Red Mountain – Terroir in Your Glass

By Kathy Ward

Tasting Card • AVA Identity • Il Fornaio

“You can definitely taste Red Mountain fruit.” Lorne Jacobson is positively certain of this. Designated an official American Viticultural Area (AVA) in April 2001, this compact region at the easternmost tip of Yakima Valley has long been known to wine enthusiasts as a source of huge red wines.

Sales and marketing director of Hedges Cellars, Lorne spearheaded the two-year process for Red Mountain AVA approval. Intimately acquainted with the fruit and wines of the area, he prepared a Power Point presentation to accompany a panel discussion and tasting of signature varietals at the November 13 program.

“The program is about what sets Red Mountain apart from other growing areas in the state,” Lorne notes. “My hope is that at the end of the evening people will discover that distinctive taste.”

Best of Reds
An AVA is an identification of a region, the character that comes from its terroir, Lorne notes. “Wines made from Red Mountain grapes are known for their great power, strength and richness, and demonstrate exceptional balance and age-worthiness.” The tasting card, he adds, illustrates the best of Red Mountain.

Hedges Cellars Three Vineyards selections are classic Bordeaux style blends of three grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The ‘98 garnered 92 points in Wine Access magazine, 91 points and Editors’ Choice in Wine Enthusiast, and was cited as one of Decanter magazine’s 2001 Best Red Wines of the Year. The ‘99 was awarded 92 Points by both Anthony Dias Blue and Wine Enthusiast.

Next door neighbor to Hedges, Sandhill Winery makes Cabs in a distinct style that is the best of California (in ripeness) and Bordeaux (in elegance and style). Their first release, the ’98, was rated Outstanding by Wine Press Northwest, and the ’99 took a Bronze award at the 2002 Northwest Wine & Food Festival.

McCrea Cellars Syrahs are well-knit wines, again exhibiting the best of California and France. A vanguard of Rhône varietals in Washington State, McCrea finds the exceptionally warm conditions of Red Mountain ideal for thick-skin berries that produce depth and structure in their wines.

Panel of Experts
Tom Hedges, owner of Hedges Cellars, presents what defines an AVA, why an official designation for Red Mountain was pursued, how the area differs from surrounding regions, viticulture practices unique to the terroir, and photo slide illustrations.

Jim Holmes, owner of Ciel du Cheval Vineyard who was among the first to plant wine grapes on Red Mountain in 1975, provides a grower's perspective of Red Mountain and what it means to winemakers.

John Dingethal, with his Sandhill Cabernets to illustrate, talks about a 13-year history of grape growing at his Red Mountain Vineyards, the singular source of his wines.

Susan Neel, sales and marketing director and co-owner of McCrea Cellars, discusses what is unique about the Syrah grapes they source from Red Mountain.

Map It
Suzi Surbey, a GIS consultant and owner of Delta Geographic, combined an interest in wine with her profession as a geographer to develop a Washington AVA map. Many met her at the October program, and one lucky individual now owns a map she donated as a door prize at the event. Suzi will be at the November program with updated insert enlargements locating Red Mountain vineyards.

Il Fornaio
Manager Tom Cosgrove and Chef Carlo Allesina of Il Fornaio Restaurant & Bakery prepared authentic Italian cuisine to complement the robust wines on our Best of Red Tasting Card. Their Seattle branch of this West Coast line of restaurants is located in Pacific Place at 6th and Olive. Check the IL Fornaio site for a look at their other specialties. Also check out what kudos the chain has received.

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