How to Bordeaux

1
How to Bordeaux

• WAWGG February 2008
• Gordon Hill

2
Washington in the early 80

• Maps comparing Washington to France
• Latitude comparable growing conditions
• The need to compare, no history for Washington
  wines,
• Bordeaux became benchmark

3
Similar Growing Conditions?
4
Harvest decisions

• Optimum ripe fruit was 23.5 brix, would pick
  22.5- 24.0
• Wines therefore had similar alcohols and acids to
  French wines

5
Perfect Climate

• New goal make worlds best wine from Columbia
  valley fruit
• I (we ?) no longer compare Washington wines and
  measure them against Bordeaux wines.
• Because..

6
Evolution of wine grape growing

• Realized Washington has its own unique grape
  growing climate
• Water management as tool to control canopies and
  crop size
• Unique appellations and site selection
• Experience of Wine grape growers and Winemakers

7
Riper grapes

• Riper fruit at harvest as measured by brix leads
  to distinct Columbia Valley fruit and wine
  characteristics
• Softer acids, higher etoh, ripe tannins helps us
  achieve wines with fruit forward characters and
  distinct softness on palate
• We can wait to pick because of our harvest
  conditions

8
Washington Bordeaux

• Blending of varietals
• Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc
• Newer tools (varietals) Malbec and Petite Verdot

9
Washington Bordeaux

• Blend wines from different appellations as each
  AVA can have its own unique characters
• Main factors within an AVA (vineyard)
• Aspect or slope
• Soil, type, depth
• Wind exposure
• Wine grape grower water and canopy management,
  crop size

10
Horse Heaven Hills

• Vineyards with closer river proximity are softer
  fruit forward good to use for fruit impression
  front palate.
• Vineyards with less sand and more loam can be
  highly structured, robust, deeply colored,
  provides a long finish.

11
Wahluke Slope

• Warm growing area
• Many of the wines are fruit forward with jammy
  ripe characters, dark colors, soft tannins,
  provide soft tannins to middle of palate.

12
Red Mountain

• Warm growing area
• Big wines deeply colored, add structure
  backbone, finish is long, and flavors of ripe
  dark stone fruits,

13
Walla Walla

• Many unique vineyard sites and soil types.
• Most have deep rich soils with some slope
• Recently the rocky areas are being planted.
• Elegant wines with finesse, dried herbs,
  pomegranate, dusty malt

14
Yakima Valley

• Most vineyard sites on South facing slopes
• Wines have bright fruits, soft tannins, harmonius
  middle palate, quaffability factors
• Use to flesh out front and middle palates, bring
  up fruit notes

15
Columbia Valley

• Tri City 3 Rivers area
• Good source to get grapes from older vineyards
• Wines vary in styles from fruit forward to dark
  complex, lots of good black cherry aromas and
  flavors, ripe plum notes Merlot,

16
AVA blending strategy

• 20 HH CS structure, finish
• 20 RM CS structure, finish
• 15 WS MR ripe fruit middle palate
• 5 WS PV color aroma finish
• 20 WW MR elegance finesse
• 20 YV MR bright fruit drink ability
• 5 CV MB color, entry and middle