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2008 Wines
2009 Chardonnay
2009 ChardonnayColumbia Valley$13Gold - Seattle Wine AwardsRefreshing flavors of tropical pear and pineapple are followed by caramel notes layered into a long, smooth finish. This is a wonderful example of Columbia Valley Chardonnay.97% Chardonnay 3% RieslingHarvest date: September 12, 2009Production Quantity: 3,774 poundsSource: Sagemoor Farms, Bacchus Vineyard, Block 01Chemistry at crush:Brix: 25.3TA: 0.54pH: 3.49After de-stemming and crushing, the must was cold-soaked in an iced tank for approximately 20 hrs to enhance varietal flavors. Approximately 420 gallons of juice were immediately pressed off and allowed to settle before the juice was racked back to barrels (50% new and 50% one year French Oak) for primary fermentation. Secondary fermentation was carried out to integrate smooth tropical and citrus flavors with the oak. The wine was aged for 5 additional months on light lees in the same barrels before filtering and bottling. Chemistry at bottling:Alcohol: 14.1%Total production: 112 cases
2008 Rockin Red
2008 Rockin' RedColumbia Valley$19 Gold - Seattle Wine AwardsGold - Tri-Cities Wine FestivalYou've asked and we've delivered another vintage of our award winning signature wine that exhibits a thoroughly enjoyable blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and a bit of Petit Verdot. You'll discover subtle hints of raspberry, plum, and vanilla accented with a dash of pepper which provide a smooth, engaging mouthful with no hard edges. This wine is perfectly suited to drink immediately but will only improve with further aging. Enjoy this every day of the week!30% Syrah, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc, 21% Merlot, 7% Petit VerdotChemistry at bottling:Alcohol: 14.4%Total Production: 120 Cases
2008 Cabernet Franc
2008 Cabernet FrancColumbia Valley$24 SOLD OUTMove over our '07 Cabernet Franc - Gold Medal Winner at the 2009 Seattle Wine Awards ... this '08 Cab Franc knocks our socks off! The superb nose instantly reveals the complexity of black currants, raspberry and vanilla bean which are balanced beautifully by the spice and hint of nutmeg. It is both delicate and full, a lavish treat through to the finish. This wine is enjoyable now but has the structure to evolve wonderfully over the next several years.96.5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, and .5% Petit VerdotHarvest date: October 13, 2008Production quantity: 3,806 poundsSource: Sagemoor Farms, Bacchus Vineyard, Block 2Chemistry at crush:Brix: 26.5TA: .36pH: 3.93The wine was pressed off the skins on November 1, 2008, held in a tank overnight then racked into used oak barrels for stabilization before malolactic fermentation was started.Chemistry at bottling:Alcohol: 14.3%Total production: 49 cases
2008 Cab Sauv
2008 Cabernet SauvignonColumbia Valley$26 SOLD OUTDouble Gold - Seattle Wine AwardsThe lush, deep nose on this Cabernet Sauvignon invites you to dive in and stay all the way through the layers of complexity and balance. It opens with aromas of plum, black currant, tobacco and pepper, followed by a lengthy finish that completes the glide with vanilla, oak and dark melting chocolate. Last year's Cab won Double Gold at the Tri Cities Wine Festival, and we modestly believe this year's effort to be an improvement. Great aging potential but approachable now.90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, and 2% MerlotHarvest date: October 16, 2008Production quantity: 3,710 poundsSource: Sagemoor Farms, Dionysus Vineyard, Block 18Chemistry at crush:Brix: 26.3TA: .59pH: 3.65The wine was pressed off the skins on November 9, 2008, held in a tank overnight then racked into used oak barrels for stabilization before malolactic fermentation was started.Chemistry at bottling:Alcohol: 14.3%Total production: 62 cases
2008 Merlot
2008 MerlotColumbia Valley$22Gold - Seattle Wine AwardsAromas of black cherry and spice wheel you in and lead you to a beautifully balanced mouthful of fruit-forward wine with appealing tastes of pepper, blueberry, cinnamon, and chocolate. This alluring, full-bodied wine delivers throughout the palate with a long finish, and is an outstanding example of great Columbia Valley Merlot. In a couple of years you'll wish you'd been able to stock some away rather than indulge the urge to have it all now. Even Miles would drink this Merlot!93% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit VerdotHarvest date: September 20, 2008Production quantity: 3,672 poundsSource: Sagemoor Farms, Bacchus Vineyard, Block 4Chemistry at crush:Brix: 24.5TA: .32pH: 4.0The wine was pressed off the skins on October 25, 2008, held in a tank overnight then racked into used oak barrels for stabilization before malolactic fermentation was started.Chemistry at bottling:Alcohol: 14.7%Total production: 78 cases
2008 Syrah
2008 SyrahColumbia Valley$20Silver - Tri-Cities Wine FestivalThis Sagemoor Syrah displays smoky, sweet leather with hints of cherry and blackberry. The tannins deliver nicely revealing a luscious balance of spice, black fruit, and plum with hints of tobacco and oak which slide home to a lengthy, brooding finish. The flavors integrate beautifully and will be even more seamless with at least six months of aging.97% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Petit VerdotHarvest date: September 20, 2008Production quantity: 3,782 poundsSource: Sagemoor Farms, Sagemoor Vineyard, Block 412Chemistry at crush:Brix: 25.2TA: .38pH: 3.85The wine was pressed off the skins on October 23, 2008, held in a tank overnight then racked into used oak barrels for stabilization before malolactic fermentation was started.Chemistry at bottling:Alcohol: 14.3%Total production: 52 cases
2008 Satisfaction
2008 SatisfactionColumbia Valley$30 SOLD OUTSilver - Seattle Wine AwardsRemember that barrel of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc? This is the wonderful wine that it became, and the closest to a French Bordeaux wine we've ever made. Produced in a very limited quantity, this victorious blend of primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc is a full-throttle beautifully balanced effort featuring lush, opulent black fruits, coffee, tobacco, and chocolate. The balance of these tastes is seamless and palate-filling. This wine may never be produced again, and will completely satisfy those who act quickly with their acquisition. 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 3% Petit VerdotChemistry at bottling:Alcohol: 14.7%Total production: 27 cases
2008 Vintage Story
The 2008 vintage started right on time with an uneventful spring bud break. The rest of spring remained fairly typical, but summer was cooler than most. As mid-August approached, wineries were still waiting for the fruit to ripen for a normal, mid-September start to the harvest and crush season, but the vines were not cooperating, lagging two to four weeks behind. It appeared that crush would not begin until late September, at the earliest, and proceed well into, and even through, October. So not to disappoint, Mother Nature turned up the heat dial, and delivered a toasty finale to August and September. The ripening accelerated, and only by a continuous, and very hectic, monitoring of sugar levels in the vineyards, were we successful in managing the harvesting schedules to achieve an optimal balance of taste and chemistry. The faster ripening had us really scrambling trying to coordinate drivers, crush teams, etc. In fact, we received the call that both the Merlot and Syrah needed to be harvested on the same day. So, we rented a large box truck, picked up 7,500 pounds of grapes, delivered them back to the winery around 6PM, and worked until almost midnight to get the crush done – a long, long day for all of us.MaturationNear the end of January 2009 malolactic fermentation was complete for all our red varietals. Each wine was then racked into a tank to settle out residual yeast sediment, then into a mixture of new and used oak barrels. Marking a first for Rock Meadow, we selected barrels whose origin and oak character best matched the wine varietal – a common practice used by premium wineries. For Rock Meadow, this meant putting our Syrah into two new Eastern European oak and two used barrels for spiciness, our Merlot and Cabernet Franc into four new French oak and four used barrels, the traditional oak for smooth tannins, and our Cabernet Sauvignon into two new American oak, and two used barrels for stronger tannins and enhanced vanilla and caramel tastes. The early returns from our initial 2008 tastings confirm to us that using the varied oak barrel types has delivered, as advertised, with the enhanced, but distinctive, tastes and styles very prevalent. At the conclusion of our initial racking into the different barrel types, we had some Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc left over – not full barrels, but far too much to break down and store in a number of smaller glass vessels. We decided to combine these two wines and age them together in a single barrel – just like we did to the wine that became Rockin' Red way back in 2004.In July 2009, we racked all of our wines a second time. This involves moving all of a varietal out of barrel and into a tank, then moving back into barrel. This process allows the wine to mingle with similar wine that has been stored in a different barrel. For example, we use a combination of new American oak and used barrels for our Cabernet Sauvignon. Racking essentially blends all of our wine and the characteristic imparted on it by different barrels, and then sends the wine back for more. We were very encouraged by how our wines tasted at this early stage of their development. We also realized that the barrel of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc was starting to show something great.After a nice long rest over summer, fall and winter of 2009, we woke up our wines taking samples in early January for use in making blending decisions. Once we decided on our blends, we racked to the blend in late March creating each wine and allowing the blends to develop before bottling.Bottling was once again orchestrated by Bill Hamlin of Custom Bottling, ably assisted by the Rock Meadow crew, family, and some friends. This year we put the finished product back into the truck that held our empty bottles and when done with bottling, drove the truck to our new winery in the Issaquah valley. Once unloaded, we celebrated another great vintage with our first wine dinner in our new barn.
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2007 Wines
2007 Rockin' Red
2007 Rockin Red Columbia Valley$22 SOLD OUTGold - Tri-Cities Wine FestivalSilver - Seattle Wine AwardsOur signature wine exhibits a complex, layered bouquet and reflects an outstanding balance of competing ripe fruit, chocolate, and leather notes. Considerably more complex than previous efforts, this wine literally unfolds flavor dimensions in your mouth. Refined and regal, this wine sells out first!30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah, 26% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot.Chemisty at bottling:Alcohol: 14.1% pH: 3.73 TA: .54 Total Production: 48 cases
2007 Cabernet Franc
2007 Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley$19 SOLD OUTGold - Seattle Wine AwardsSilver - Tri-Cities Wine FestivalSmooth, well balanced hints of earth, cherry and leather are well-integrated in this powerful yet balanced offering. It will help you understand why the popularity of this grape is growing so rapidly.95% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet SauvignonHarvest date: October 12, 2007Production Quantity: 3,566 poundsSource: Sagemoor Farms, Bacchus Vineyard, Block 2Chemistry at crush:Brix: 26.5 TA: .62 pH: 3.68 Chemistry at bottling:Alcohol: 14.3% pH: 3.79 TA: .53 Total Production: 92 cases
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley$24 SOLD OUTDouble Gold - Tri-Cities Wine FestivalA large mouthful of balanced fruit awaits you here, with notes of ripe cherry and chocolate balancing the fine tannins, leading to a lengthy finish tinged with vanilla and oak. This wine showcases the terroir of Washington's Columbia Valley appellation.95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, and 1% Petit VerdotHarvest date: September 13, 2007Production Quantity: 3,508 poundsSource: Sagemoor Farms, Dionysus Vineyard, Block 18Chemistry at crush:Brix: 26.5TA: .67pH: 3.60Chemistry at bottling:Alcohol: 14.3%pH: 3.82TA: .55Total Production: 71 cases
2007 Merlot
2007 MerlotColumbia Valley$21 SOLD OUTSeamless combinations of currant, raspberry and cherry are featured in this appealing Merlot. Smoke and leather are also detectable, with a smooth finish of toasty oak. No rough edges here. 91% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit VerdotHarvest date: September 9, 2007Production Quantity: 3,240 poundsSource: Sagemoor Farms, Bacchus Vineyard, Block 4Chemistry at crush:Brix: 27TA: .40pH: 3.79Chemistry at bottling:Alcohol:15.2%pH: 3.64TA: .53Total Production: 85 cases
2007 Syrah
2007 Syrah Columbia Valley$17Bronze - Tri-Cities Wine FestivalThis medium to full-bodied wine is an elegant example of the high-quality Syrah being produced in the Columbia Valley recently. Exhibiting nuances of cherry, dried fruit, and earth, the finish is seamless and smooth.94% Syrah, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Petit VerdotHarvest date: September 27, 2007Production Quantity: 2,924 poundsSource: Sagemoor Farms, Sagemoor Vineyard, Block 412Chemistry at crush:Brix: 27TA: .63pH: 3.67Chemistry at bottling:Alcohol: 13.6%pH: 3.73TA: .56Total Production: 76 cases
2009 Chardonnay
2009 Rose
2009 RoseColumbia Valley$13 SOLD OUTThis 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot blend beautifully to create a luscious crisp medium body rose with a hint of strawberry and a lovely dry finish. A must for a warm summer afternoon into evening.
2008 Chardonnay
2008 Chardonnay Columbia Valley$17 SOLD OUTBronze - Tri-Cities Wine FestivalRefreshing notes of pear, citrus, and butterscotch prevail in this beautifully balanced Chardonnay. It delivers a generous mouthful of fruit with hints of oak on the finish. This is a wonderful example of outstanding Columbia Valley chardonnay from this vintage and is drinking well now.97% Chardonnay and 3% RieslingHarvest date: September 18, 2008Production Quantity: 2,642 poundsSource: Sagemoor Farms, Bacchus Vineyard, Block 1Chemistry at crush:Brix: 23.6 TA: .51 pH: 3.53 The wine was pressed off the skins on September 20th and put in used American oak barrels for fermentation. After fermentation the wine was racked to tank, the barrels cleaned, and moved back in for malolactic fermentation. Once complete, the series of clarification and racking began, with the wines aging in used American oak.
2007 Vintage Story
The 2007 vintage started a bit slow in the spring, with bud break about two weeks behind a typical year. The crop enjoyed a smooth, progressive warming through late spring and summer allowing the grapes to mature without excessive stress. There were no heat waves, or dramatically high temperatures over summer, and growing conditions remained near ideal into fall. Some cooler weather delayed harvest on both our Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon, with those coming fully ripe in early October. Our only real challenge in this vintage's crush was back-to-back days of driving and evenings of crushing the Franc and Sauvignon. We always defer harvesting on chemistry (i.e., Brix, total acidity (TA), and pH of the grapes juice) to harvesting on taste. With this practice, when the grapes taste just right, we have our good friends at Sagemoor pick them as early as possible the next morning. This means we have to scramble like crazy to arrange drivers, riders, and a crush team to process the grapes when they arrive in Sammamish. It's a long day, but we believe strongly this method produces more flavorful wines.After a 10-day extended cold soak the wine was pressed off the skins on December 1, 2007, held in a tank overnight then racked into used oak barrels for stabilization before malolactic fermentation was started.Near the end of January 2008 malolactic fermentation had completed on all our varietals. At that point each wine was racked first into a tank to settle out residual yeast sediment, then into a mixture of 50% new French oak, and 50% used oak barrels. All of the 2007 varietals were racked once in the summer of 2008.In January of 2008 we had our annual blending party, where all the winery partners meet with Cheryl Jones, our Wine Consultant to determine if blending varying amounts of other varietal with a primary varietal result in a better wine.After determining blends and percentages, then translating these percentages into gallons, we racked into our blends in mid-February. In this process we move predetermined amounts of specific varietals into a tank to be blended. After blending, this new wine is racked back into barrels for the final aging period leading up to bottling. Depending on how much (if any) additional oak each blend would benefit from determines whether this last aging is in new or used oak, or what percentage the mix will be.Wines from our 2007 vintage were bottled on May 9, 2009. This production was orchestrated by Bill Hamlin of Custom Bottling in Benton City, WA who was assisted by the Rock Meadow crew and some friends.
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2008 Wines
2008 Vintage Story
2007 Wines
2007 Vintage Story
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