Vinous

• By Stephen Tanzer
  Focus on Washington: The New Normal (Nov 2018), 11/1/2018 (link)

  (Ross Andrew Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Glaze Washington Red) Subscribe to see review text.

Full Pull

• By Paul Zitarelli
  Full Pull Glaze, 11/2/2018

  (Ross Andrew Glaze Cabernet Sauvignon) Hello friends. We have the new vintage today of one of the most popular value Cabernets we’ve offered over the years: Ross Mickel’s Glaze. It’s always special when we get to offer Glaze—this is a Cabernet that seriously over-delivers its modest price point. Plus, it’s not made every year. Ross launched Glaze in 2006 and this new vintage is only his sixth. We never know when it’s going to show up next—which I suppose is equally exciting and frustrating for lovers of dreamy weekday Cabernet. But before we get to Glaze, we have a bonus wine. Ross has given us access to a small parcel of a limited-production, industry-favorite white wine from one of our favorite vineyards in Washington:We’ve had a long tradition with this wine here at Full Pull; Paul tasted the first vintage (2006) in the very early days of Full Pull and was all ready to offer it, only to have a restaurant swoop in and grab the entire remaining parcel. The 2008 vintage we jumped on nice and early, and we have offered every vintage since, all at the exact same price. It’s become a hit, a low-weight/high-intensity Cabernet perfect for mid-week drinking, one made from Ross’ own grapes that, for percentage reasons, don’t make it into his other wines. The last vintage we had from Ross was 2015, the hottest on record. It’s exciting to now see his take on 2017, a high-quality vintage with more moderate temperatures. Ross always keeps the vineyards involved in Glaze close to the vest. However, this year we did get a little information: there’s more Red Mountain fruit than previous vintages, and a good amount of that fruit comes from Quintessence. He also names Alder Ridge and Double Canyon, both from the Horse Heaven Hills. Are there other vineyards used? Probably? Do we know what they are? No. And that’s okay anyway. These three vineyards are all knockouts for Cabernet, and for a midweek glugger like Glaze, I try not to get too wound up in research knots and instead enjoy the wine for its simple pleasures. Looking back at our previous offers of Glaze, I found one of my favorite tasting notes from Ross’ team: “Just enough structure to let you know this is Cabernet Sauvignon, but not so much that it needs time in the cellar.” That’s consistently one of the best things about Glaze; it’s rich with Cabernet varietal character, both in the form of cassis fruit and toothsome tannic structure, but not so much skeleton that it gets in the way of the flesh. This year is no different; it has a brooding blackcurrant core, lifted by spiced top notes and complicated by savories of fennel seed and tobacco leaf. The palate leans in toward the savories; almost rustic in texture, brimming with verve, and charming as all get out. For me, it’s bringing to mind snowy evenings, a roaring fireplace, and some slowly braising meats in the oven.