Cataclysm Red Blend 2020, Columbia Valley, Washington

“Our home in the Columbia Valley was carved by cataclysmic ice age floods that tore across the Pacific Northwest, transforming the landscape, and blanketing the valleys with silt carried from hundreds of miles away.” The floodwaters scoured soil and sediment from the land as they went, pooling and eddying through what is now the Columbia Valley. When the water ultimately receded, the valley was blanketed in a deep layer of nutrient-poor but well-drained silt. Pair that with Eastern Washington’s reliable sunshine and epic temperature swings, and you have near-perfect conditions for growing grapes. 2019 Red Blend – 40% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 5% Syrah. Inspired by the bold brilliance of traditional Bordeaux blends, the Cataclysm Red Blend puts a little chaos in the mix with robust Syrah. Aromas of chocolate, fig, stewed cherries and blackberries mix with vanilla and cassis. Marionberry and blueberry envelop the palate with hints of Eastern Washington’s dusty soils. This is a deeply structured blend with a velvety mouthfeel that lingers with toasty oak and spice well after the last sip.