by 2014 Chardonnay Release Saturday May 21st, 1 to 5pm
I know it’s been a long time since we have had the tasting room open but we are slowly transitioning to 100% estate grown Puget Sound AVA wines and it will take a while to build up some reserves of wine we can sell. Last year was a block buster year for the Pinot Noir and look for a release of the 2015 next Winter. We have 2 full barrels of tasty full bodied Pinot from that vintage and I think you will all enjoy it. Unfortunately, mother nature plays cruel tricks and rain besieged us in June 2015 during the time when the Chardonnay bloomed and left us will almost no Chardonnay to pick. I am hoping to avoid that this year.
We didn’t make a lot of Chardonnay in 2014 because of similar issues to 2015 with the rain but we did manage to make about a 1/2 barrel. It was stainless steel aged, but aged sur lie for almost a year. Aging it on the sediment gives it a richer, fuller bodied flavor that is a traditional Burgundian technique and I think you’ll enjoy it.
New Look
We are sporting a new label as we move forward. We wanted to refresh the label a bit after almost 10 years and this is more the look that Becky and I wanted but didn’t even know it. We designed it ourselves but after years of looking at wine labels I think we know what we wanted!
Vintage 2016
Speaking of 2016, the weather has been extraordinarily hot this year. The only upside is we had a wetter than normal winter so the aquifer is all charged up, but the downside is that everything is moving out at least a month early, even earlier than last year, which I thought I would never see again in my lifetime. Conditions at the end of the growing season in 2015 fell apart pretty quickly in late September and early October. We lost several hundred pounds of grapes due to rotting on the vine from all the rain. I hope to avoid that this year.
As part of our new push with estate only grapes, we intend to make four products from our grapes. Pinot Noir, Charonnday, Sparkling wine (from both Pinot and Chard) and a Rose’ of Pinot. If mother nature cooperates this year, we should have 3 of these available early next year.
Wines we are tasting and selling:
2014 Estate Grown Chardonnay – $24/bottle
The only wine actually grown in Woodinville! 2014 was the first of the string of really warm years we’ve had recently. 2014 started early and ended early, but unfortunately as can happen around here in June, we had rain when the grapes were flowering. This can mean a reduced crop or no crap depending on how long the rain lasts. We finished out the year warm and dry and were able to harvest under optimal conditions. The wine was fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks on the lies (leftover yeast) which enhances the mouthfeel and roundness in the wine. This is a traditionally Burgundian method and this wine will remind you of a premier Chablis wine with great aging potential. Unfortunately because of the weather we had a fraction of the crop and only have a few cases.
2009 Red Mountain Syrah – Wine Advocate 90 pts
The well-known Red Mountain interplay of fruit and acidity is fully evident in this Syrah. The nose is fully Red Mountain – lush, fruity with just the right amount of structure. The palate of candied fruit emerges slowly. The acidity is soft – yet pronounced – making this wine perfect to drink now or age further.
2010 Dist 83 Rhone Blend – Gold Medal 2010 Seattle Wine Awards
Our 4th vintage of what has become somewhat of a signature wine for HHV. This is a classic Rhone blend – named for the historic Hollywood Schoolhouse in Woodinville. In the 2010 vintage the blend is dominated by Syrah with a deep ruby color and a hint of blue from the Mourvedre. Fresh berries and cotton candy dominate the nose, while the palate is loaded with licorice and black fruits. A talc element brings character to the wine which evolves into a long pleasant finish. 35% Mourvedre, 35% Grenache, 30% Syrah
2010 Yakima Valley Cabernet
We finally made a Cabernet Sauvignon wine in 2010. It was a long time coming and we decided to experiment with a ton of Cabernet that year and try our hand at this wonderful varietal. The results are rich, brambly and full of black cherry fruit. This wine comes from some of the oldest Cabernet vines in the Yakima Valley. Aged in neutral French oak for 18 months and bottled 18 months ago.
2010 Red Mountain Malbec
This was our second time making a Malbec. The first one was a huge success garnering 91 Points from Wine Advocate, Double Gold at the Seattle Wine Awards and a Double Platinum from Winepress Northwest. This wine has lots of aromatic fruit, mostly red cherries with a hint of spicy white pepper. These grapes come from a new vineyard on Red Mountain called Heart of the Hill. If you love Malbec, this is for you!
