2003 Peninsula, Red Willow Vineyard

Deep red color with a subtle purple hue. Full-bodied Bordeaux-style with prevalent black cherry and cassis flavors infused with eucalyptus, bay and cedar notes. Strong tannins lead to a long, persistent finish.

The most celebrated red wine vineyard in Washington, Red Willow lies in the remote northwestern corner of the Yakima Valley Appellation. Mt. Adams’ 12,000-foot peak and the Cascade foothills rise to the west. There are no other vineyards within 20 miles. It is a fairly warm site (mid-region 2 on the old UC Davis scale). At high elevations – 1,100 to 1,300 feet – Red Willow has complex soil formations and steep hillsides. Owner Mike Sauer has developed the 120 acres of land with sensitivity and a deep respect for soil and slope. The basic landform is a peninsula of land jutting out from the south facing Ahtanum Ridge. The south slope of this peninsula formation drops down into a saddle that runs south to rise upwards to a small hill. There are east, west and south-facing vineyards and these are divided into 40 small blocks of great red varieties.

Our 2003 Peninsula would pair perfectly with grilled ribeye with cracked black pepper with garlic mashed potatoes and mixed greens salad topped with dried cherries.

215 cases