2020 Runway Red Blend
Tasting Notes
The 2020 Runway is a co-fermented Right Bank style blend of 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot. Luscious aromas of Bing cherry and black cassis are intertwined with nuances of chocolate truffles. The wine enters the mid-palate with secondary flavors of smoked dates, fig jam, salted caramel, and a touch of espresso. Velvet like tannins coat the mouth for a rich and engaging finish with lingering notes of toasted oak and spice.
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
Harvested at optimal maturity in early October from reserve tier blocks on our estate vineyard, both the Cabernet Franc and Merlot were hand-harvested at the same time. These grapes were then destemmed and sorted using an optical sorter before being sent to a small concrete tank to co-ferment together. Fer- menting in concrete gives this wine added complexity and roundness while also accentuating more fruit character. After a cold soaking period of 72 hours, the wine was then inoculated with two different types of yeast strains; one to promote structure and varietal characteristics, the other for more bountiful fruit aromas. Our extraction protocol for a wine of this caliber is to be aggressive early on in fermentation, giving the wine a delastage (removing all juice from the skins, then returning the juice back to the skins). This process gives us most of our color, aromatics and structure before higher alcohol levels are present. Once the alcohol gets to about 9-10%, we handle the fermentation with a gentler approach – less pump overs and less punch downs. Fermented dry on the skins for about 16 days, the wine was then free ran from the skins and gently pressed. It was then sent to exclusive French oak barrels for aging (85% new French oak and 15% 2 to 3-year-old French oak). After malolactic fermentation was complete, the wine’s lees were stirred twice a month for three months. This process helps create a round mouthfeel while naturally softening the wine. Overall, the wine was aged for 21 months in French oak barrels and then another month in concrete tank before being bottled. The last bit of concrete aging creates more complexity in the wine while lifting the aromas.
Food Pairing
Spanakopita
Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb
Beef Wellington
Manchego or Pecorino
- Varietal Composition: 55% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot
- Appellation: Yakima Valley
- Cases Produced: 402
- Alcohol: 14.5
- pH: 3.84
- Acidity: 5.9
- Ageability: Now through 2034