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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.2 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 67 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by no leashes on 2/13/2021 & rated 90 points: Alas, last bottle of a six-pack, still drinking nicely, with dark fruit, earth and mineral flavors, smooth texture. (1212 views) | | | Tasted by bablues on 2/17/2019 & rated 90 points: This wine is a monster. There is no subtleness living here. Both the nose and palate are packing a huge punch of dark fruit and tabacco, and there is plenty of acidity to match it. It is just a little too over the top for me. I have no idea if this thing will ever calm down to something that I would really enjoy. It is extremely well made and I have had dozens of AW from various, varietals, and vineyards, but this is just a tad too much for me at this point (1654 views) | | | Tasted by DougLee on 1/15/2017 & rated 92 points: Darker garnet hue. Nose of red plum, currant, stony earth, and a bit of cedar. Quite tight on the palate for the first hour in the glass, then seemed to wake up with explosive layers of fresh red currant and mulberry fruit laced with granite structure, grip, and a bit of char. Youthfully acidic with firm tannin. Moderately long finish of young red plum fruit, stone, and a bit of tobacco. Darn if this did not show young. Gobs of life and barely out of its shell. (3218 views) | | | Tasted by no leashes on 7/24/2016 & rated 90 points: Dark, black fruit, tar and tobacco. Smooth and elegant, drinking great. (3516 views) | | | Tasted by jonanator on 8/25/2015 & rated 93 points: In a great place. I was stunned at how well this showed. Beautiful aged characteristics and nicely integrated. Rich, bold wine, yet refined and balanced. (4260 views) | | | Tasted by no leashes on 3/8/2015 & rated 93 points: Black berry, spice, forrest floor and mineral flavors. Rich velvety texture, completely well balanced. Coats the entire palette with flavor. (3629 views) | | | Tasted by no leashes on 4/11/2014 & rated 93 points: Red cherries, spice, blackberry, raspberry flavors, all well balanced and beautifully integrated. Medium bodied, rich finish. Stunning! (4597 views) | | | Tasted by WDSteers on 6/25/2013 & rated 92 points: luscious deep colored well balanced bordeaux blend with berries and herb flavors overlying nice tannins. Drinking perfectly now and paired well with free range lemon and herb roasted chicken and kale (3814 views) | | | Tasted by mrmedoes on 6/2/2013 & rated 89 points: Still holding acid structure but losing some of its front end fruit. Dead on day two. (3369 views) | | | Tasted by rkjwong on 1/12/2013 & rated 92 points: The nose is a delightful bouquet of red fruits, fresh and not too overwhelming. In the mouth, delicious. There is reasonable length too. The tanins are a little on the rough side, thus suggest to enjoy with food. If tanins were more refined, I would have given it a much higher score. (3321 views) | | | Tasted by bestdamncab on 12/24/2012 & rated 91 points: Lovely notes of red cherry fruit, earth, herbs, and cedar on the nose, very deep red color, more of the same on the palate, lovely to drink but no way is this Bordeaux, has interest but not complexity, long finish, fairly rich mouthfeel, enjoyed but not my style as too much red chery fruit throughout. (3055 views) | | | Tasted by guitarguy on 5/27/2012 & rated 90 points: I thought this was tired, nice chocolate and moderate berry flavors. Another reason why I believe Wash. Bordeaux blends should be consumed between 5-8 yrs of age. (2852 views) | | | Tasted by BRR on 4/14/2012 & rated 93 points: Exploring the Ciel du Cheval Vineyard (Wapato, WA): The nose was fantastic with blackberry, a touch of peppermint and a slight note of tomato leaf. Cool blue and red fruits on the palate, and a gorgeous minerally note. Very complex, very deep and, quite possibly, the wine that will last the longest out of the group. Utterly delicious. (2891 views) | | | Tasted by LikeABC on 2/13/2012: i really need to drink more of Andrew Will's wines... wonderful bordeaux blend! (2414 views) | | | Tasted by 3daywinereview.com on 7/15/2011 & rated 94 points: Minneapolis Wine Club does Washington State Reds (Surprise winners) (Tracy's): A tale of two wines. Decanted 2 hours which was not enough and my score at the time was a 92. Later in the night it opened up and offered leather, spice, blueberries, cherry and coffee. Complex to say the least and a long finish. A true gem and I am glad my friend was able to pick up 2 more bottles via Wine Searcher. Great wine! 94 points
Interesting enough this wine along with the Long Shadows Pedestal finish 2nd and 3rd in comparison to the Meek Family Estate Inherit which is a similar blended wine. The blind test was interesting as all the members doing it apply the tasting process are more serious wine drinkers. (3630 views) | | | Tasted by DougLee on 7/10/2011 & rated 92 points: Popped and poured. Dark garnet color. Nose of red fruits, currant, cedar, forest floor. Satin texture on the palate with delicious layers of plum, black currant, earth, and caramel. Tannins quite smoothed off, acidity is low. Finish long and grippy, echoing lashes of red fruit. Very enjoyable (particularly for the price) and probably at peak at this juncture, but who knows? (2560 views) | | | Tasted by G_H on 6/24/2011 & rated 90 points: The 1990's (or any other good wine) at Uncle Jacks Steakhouse NYC (Uncle Jack's Steakhouse, New York): Lots of berries, mostly blackberries, blueberries. Tons of tannin, this one is way too young. It has some great notes of pork that was smoked with some mix of herbs and wood. This reminds me of Brian Stoner! Good stuff, but you need to be patient, give it another 5 years at least! (2756 views) | | | Tasted by pgm on 6/19/2011 & rated 94 points: This is why Andrew Will's Ciel du Cheval is a longtime favorite. I was wrong two years ago when I thought it was at peak. It's much better now, with a youthful nose of caramelizing sugars, black currant, baking spices and tobacco leaf, and a mouthful of pure fruits, currant and blackberry, with cigar box spices that persist on the finish. A long finish. Seems young, retaining a firm structure, and seems exceptionally promising for another ten years. (2615 views) | | | Tasted by Scruff on 6/9/2011: Did not take detailed notes. Very enjoyable Bordeaux blend. Everything in balance and it is really singing now. (3033 views) | | | Tasted by andtheodor on 4/17/2011 flawed bottle: Very streaked and slightly moist cork. Superripe cherry, strawberry, warm spice nose with quite a bit of EtOH showing. Unusual sweet, hot palate that is lush fruit up front but turns thin and bitter in the midpalate. Drinks more like a weird Zinfandel than a Bordeaux blend and not particularly enjoyable. Presumably an off bottle. (2733 views) | | | Tasted by ken on 10/24/2010 & rated 93 points: This is a great cab in my opinion.Big nose but not really overblown. (3238 views) | | | Tasted by smithphish on 8/6/2010 & rated 93 points: This was great, but I lost my notes! (3394 views) | | | Tasted by BRR on 7/31/2010 & rated 92 points: Looking back, I think this wine was too warm to really show its stuff. Dark and compact. Great, complex bouquet with dark fruit, spice and a touch of herb (which I attribute to the 44% Merlot component). Slightly grainy, but really deep with similar flavors. I really liked the complexity here and the wine evolved over the evening. A final pour out of a simply re-corked bottle on the next day hadn't budged at all. Very good wine. (3464 views) | | | Tasted by sayward on 3/4/2010 flawed bottle: So disappointing. First large format that I have had that was corked. Smelled like a moldy rag. (3696 views) | | | Tasted by winejnky on 2/28/2010 & rated 92 points: Incredibly nuanced, glycerin, cherries, black olives, loam, really an endless and varied array of earthy/fruity flavors. Still a bit tightly wound up, but evolved nicely over a few hours in the decanter. (3558 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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