2019 Limited Release Druthers Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2018 vintage gave us a perfect combination of heat for ripening in the summer and a gradual cool down during harvest that allowed proper ripeness in the ideal timeframe. This year's blend is a special combination of Canoe Ridge Estate (39%), Cold Creek (26%), Kelly (18%), and Dineen (17%) Vineyards. The combination of warmer and cooler sites is the exact expression I look for in the Artist Series. The cooler sites provide dark cherry fruit, a touch of herbs and delicate harmony. The warmer sites give ballast and depth to add concentration and aging potential. This wine plays the perfect role of 'Old World' styling with "New World' structure.

While a departure from the typical Druthers Cabernet, faithful fans and new converts alike will appreciate the unmatched decadence of this wine. Built from three vineyard sites renowned for opulence, this vintage has a sophisticated balance of rich juicy blueberry and vibrant red fruit with a long lustrous finish.

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.

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.

This Merlot, crafted from unique vineyards, is bursting with aromas of earthy, brambly blackberry and ripe plumbs complimented by vanilla spice. Flavors of decadent, juicy dark fruit also match perfectly with velvety yet weighty dark tannins and an endless finish.

Viognier is one of my favorite varietals to work with. This aromatic grape lends notes of citrus blossom, mandarin, honey and graham cracker. Fermented in neutral oak, you’ll find the perfect balance of fruit, texture and weight on the palate.

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.

Sometimes when assembling a blend you just get lucky on your first try. In this case we quickly struck gold. In just the second round of blending we found the perfect balance of freshness, depth and complexity with just the right amount of sweetness that perfectly captured the cool 2019 vintage.

Three individual lots that highlight creative winemaking techniques were blended together to create this lovely and complex Syrah. Dark fruits, hints of spice, and a rich tannin structure offer layer upon layer to discover just like the vineyard itself.