Novelty Hill R.S.R. Red Wine Blend 2020, Columbia Valley, Washington

2020 vintage – 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. Tasting Notes: “A generous, medium-bodied wine loaded with dark fruit aromas and layers of sweet cherry, black currant and wild blackberry. The flavors echo across a fresh, fruit-forward finish that lasts.” – Mike Januik, Winemaker. Vineyard: The Columbia Valley is a diverse growing region that delivers a wide range of fruit expressions and yields delicious, multi-layered wines through blending. For this enjoyable wine, winemaker Mike Januik uses grapes from Novelty Hill’s family-owned estate vineyard Stillwater Creek planted on the Royal Slope of the Frenchman Hills. Veteran viticulturist Ed Kelly manages the estate and credits moderate growing conditions for the grapes’ extended hang time and fully developed flavors. The 2020 R.S.R. blend also includes select lots of from other Columbia Valley vineyards for layered complexity and flavor. Winemaking: Twice-daily pumpovers gently extracted color and flavor from the grapes during the early stages of fermentation. Fermentation finished in barrels to integrate the fruit and oak. Gravity racked to soften and clarify the wine. Aged 18 months in 25% new, 50% used French oak and 10% new, 10% used American oak barrels.