Columbia Winery 2017 Gradient Red Blend

For more than 50 years, Columbia Winery has embraced a legacy of progressive winemaking that has led its forward-thinking winemakers to discover new grape varieties, vineyards and blends. Today, Winemaker Sean Hails continues this spirit of innovation, handcrafting a distinct collection of food- friendly wines from Washington State. Here, intense sunlight, coupled with a lack of rainfall, translates to deeply concentrated color, flavor and structure in the glass. Located just outside of Seattle, the iconic Columbia tasting room offers daily tastings and Northwest-inspired offerings.

About the Wine: From aroma to finish, our 2017 Columbia Winery Gradient Red Blend offers the power and presence of a classic Bordeaux-style blend. Layers of dark cherry and black olive open in the glass with hints of toasted oak and baking spice. Blending 50% Cabernet Sauvignon in the 2017 creates a solid structure, firm tannins and ample elegance. Adding 29% Merlot delivers layers of silky tannins and balance to the wine.

Viticulture Notes Fruit for the 2017 Gradient Red Blend was sourced from “the best of the best” sites around Washington, according to our winemaker Sean Hails. The 2017 growing season brought us cooler-than-average weather and challenged us to be patient and wait for ripeness in our reds. It was worth the wait. We harvested fruit with deeply concentrated fruit characteristics, a slightly reduced amount of acidity and supple mouth filling tannins.

Winemaking Notes: After harvesting in October 2017, the grapes for this wine were destemmed at the winery and transferred to tanks. Fermentation occurred at 88°F in small- lot, stainless steel tanks, both open and closed top. During fermentation, pump overs and punch downs were used for intense extraction of color and flavor. Malolactic fermentation was completed to deliver a round mouthfeel. All lots were barrel aged for 18 months in 100% French oak barrels (48% new), more new oak compared to the last vintage.

Varietal Content: 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 7% Malbec, 6% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc Appellation: Columbia Valley Alcohol Content: 15% Titratable Acidity: 5.6g/L pH: 3.72 Bottling Date: August 6, 2019 Cases Produced: 676