This full-bodied and round red wine from Milbrandt’s fields in Colombia Valley is made from almost pure Merlot with a pinch of Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot is one of the grape varieties that Washington has mastered to perfection, and it is very much expressed in this wine, which is complex with lots of different impressions of blueberry, blackberry, coffee and at the end a hint of vanilla from the 18 months in cask, of which 20% is new American oak.
Colour: Dense, dark red.
Aroma: Forest berries, herbs, freshly roasted coffee and light vanilla.
Tasting notes: Blueberry, blackberry, plum and dried herbs.
Serving suggestions: Grilled meat and simmered dishes. Good for strong dishes with a lot of flavor and not too strong spices.
In 1997, Butch and Jerry Milbrandt planted their first vines in Eastern Washington, to the untrained eye a remote, windswept, high-altitude desert where only gorse and wind witches seem to thrive. But the Milbrandt family have been farmers for many generations, and they have been farming here since the mid-1950s. With the experience also came a conviction that the region’s moderate temperatures, low rainfall and sandy soil were ideal conditions for growing grapes. To help plant and establish the vineyards, they hired the highly respected vintner, James McFerran. After 8 years, during which Milbrandt had sold grapes to some of Washington’s most high-profile wineries, they hired their own winemaker and began making wine themselves from the best plots.
