2018 Ethos Reserve Chardonnay

The 2018 vintage provided magical conditions to create a complex Merlot. Dineen Vineyard makes up 55% of this wine, and I added depth and texture with 45% old vine Cold Creek Vineyard Merlot. This Merlot encapsulates everything that is remarkable about Washington State Merlot made by Chateau Ste. Michelle.

Supple texture, remarkable depth and complex flavors are the hallmarks of Eroica XLC. Extended Lees Contact (XLC) is a modern interpretation of classic, Old World, dry-style Riesling. In keeping with Germany’s Grosses Gewächs “GG” designation, this is a dry wine sourced from distinctive vineyards.

The best part of the Limited Release program is the freedom to experiment! Instead of aging our 2018 Cinsaut in multiple small barrels, I decided to put about half into one giant oak tank – and I love the result! The delicate red fruit is pure and sweet with an added boost of freshness.

My Old World style vineyard is a natural for beautifully sculpted, complex red blends. This one was crafted from Cabernet Sauvignon (47%), Merlot (23%), Syrah (14%), Malbec (14%) and Cabernet Franc (2%). Five varietals from one Estate vineyard make for a harmonic statement that I enjoy crafting every year.

This wine is a labor of love that requires months of tasting hundreds of individual barrels of Chardonnay to find the perfect balance of concentration and complexity. Fermented with 100% natural, uninoculated yeast and aged 10 months in predominately French oak barrels.

This Cabernet Franc opens with aromas of blueberry and graham cracker with blackberry and juniper on the palate and finishes with soft, velvety tannins. Enjoy the complex offerings of this unique varietal.

This wine is a labor of love that requires months of tasting hundreds of individual barrels of Chardonnay. Fermented with 100% natural, uninoculated yeast and aged 10 months in French oak, Ethos is crafted in an elegant style designed to entice your sense and captivate your spirit.

Syrah might be my favorite red variety – it proudly trumpets its terroir, and also responds to any technique orchestrated by the winemaker. I chose three cool Yakima Valley vineyards that retain acidity and fresh red fruit, and treated each with Viognier co-fermentation or whole cluster additions.

Specifically selected and carefully aged, this premier red blend highlights warm-weather vineyards with a robust palette of boysenberry and biscotti.