2014 H/H GW Smith Malbec

Description

Tasting Notes

Dark fruit aromas abound, blackberry, fresh plum, pomegranate, and black currants along with some nice oak notes. The color is dark red with a slight purplish hue. Flavors of black cherry, herbs, black pepper, oak and gravel mix together seamlessly. The finish has great length and soft tannins.

Vineyard Designation

Coyote Canyon Vineyard – Horse Heaven Hills AVA

Vineyard Notes

2014 was a hot vintage in Eastern Washington. Coyote Canyon Vineyard had a great vintage and the crop turned out exceptional. Summer was hot but we didn’t have a to many days over 100 degrees which allowed the crop to ripen at a nice even pace. When Fall arrived the grapes were ready a few weeks ahead of schedule. The red grapes were handpicked and then destemmed at the winery. 

We are pleased and excited to share the wonderful wines from the 2014 vintage with all of you

Winemaker Notes

Malbec has always been one of my favorite wines to make, the unique color and flavors always seem to stand out. The 2014 vintage was my second chance to work with these grapes from Coyote Canyon Vineyard. Since it was a warm year the Malbec matured to full ripeness about a week ahead of normal. 

Malbec has a beautiful way of expressing itself, it has a unique perfume aroma mixed with berry giving it both an earthy component and a fruity one.

The grapes were handpicked for this wine and destemmed into one-ton fermenters. I then inoculated the wine and it took about two weeks to finish primary fermentation. After fermenting the wine was pressed off into French Oak barrels. I am trying to express this wine with mild oak notes so it was aged in 100% French oak, of which 25% was new oak.

Awards