2019 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.7%
Grape Varieties 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Drinking Window 2026–2050 (Chris Peterson, winemaker)
Region Yakima Valley
Soil Ancient mix of sand, Clay, Sandstone, And river rocks from missoula floods
Vine Age Cabernet Sauvignon block planted in 1991
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Details 100% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak100%
Oak Types French oak
Unfined Yes
Unfiltered Yes
Production Details Selected from a Cabernet Sauvignon block near the top of Red Willow Vineyard and assembled from the best combination of barrels. Native-yeast fermented and matured for 20 months in 100% new French oak; bottled unfined and unfiltered. Production was 70 cases. Avennia’s separate vineyard page lists the overall Red Willow elevation as 1,000–1,250 ft, not a parcel-specific elevation.
Tasting Notes Black raspberry, red-currant reduction, espresso powder, mountain flowers and dried herbs; deep boysenberry, blackberry, graphite and freshly turned loam
Critics Ratings 96
2018 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.5%
Grape Varieties 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region Yakima Valley
Soil Ancient mix of sand, Clay, Sandstone, And river rocks from missoula floods
Vine Age Original Cabernet Sauvignon block planted in 1985
Indigenous Yeast Yes
Oak Details 80% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak80%
Oak Types French oak
Unfined Yes
Unfiltered Yes
Production Details The final vintage using the original 1985 Cabernet Sauvignon planting. Native-yeast fermented and matured for 20 months in 80% new French oak; bottled unfined and unfiltered. Production was 106 cases, with release in October 2021. Avennia’s separate vineyard page lists the overall Red Willow elevation as 1,000–1,250 ft.
Tasting Notes Macerated black cherry, plum, black-currant reduction, dark cocoa nibs, thyme, tobacco leaf and crushed roses; intense dark-red fruit, Ethiopian espresso powder, crushed dried herbs and earthy minerality
2017 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.6%
Grape Varieties 100% Red Willow Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Region Yakima Valley
Soil Ancient mix of sand, Clay, Sandstone, And river rocks from missoula floods
Orientation Long, Steep, West-Facing Slope
Sites Included about 20% from the old Cabernet block’s lower section, with the balance from the upper portion
Oak Details 80% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak80%
Oak Types French oak
Unfined Yes
Unfiltered Yes
Production Details Fruit came from a 30-plus-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon block whose upper and lower sections were picked separately, sometimes a week to ten days apart, and kept separate in barrel. The wine included about 20% lower-section fruit, matured for 20 months in 80% new French oak, then received an additional six months of bottle aging before release. Bottled unfined and unfiltered; 119 cases; released October 10, 2020. Avennia’s separate vineyard page lists the overall Red Willow elevation as 1,000–1,250 ft.
Tasting Notes Dark red cherries, raspberries, high-cacao chocolate, fresh herbs and tobacco; red and blue fruits, espresso powder, herbs and slate minerality
2016 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.6%
Grape Varieties 100% Red Willow Cabernet Sauvignon
Region Yakima Valley
Soil Ancient mix of sand, Clay, Sandstone, And river rocks from missoula floods
Orientation Long, Steep, West-Facing Slope
Sites 17% from the old Cabernet block’s lower section, with the balance from the upper portion
Oak Details 83% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak83%
Oak Types French oak
Unfined Yes
Unfiltered Yes
Production Details Fruit came from a 30-plus-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon block whose upper and lower sections were picked separately, sometimes a week to ten days apart, and kept separate in barrel. The blend included 17% lower-section fruit. Nearly every combination of new and used French-oak barrels was trialed; the final wine matured for 21 months in 83% new French oak and received an additional six months of bottle aging before release. Bottled unfined and unfiltered; 140 cases; released October 5, 2019. Avennia’s separate vineyard page lists the overall Red Willow elevation as 1,000–1,250 ft.
Tasting Notes Red and black currants, crushed roses, fresh sage and thyme, dark chocolate and cardamom; crème de cassis, flood minerals, herbs, baking spices and damp earth
Producer Information
Website
Address
19255 Woodinville-Snohomish Rd. NE, Ste 1, Woodinville, WA 98072, USA
Phone
+1 425-482-4364
Email
Owner
Marty Taucher &
Chris Peterson
Chris Peterson
Cellarmaster
Chris Peterson