From: Red Mountain, Washington, USA

Varietals: 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Syrah, 1% Merlot

Tasting Notes: Complex and layered aromatics of raspberry and plum alongside dark red fruits, with a hint of spiced cherry, licorice, and warm earth tones on the nose. These aromas lead into diverse flavors of plum, red currant, and warm dark chocolate and spice that linger on this complex palate. With firm dusty tannins that are balanced by a nice touch of oak, acidity on the finish, this is nicely structured Cabernet Sauvignon that will age nicely.

Pairing: This wine will pair nicely with many dishes, from hearty pastas to grilled vegetables (especially portobello mushrooms), carne asada (and many other grilled meats), and even rack of lamb. We love Laura Lee’s quick and easy recipe for Steak Marinade.

Winemaker notes: “We are very excited about [the 2018] release of the Kiona Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon. This unique blend is made up of two different blocks within the Kiona vineyards site. 40% of the blend is from North Block, which are the some of the oldest plantings on Red Mountain, while 56% is from Heart of the Hillside Vineyard Block 8, which are younger vines located at a higher elevation on the Red Mountain bench. Each block of the vineyard site provided us with distinctive aromas, tannins, and flavors and we did blend a small amount of Syrah (from Ravenscliff Vineyard, Wahluke Slope) and Merlot (Goose Ridge Merlot, Columbia Valley) to round out the blend. We used the pump-under fermentation method with PDM yeast. 100% malolactic fermentation was completed in 59-gallon French Oak barrels. The wine aged for 36 months in 25% new French Oak barrels with the other 75% in neutral French Oak. 445 cases were made.”