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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.5 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 95 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Floyd77 on 7/23/2023 & rated 93 points: Exceptional. Let this stand for a day or so before uncorking and decant. There is a fair amount of sediment. But lots of life left in this wine — a blend of almost equal parts Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. (452 views) | | | Tasted by elevwine on 5/2/2022 & rated 92 points: Still going strong. (1084 views) | | | Tasted by jonanator on 8/9/2021 & rated 92 points: Still drinking beautifully. Wish I had many more bottles. (1676 views) | | | Tasted by jonanator on 1/24/2021 & rated 92 points: At peak right now but should hold for a few more years. The nose of this was fantastic. Good mouthfeel and depth on the palate. This is why I like to cellar wines. Perfectly aged and held its own next a 2004 Leoville Barton. (1818 views) | | | Tasted by PhN on 11/23/2020 & rated 91 points: Very tannic on opening. As it opened over an hour the wonderful fruit became evident. Very enjoyable with food. (1715 views) | | | Tasted by RDB Wine on 8/3/2020 flawed bottle: Drank from Bin North 12 with Mike, Wally and Aline. 32% CS, 32% cab franc, 36% merlot. Vanilla floral nose. Dark purple. Bitter presentation chalk finish with no fruit. 1/10. (1545 views) | | | Tasted by champ12oh on 4/29/2020 & rated 91 points: Meaty, dark fruit, bright red fruit. tobacco, slate, well balanced. Nice wine. Agree with recent notes. This is in a good spot for food or without. (1421 views) | | | Tasted by Redteeth on 4/28/2020: This bottle was the last of my holdings from this vintage. The cork was sound and the wine smelled and tasted fine immediately upon opening. The bottle was double decanted and began opening up immediately. There was a fair amount of fine sediment. The wine was a mature Bordeaux style with good structure and not too fruity. Overall it was very enjoyable. This vintage is ready for consumption and be sure to decant. (1181 views) | | | Tasted by thesternowl on 4/5/2020 & rated 92 points: I often struggle with the wines from Washington State. Too often, I find them to come across as big, over the top fruit bombs with many unsuitable for long-term aging. However, there are some exceptions and the wines of Andrew Will are one of those exceptions. This Ciel du Cheval bottling has been cellared away since release and happens to be the last in an original purchase of 6. Ciel du Cheval was originally planted in 1975 and now comprises of over 100 acres of vines with an average age over 36 years. I’ve long admired the quality that comes from this vineyard. The 2008 version of this wine was nearly equal parts Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with just the touch more Merlot than the other two. From the start, this was buzzing with dark fruits, sweet tobacco, baking spices and leather. The texture is so ever so velvety soft. The tannins are super fine and we’ll integrated at this point. A wine of impeccable balance that has delivered the goods for several years now and I suspect, will continue to do so for many years to come. That being said, I am happy to have consumed my last bottle at this stage in its evolution. It’s clearly firing on all cylinders now. (1431 views) | | | Tasted by SoorajB on 12/15/2019 & rated 91 points: Medium bodied wine with some tannins still present even though it was decanted for 6+ hours. Some heat from the alcohol comes through. Medium complexity with some fruits but none of it is in your face or overwhelming. Agree with other reviews that the wine has aged well. Unclear whether it will improve further with additional cellaring. Overall, a solid wine. (1320 views) | | | Tasted by jonanator on 8/17/2019 & rated 91 points: Just perfectly at peak right now. I love how a wine at this price point can age so well and provide so much enjoyment. Great fruit on this. Not too big or rich, just perfectly medium weight. Lovely texture. So balanced. Wish I had more. (1463 views) | | | Tasted by chablis28 on 8/14/2019 & rated 93 points: Wow, nearly 7yrs since my first btl! PnP and test sips & sniffs lead me to slow ox this in glass and btl for 2 hours plus before dinner. Semi opaque ruby red color. Said to be a blend of 36% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 32% Cabernet Franc. Maturing aromas of tobacco leaf, berries and underbrush. Whatever level of new oak was used its completely integrated. A luxurious velvety but still energetic texture leads to balanced layers of; cherries, currants, mineral, licorice, expresso, lead pencil and herbs. New World ripe with old world balance, finesse and lift. Alc is 14.5% but it feels, smells and taste more like sub 13%. Probably the best big red I've had from the NW by a good measure. One left that Ill plan to open anytime between now and 2025. This is in a great place and ready to drink but no signs of falling off for a good while. (1748 views) | | | Tasted by Champagneinhand on 6/17/2019: Not too dissimilar from recent tastings. I think these should hold up for several more years but I think these are near their peak. (1739 views) | | | Tasted by wayfarer on 6/16/2019 & rated 92 points: Two+ years later, very much the same profile as before, though I think the fruit is not as fresh with more plum, cocoa, earth, tobacco perhaps, aged around the edges. Got a bit grippy in last third of bottle, and then revived and smoothed out, for an interesting wrap up of fairly lush fruit. Seems at about peak or slightly over, but nothing happening too fast. Quite a bit of sediment in bottle. (1224 views) | | | Tasted by Snag One on 3/4/2019 & rated 89 points: Deep dark crimson red color. Not an overly powerful nose, but what was there expressed cocoa, mint, pencil shavings and loam. Nice balanced tannins and acidity making way for cocoa, mint, licorice and pepper. A pleasant wine with a short finish. (1407 views) | | | Tasted by LaiJien on 3/11/2018: Clear, medium garnet – light soy sauce, blackberry, black cherry, celery. Unbalanced finish (tannic). Undoubtedly once a great wine, but too old for my personal taste, which is why I didn't rate it. (788 views) | | | Tasted by danielbleier on 3/10/2018 & rated 92 points: consistent with notes of 9/3/2017 (2526 views) | | | Tasted by Redrunners on 12/25/2017 & rated 92 points: Had with Christmas dinner - nice wine to go with a great meal.
This continues to be in a good place. Gave a short 30 minute decant, but continued to improve over the next hour. Was opening up nicely, even after 30 minutes.
Smooth, well integrated flavors of blueberry, cherry, spice and vanilla.
My last bottle of this - will need to grab some more if I can.
Good wine for a good value. (2340 views) | | | Tasted by Redteeth on 11/13/2017: I actually thought this bottle was slightly over the hill. I will try another soon to see if it is a isolated poor bottle. (2488 views) | | | Tasted by danielbleier on 9/3/2017 & rated 92 points: continues to mellow vs. original notes of 8/25/2015. Still restrained with plum and tobacco notes - this is a smooth and well integrated wine. (2727 views) | | | Tasted by wayfarer on 2/25/2017 & rated 92 points: Decanted 60 mins before dinner; continued to open up for another hour+ during dinner, as fruit in nose and palate deepened and became more multi-dimensional.
Rich red/purple in glass. Somewhat muted nose of red fruit, earth. Gradually cherry, plum, blackberry, hints of cocoa, herb/floral notes strengthened and finish grew quite long with lovely balanced cherry/acid/light tannin. More clean and direct than round, yet moderately rich. Nicely constructed blend that revealed layers over time.
Served with grilled strip steak, grilled asparagus and roasted new potatoes/light Worcestershire sauce. Fine with food as well as on its own after dinner. (3411 views) | | | Tasted by D3S on 1/6/2017 flawed bottle: Corked (2615 views) | | | Tasted by Mtpisgah on 12/8/2016: Similar to past bottle but even better, I wish I had more. This still has many years in the bottle. (2588 views) | | | Tasted by bigredPA on 10/13/2016 & rated 92 points: A fine WASH ST offering. The merlot comes through rather prominently, and in a nice, restrained way. Intermingling are notes of cocoa, plum, cherry, and earth, even some ash on the finish. Lots of tannic backbone to keep this going several more years. (2715 views) | | | Tasted by danielbleier on 5/21/2016 & rated 91 points: consistent with notes of 8/25/2015, better on 2nd day (3083 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Andrew Will Producer website
Andrew Will Winery was started in 1989 and is owned by Chris Camarda. The winery was launched out of a love for wine that Chris had developed while working in the restaurant trade for almost 20 years. Named after the Camardas’ son Will and nephew Andrew, Andrew Will has been a major contributor to the success and notoriety in recent years of Washington State wines. Initially, the winery consisted of 900 square feet of rented industrial space in Seattle.
In 1994, the Camardas moved to Vashon Island, a short ferry ride from Seattle, where they built the present winery. The fruit however comes from the mainland, across the Cascades in Eastern Washington, where all the significant vineyards lie in the rain shadow of the mountains.
Klipsun and Ciel du Cheval vineyards are adjacent on the loam and gravel soils of Red Mountain but produce different styles of wine. Klipsun makes massive, opulent wine to appreciate early. Ciel du Cheval possesses a slightly more tannic structure and great ageing potential.Red Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.Ciel du Cheval VineyardCiel du Cheval (named for the wonderful views of the neighboring Horse Heaven Hills) sits further down the Red Mountain slope from Tapteil on slightly more vigorous soils. Jim Holmes has employed a fan trellis system and careful management to great effect; the wines are among the most elegant from Red Mountain without sacrificing any of the power and intensity typical of the terroir.
On weinlagen-infoUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.Washington Washington Wine Commission | Credit to Washingtonwine.org for this article
Washington Wine
Washington State is a premium wine producing region located in the northwest corner of the United States. Although a relatively young wine industry, it is now the nation's second largest wine producer and is ranked among the world's top wine regions. Washington wines are found nationally in all 50 states and internationally in more than 40 countries.
Wineries
With 30,000+ acres planted, the state has ideal geography and conditions for growing premium vinifera wine grapes. Primarily grown on their own root stocks, the vines produce grapes of consistent quality, resulting in strong vintages year after year. While its focus is on Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, the region also produces a wide range of other spectacular whites and reds.
Growers
Winemakers from all over the world have chosen to establish themselves in Washington, where they can create wines reflecting this region's unique characteristics. Their hand-crafted wines are receiving wide acclaim from critics regionally, nationally and internationally for their consistently high quality. Many of them have received scores of 90 and above from the major wine media. Overall this is a higher percentage than other leading wine regions.
Regions
As the state's fourth largest fruit crop, the Washington wine industry is an important contributor to the long-term preservation of Washington agriculture. The industry is committed to sustainable agricultural practices and conservation of water resources.
Washington State is a premium wine producing region located in the northwest corner of the United States. Although a relatively young wine industry, it is now the nation's second largest wine producer and is ranked among the world's top wine regions. Washington wines are found nationally in all 50 states and internationally in more than 40 countries.
Varieties
Washington produces more than 20 wine grape varieties - a ratio of 56 percent white to 44 percent red. As the industry matures and experiments, it finds many grape varieties that thrive throughout Washington's microclimates. There are more than 16,000 vineyard acres of red wine varieties statewide.
History & Vintages
Washington's wine future is limitless. As consumers discover the quality of Washington wines, demand continues to grow nationally and internationally. New acreage and wine varietals are being planted and new wineries are opening at a remarkable pace. Washington State is recognized as a premium viticultural region around the world.
State Facts
Washington's wine industry generates more than $3 billion to the state economy. It employs more than 14,000 people, directly and indirectly, with projections to add nearly 2,000 more jobs by 2006. In terms of tax revenues accrued to the state and federal government, wine grapes are among the highest tax generators of any agricultural crops. Furthermore, Washington wine tourism attracts nearly two million visitors annually contributing to the positive growth of local and regional economies.
Washington State - the perfect climate for wine = ideal growing conditions, quality wines, business innovation, lifestyle, and social responsibility. All are key elements of this world-class wine industry.
Vintages
"2008 and even more so 2010 and 2011 were cool, even cold vintages (think: 2002 in the Barossa) without the extreme ripeness, extract and higher alcohol that had become the norm in the state’s post 1995 world. 2008 was manageable but the duo of 2010/2011 nearly caused a “great depression” in Washington State." - Jon RimmermanColumbia Valley Columbia Cascade Winery Association
The Columbia Valley AVA lies mostly in Washington state, with a small section in Oregon. The Cascade Range forms its western boundary with the Palouse regions bordering the area to the east. To the north, the Okanogan National Forest forms a border with the AVA and Canada. It encompasses the valleys formed by the Columbia River and its tributaries, including the Walla Walla River, the Snake River, and the Yakima River. The Columbia valley stretches between the 46th parallel and 47th parallel which puts it in line with the well known French wine growing regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy. The northern latitude gives the areas two more hours of additional daylight during the summer growing season than wine regions of California receive. The volcanic and sandy loam soil of the valley offers good drainage and is poor in nutrients, ideal in forcing the vine to concentrate its resources into the grape clusters.Red Mountain WinesNW Article on Red Mountain
Wine Enthusiast Article on Red Mountain
The Seattle Times Article on Red Mountain |
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