2020 Hellcat
Tasting Notes
Our 2020 Hellcat showcases of an abundance of blue fruits intertwined with savory nuances. Notes of huckleberry jam and blueberry compote are layered with undertones of black truffle and hints of black olive tapenade. The wine enters the palate with a voluptuous round mouthfeel displaying beautiful oak integration and exits with silky tannins and a long-lasting, smooth finish. Enjoy now through 2033 with optimal maturity in 2028.
Vineyard Designation
100% Estate Grown
Vintage Notes
The 2020 vintage will go down as a very memorable year. The growing season was exceptional with a mild winter, warm spring, and moderate summer. Just as we were preparing for an early start to harvest, wildfires in the Northwest created a thick cloud of smoke over Washington State. Taking a cautious approach, we delayed harvest until the smoke cleared and conducted trials to determine the effect of smoke on our grapes. Fortunately, the results showed no sign of smoke taint. Proximity to the source of smoke plays a big factor, and our vineyard was a long distance away. Overall, we have not seen any impact of smoke on the 2020 vintage. Another major event of this vintage was an early frost that occurred the second week of October. Our winemaking team worked tirelessly long hours leading up to the frost. By the time our vineyards had been impacted by the cold spell, our winery was stuffed with fermenting grapes and harvest was 95% complete. All remaining grapes were then hand-harvested and sorted with an optical sorter. Despite the obstacles we encountered, we were able to produce another stunning vintage. The 2020 wines showcase an abundance of ripe fruit aromatics, low tannin profiles, and exceptionally balanced finishes.
Winemaking Notes
Each element of our 2020 Hellcat is sourced from our Estate Vineyard, located in the Yakima Valley AVA, from our Reserve Tier designated blocks. The Tempranillo was harvested at the beginning of October and fermented in a concrete tank, the Syrah was harvested towards the middle of October and fermented in a small 2-ton fer- menter. Both varieties had a similar extraction program, with a 3-day cold soak, then inoculated with a special yeast strain. With these varietals, the goal is to get as much extraction before 9-10% alcohol, once we achieved our extraction, we took agentler approach to not over extract the wine. Fermented until dry on the skins, each lot was then drained, and the remaining grapes were sent to the press to gently press any remaining juice left in the skins. The wines were then sent to a variety of French oak barrels and were inoculated for Malo-lactic fermentation. Once Malo-lactic fermentation was completed, the wines lees were stirred in each barrel twice a month for 3 months, this process helps the wine achieve a more round, softer mouthfeel, acting a natural fining agent. A blend of this nature naturally has a high pH and low acidity so extra care must be taken to ensure the wines health during aging. Each barrel was topped twice a month to ensure minimal headspace as well as constant chemistry check-ups. Aged for 16 months in exclusive French oak with 30% being new French Oak, 30% 2yr-old French Oak and 40% Neutral French Oak. After barrel aging, the wine was sent back to a concrete tank and aged for an additional month before being prepped for bottling.
Food Pairing
Cajun Filet Mignon
Roast Leg of Lamb with Rosemary
Jambalaya Pasta
Manchego or Dubliner
- Varietal Composition: 67% Tempranillo, 33% Syrah
- Appellation: Yakima Valley
- Aging / Barrel Program: Aged for 20 months in French oak (35% new, 30% 2 year-old, and 35% neutral) followed by 1 month in concrete
- Cases Produced: 368
- Alcohol: 14.6%
- pH: 3.92
- Acidity: 5.1 g/L
- Ageability: Enjoy now through 2033 with optimal maturity in 2028