From: Yakima Valley, Washington, USA
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasting Notes: The 2020 Andrew Will Two Blondes Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon has an intensely alluring bouquet of dark cherry, dusty blackberry, and currant, which fuse with floral tones and hints of cassis, graphite, and leafy herbs. These notes are echoed seamlessly on the palate, which unfolds with an opulent texture and bright acidity that feeds into a complex, persistent finish.
Pairing: The 2020 Andrew Will Two Blondes Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a finessed wine that will pair beautifully with a variety of braised dishes, including beef stew (see recipe below), pot roast, or lentil-based dishes. Alternatively, you could lean into weeknight favorites like tacos, gyros, and Korean BBQ. Burgers of all kinds work magically here too, whether you love beef or portobello.
Old-Fashioned Beef Stew
By Molly O’Neil
About. Chris Camarda established the Andrew Will Winery in 1989, naming it in honor of his nephew, Andrew, and son, Will. Andrew Will was launched out of a love for wine that Chris developed while working in the restaurant trade for almost 20 years. Andrew Will wines focus on Bordeaux Varietals from a variety of Columbia Valley-based vineyards, including Camarda's own estate, Two Blondes. Chris is also a part owner of the Champoux Vineyard, and sources from the Ciel du Cheval Vineyard. They make about 4500 cases of wine per year.
Chris’ son, Will, grew up helping out around the winery. He graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in geology, and upon graduation spent a couple of years working as an environmental scientist in Seattle before feeling drawn back to Vashon and working with his father. He became the co-winemaker alongside his dad in around 2016, and has now taken the helm as the second-generation winemaker and manager.
In 2000, after a decade of purchasing fruit from top vineyards in Washington State, it was a natural progression for Chris to plant his own 30-acre vineyard in Zillah, WA, within the Yakima Valley AVA. This “Two Blondes” vineyard (where this wine comes from) is named for Chris Camarda’s late wife, Annie, who was a 6’2” blonde, and their partner in the vineyard, Bill Fleckenstein’s wife, Melody, who is also blonde. Clonal variety was particularly important to Chris Camarda as a winemaker, and having an estate vineyard gave him the flexibility to control the specific clones of each variety he planted there: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec.
Chris selected the 30 acre site due to its excellent soils and climate for growing grapes; it is not threatened by freezes but is just cool enough to ensure a modulated ripening process, even in warm years. The site has none of the draw backs he sees in some areas of the state alternating between devastating freezes and heat in excess of 100 degrees. The soils here are a complex mix of Harwood-Burke-Wiehl series. They are silty loams formed in a silty loess eolian mantle over a lime-silica-cemented durpan. The vines are trained on bi-lateral cordons and the rows are mostly spaced at 5X8 and run due north and south. The angle block is planted differently, however, 6X3 spacing and 32 degrees NE by SW. Each vine supports 8 positions with approximately 16-18 clusters per vine.
“I believe that an individual piece of property can form a signature – an identity – and it is that face that is the focus of my winemaking. We are trying to let the vineyards reveal themselves. I believe that if Washington is ever to be considered a great wine region we need to establish the characteristics of our geographical areas and the characteristics of each vineyard in those areas.” —Chris Camarda
