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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.5 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 77 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by bablues on 9/29/2021 & rated 91 points: A year later and this is still in a similar place. (856 views) | | | Tasted by bablues on 8/2/2020 & rated 91 points: Fully mature. Secondary and tertiary flavors coming through with notes of tobacco, cedar box and earth. Acidity is good, but you can see that it is starting to fade. Dark fruits still dominate. Paired great with pizza (1073 views) | | | Tasted by doggman on 6/14/2019 & rated 92 points: Great wine even at this age in its life. It took an hour or two start developing. (1309 views) | | | Tasted by bobadopolis on 4/5/2018 flawed bottle: Flawed (1889 views) | | | Tasted by norsktorsk on 4/3/2018 & rated 92 points: Singing a little off key at first but then it began show off..should have about an hour of air and be close to room temp (1882 views) | | | Tasted by prusakolep on 1/21/2018 & rated 91 points: Beautiful on the nose, surprisingly fruity given the age. Taste was good, a bit on a rustic side, but very enjoyable. Aerated and decanted about 2 hours. Holding up quite well. (1336 views) | | | Tasted by DaneM on 12/19/2017 & rated 94 points: Powerhouse of a wine, amazing. Slight bricking color, dusty nose, ripe fruit mixed with mature flavors. Not sure how this could get any better. Paired beautifully with pan seared filet mignon and roasted butternut squash. (1129 views) | | | Tasted by Redteeth on 8/22/2017: Wine was excellent; cork was horrible. (1228 views) | | | Tasted by Redteeth on 7/12/2017: Tasting experience very consistent with my notes from 3/2017. (898 views) | | | Tasted by Redteeth on 3/24/2017: Drank this bottle without decanting but it was a leisurely drink. The wine is in great shape showing some maturing but no deterioration. CellarTracker suggests this vintage should be consumed soon. That's probably correct but there does not appear to be any near term danger from holding a bit longer. In my opinion this is a well made and very enjoyable wine; right bank in style. (1093 views) | | | Tasted by rojoloco on 10/8/2016 & rated 92 points: Better than previous ratings suggested. Took an hour to open up, then was lovely. Very nice. Has some time left on it. (1497 views) | | | Tasted by Neecies on 8/30/2016: Tired. (1511 views) | | | Tasted by skinut on 5/11/2016 & rated 91 points: Still plenty of fruit on the nose and palate. Good body. No bricking. Has at least another 4-5 years I expect before any gradual decline begins. I don't really expect it to improve much from this point. Drink up! (1571 views) | | | Tasted by petec-s on 1/22/2016 & rated 94 points: Beautiful aromatic, full flavoured, Complete vineyard wine 14.6% (1715 views) | | | Tasted by wineismylife on 5/27/2015 & rated 92 points: WIML92
Tasted non blind. Tasted from magnum.
Dark garnet color in the glass, clear looking throughout. Nose of roses, currants and kirsch. Flavors of black raspberries, black berries and black cherries. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannin, full bodied. Drink or hold. (2579 views) | | | Tasted by Stirling on 5/2/2015 & rated 94 points: Still very dark, with slight fade at rim. Black cherries, blueberries and spices form the powerful nose that is very enticing. The medium to full body delivers a sense of power without taking things too far. The dark fruits dominate the palate while the spices take on an almost candied flavor creating plenty of complexity. A blend of mostly Cab Franc and Merlot, this has surprisingly big shoulders for those varietals. Long finish and plenty of life still. www.advinetures.ca (1957 views) | | | Tasted by Doc90 on 11/22/2014 & rated 90 points: Midnight purple. Kind of subdued nose; wet wood chips. Full bodied, structured, dense grapes, cedar palate. Lengthy finish. Good wine, but not on the same level as Champoux or Sorella. (2277 views) | | | Tasted by f22nickell on 9/29/2013 & rated 90 points: NOTE: I wrote this originally against the 2004 AW Champoux, but it was the incorrect bottle. Notes were for this particular wine. I will update my notes for the 04 Champoux when I drink it tonight.
Setting: This wine was opened and slow ox’d over 24 hours.
Sight: This wine is dull, a bit cloudy, with no evidence of gas or particles. Color is deep purple at the core but fades to garnet quickly and then to clear about ¼” to ½” from the meniscus. Deep concentration of color. Legs are thin and move very quick down the glass.
Nose: This wine does not smell flawed. Aromas are of red fruit and blueberries. Secondary notes of violets, cedar, pencil shavings, a hint of spice, and coffee. The nose evolves over time, with different aromas taking center stage while the others fade to background. By the end of the glass, the coffee notes were really strong. Some notes of new oak in the form of cedar and pencil shavings, but they are well integrated in the aroma profile. I pick up very little heat on the nose. This wine has some earthiness but not enough to think old world; Fruit remains, but it is the evolving secondary notes that drive this wine; suggest age is medium to old.
Palate: This wine is medium bodied. This wine has flavors of blue fruit. Unfortunately though, the fruit is fading. Secondary flavors of cedar and spice are what this wine about. There are echoes of earthiness, but definitely not a real player. No minerality, no heat either.
Structure: This wine is dry. Acid is medium. Alcohol is medium. Tannins are medium and well integrated. Finish is medium. Complexity is medium to high.
Conclusion: This wine is from the new world, but there are traces of old world in the wine. From the alcohol indicators, this appears to be from a standard vintage.
Final Conclusion: This WAS a great bottle of wine. Right now however, it is just a good bottle of wine. The nose is still very dynamic, evolving, and complex. The palate is fading fast though. The fruit is on life support, and the secondary flavors just aren’t up to the task. Recommend you drink this one soon; I can’t imagine it getting any better from here. (3722 views) | | | Tasted by mlawren1 on 8/31/2013 & rated 92 points: Smooth and steady. Nice plum and cheery. Finishes with a hint of herb. (3534 views) | | | Tasted by f22nickell on 3/27/2013 & rated 92 points: Consistent with last notes. A good merlot-driven wine ... High praise from me as I usually do not like Merlot. (3383 views) | | | Tasted by f22nickell on 3/23/2013 & rated 92 points: Wine is still in great form. Red fruit with floral aromas mixed with a kind of earthy spiciness. Well integrated tannins. Not too complex, but I shouldn't be too harsh because this is a 10-year old Merlot-driven wine (Merlot is not my favorite). Still, it held in balance wonderfully with long finish that just fades away leaving you wanting more. (3106 views) | | | Tasted by jinks on 3/16/2013 & rated 91 points: Nice QPR. still youthful, full bodied, rich. (2676 views) | | | Tasted by mlawren1 on 3/10/2013 & rated 94 points: Smooth and steady with nice blackberries, plums and cherries. Finishes just lingers. Consistent across two bottles. (1356 views) | | | Tasted by welchcellars on 5/14/2012 & rated 90 points: A bit hot but holding on nicely. This is a good place to drink with a nice meal. (2548 views) | | | Tasted by WaWineFan in TX on 11/15/2011 & rated 92 points: Last bottlle. PNP no decant. The fruit has receded somewhat but the structure is still there. The nose is very impressive. Very nice acid and some definite WA Merlot characteristics peeking through. Overall with my recent experiences with the 04 and 05 sorella I was very concerned about this bottle when I opened it. I was pleasantly surprised to find it drinking very well and still think it could keep another year or 2. There was a bit of a sour finish initially but it seemed to dissipate with time in the glass. Overall I am sorry to see this wine go if it is going to continue to age in this fashion. (3096 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.2004 Andrew Will Ciel du Cheval VineyardCompositin is 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Merlot,d 30% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot.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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