Cabernet Sauvignon, with a subsequent lot and barrel blending at first racking. Barrel selections were made at subsequent rackings for focus and polish
Winemaker Notes
Luscious, fruit forward and indulgent in texture, the Klipsun Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon showcases extraordinarily polished tannins, and beautifully saturated layers of fruit that permeate this stunning wine from start to finish. On the nose, effusive aromas of lavender, marionberry, plum jam, apricot and baking spices hint at this wine’s juicy, mouth-coating richness. The palate is plush and shapely, with sophisticated notes of baker’s cocoa, dark, loamy earth, and cardamom adding nuance to the generous fruit flavors as they flow to a long, satisfying finish. Made from the famed 1989 and 1984-planted blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon at Klipsun Vineyard.
Production
2018 offered near-perfect growing conditions from bud-break until the end of harvest. After a warm April, and an early budbreak, May and June turned cool, providing ample time to prune the vines through careful shoot selection. July and August brought a return to classically warm Washington weather, without any noteworthy heat stress. From the beginning of September onwards the weather was ideal for harvest, with no rain, and sunny days with temperatures ranging from the high-70s the low 80s. A slightly warmer than-average year overall, 2018 was an exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon vintage, yielding impeccably balanced wines with depth, energy and beautiful fruit intensity.