Description
Vinous 93 points – (this is the only high-end K Vintners red fermented in stainless steel; then aged in puncheons, 25% new, for no more than 15 months; from two proximate vineyards, one on sandy river rock, the other on limestone and volcanic broken basalt): Dark red with ruby tones. Pungent aromas of cassis, blueberry, prosciutto, licorice, menthol, mint and minerals. Juicy and intense, conveying an exhilarating combination of sweetness and lively acidity to its red and darker berry and spice flavors. A savory element provides a further leavening influence. Finishes long, with firm but suave tannins. Lovely wine with real personality..November/2018
Marketing genius Charles Smith probably attracts more attention for his new wine projects, his new Jet City winery on the south side of Seattle and his multiple tasting locations in Walla Walla than he does for his K Vintners line-up of wines. But year in and year out, the K Vintners wines are wonderfully expressive single-vineyard wines with the courage of their convictions, whether they stand out for their New World fruit or savory Old World soil tones. Winemaker Brennon Leighton, who joined Smith’s empire in 2012 and is now director of winemaking and vineyards, told me that Smith buys all of his fruit by the acre rather than by weight, and also controls the vineyard work during the growing season. He added that the K Vintners wines from flood soils tend to give more fruit, while the bottlings from ancient soils are more minerally and complex, typically from volcanic bedrock and/or limestone (caliche). The K reds from Rhone varieties are made entirely with whole clusters and all of the K reds get extended macerations of up to 60 days. The Syrah bottlings in particular exhibit a broad range of distinctive personalities that showcase the versatility of this noble variety. – From Focus on Washington: The New Normal (Nov 2018) by Stephen Tanzer
Visit Us
