Canvasback Red Mountain Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Home to some of Washington State’s most celebrated vineyards, Red Mountain is renowned for Cabernet Sauvignon. With ideal southwest-facing slopes and significant day and nighttime temperature swings, this small but highly prized area in Eastern Washington produces exceptional wines. Named for the Canvasback duck, which is native to the Pacific Flyway, this wine was crafted from grapes cultivated by some of Red Mountain’s finest growers.With Canvasback, our aim is to express and develop the depth, structure and sophistication that define wines from this young and exciting appellation.

Production Notes

Varietal Composition: 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Syrah, 1% Malbec

Winemaker Notes

Tantalizing aromas of ripe strawberry, Bing cherry and grenadine leap from the glass, followed by suggestions of blueberry and huckleberry, as well as subtle oak tones of slivered almond and hazelnut. The saturated red fruit layers are echoed on the delightfully supple palate, where they mingle with dynamic flavors of red licorice, orange zest and candied grape, and darker hints of black plum, cocoa, berry pie and baking spices.

Production

The 2018 growing season produced one of the finest vintages of the past decade. After a warm spring that resulted in an early budbreak, the early summer weather turned somewhat cool ensuring slow, gentle ripening of the fruit. A perfectly timed return to warm weather in July and August spurred a final push towards ripeness. As we began preparing for harvest, the days were cool and rain free, allowing us to pick each vineyard and block exactly when we wished. The resulting wines are dark and generous, balancing supple, polished textures with age-worthy structures that underscore the lush intensity of the dark-berried fruit flavors.