Tasting Notes
70% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot.
A powerful and rich expression that seamlessly balances opulence with elegance. Aromas of dark bramble fruit, blackberry cobbler, and an intriguing spice box of baking spices and clove. The palate reveals layers of blackberry, dark cherry, and hints of red fruit, underscored by subtle notes of gravel and iron. Full-bodied, with focused acidity and tannin that provides structure and lift to the intense fruit flavors, the wine culminates with a long, balanced finish.
Wine Specs
Vintage
2022
Varietal
Red Blend
Vineyard Designation
Quintessence, Red Willow, Ciel du Cheval
Aging
50% new French oak, 50% used French oak. 21 months in barrel.
Alcohol %
14.8
Winemaker Notes
The 2022 Long Haul is composed primarily of merlot from Quintessence and Ciel du Cheval vineyards on Red Mountain combined with merlot from Red Willow Vineyard in the Yakima Valley. Ciel du Cheval is one of the oldest vineyards in the Red Mountain AVA. The older vines produce small clusters with intensely flavored berries. Seventy miles to the west of Red Mountain, the vines at Red Willow have an average age of 25 years and are planted on ancient soils above the deposition of the Missoula floods. Red Willow merlot offers a savory aromatic profile with complex depth and power on the palate. The wine was fermented in a combination of 1.5, 2 and 5-ton open top fermenters for 7-10 days and was then lightly
pressed to barrel, where it finished primary and malolactic fermentation and was aged for 21 months in a combination of new and used French oak.