2011 Marie's View
THE STORY:
My often cynical lab notes for 2011 start out “….the coldest summer in twenty-five years. Tough growing conditions, wet, cold spring……nice August and September….” 2011 was a challenge but when the going gets tough, the tough get going. We solved the cool year problem in several ways. Initially in the second week of August vineyard guru, Dan Nickolaus, dropped fruit from the vines to lower yields and enhance ripening. We were blessed with a gorgeous Fall and just played the waiting game. Cabernet from Block 18 and Syrah from Block 30 were picked on October 19 and eventually pressed to barrel on November 15. Merlot, Petit, Cab Franc, and Sangio were all picked on November 2! And pressed to barrel in late November. By waiting until disaster was imminent we were able to produce wine from fruit that was fully mature just as if we had enjoyed a perfect vintage. I fully expect this wine to be elegant and long-lived. 2011 is a classic example of “its how you play the game”. Laisse le bon temps rouler!
PRODUCTION
186 cases
RELEASE DATE
September 26, 2015
| Vintage | 2011 |
| Varietal | Red Blend |
| Varietal Composition | 42% Cabernet Sauvignon
28% Syrah
12% Merlot
9% Petit Verdot
6% Cab Franc
3% Sangiovese |
| Appellation | Horse Heaven Hills |
| Vineyard | Wallula |
| Aging | 50% new Millet and Taransaud French oak and 50% neutral French oak for 24 months, then blended to a neutral tank for 4 months of flavor profile assimilation. |
| Fermentation | Soaked on skins for 18 days with cool fermentation in the range of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. |
| Alcohol | 14.50% |
| Wine Style | Red Wine |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Bottling Date | 06/27/2014 |
91 POINTS - Wine Advocate
"More lifted and perfumed, with notions of violets, potpourri, exotic spice and cedar intermixed with plenty of raspberry, blackberry and red plum, the 2010 Marie’s View is full-bodied, balanced and layered on the palate, with juicy acidity and building, fine-grained tannin that emerge on the finish. A blend of 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 25% Syrah and the balance Petit Verdot, Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc aged 24 months in 50% new and 50% neutral French oak barrels, it walks a fine line with regards to volatility, yet manages to hold everything together and is a beautiful drink. I’m less bullish on the drink window here, but it will certainly evolve gracefully for a decade."
100% Wallula Vineyard
Considered by some to be the best vineyard site in Washington state, Wallula Vineyard is a picturesque growing location nestled high above the mighty Columbia River south of Kennewick. The vineyard is planted on south-facing slopes which vary from 2% up to 30% grade and its perimeter totals 9 miles of varied terrain. Of this perimeter, the shore of the Columbia River provides nearly 3.5 miles of waterfront. From the river's edge at 320 feet above sea level, the property climbs a distance of nearly 3.5 miles to its peak elevation of 1367 feet. The lower elevations of the property provide ideal growing conditions for ultra-premium reds while conditions at the upper elevations allow for high quality whites to be grown. The river is of utmost importance as the water acts as a massive insulator where during the day heat accumulates quickly and at night it provides a cooling effect once the sun goes down.
Wallula's beauty as well as its suitability to winegrapes is due in part to the huge Missoula floods that raced down the Columbia River during the last ice age. The surging waters deposited Shano silt loam soils on the site, and carved the steep, basalt-rimmed canyon walls atop which the vineyards are planted.
Rob Newsom
Rob Newsom, the Louisiana-born founder of Washington State’s already legendary Boudreaux Cellars, was inspired and tutored by Leonetti Cellar icon Gary Figgins. This former professional alpinist, ice climbing pioneer, and developer of the Gore-Tex fly-fishing wader, is known widely for his bold, rich cabernet sauvignons. Never afraid to experiment, smooth exotic blends are one of Rob’s specialties.
His background in musical performance, cooking and grilling, scientific analysis, and marketing combine with his sly sense of humor and global experience to make Rob engaging and entertaining. Rob was chosen as Seattle Magazine’s Best New Winemaker of the Year in 2007. He is serving his second term on the board of directors of the Washington Wine Institute and also serves on the board of Acoustic Sound, Inc. producers of Wintergrass.
