2022 Merlot, Champoux Vineyard

This is the inaugural release of this Merlot, and it is a beauty! It is rare that we have one wine in a vintage that from fermenter to bottle is the standout. This was that wine. Those who have followed us for a long time know that we have a special fondness for Merlot. It is a versatile and generous wine that deserves more appreciation than it receives, and we love it! It is also the varietal that brought us to Washington State to start the winery Canoe Ridge Vineyard back in 1994. Champoux Vineyard and Canoe Ridge Vineyard are in very close proximity to each other, and we had a camaraderie between our crews. All of this history makes working with the fruit extra meaningful.

Champoux Vineyard is located in the Horse Heaven Hills American Viticultural Area which was established in 2005. It sits above the Columbia River. The soils consist of deep silt loam over basalt bedrock and gravel. Eight inches of rain per year is typical.

The flavor profile of this wine is so familiar and comforting it is like rediscovering a long-lost best friend. These were the flavors that punctuated ten years of our early adventures in Washington State. Classic Horse Heaven Hills wines revel in complex, deep red characters, such as wild strawberry, baked cherry pie, and red currant. These bright influences make for a luminous wine, with vibrancy and lift. In this particular vintage, those luminous red characters combine with exotic floral notes and dark purple fruits like plum and blackberry. The density and complexity of flavors create a wine that is lush and dense and in perfect balance. This Merlot is a classic Washington State Merlot reflective of when all conditions in the field and the winery were just right. Assistant winemaker Enrique Ibarra likens it as being at a show when the curtains gradually slide open to reveal the main event, the full expression. The addition of this wine brings our Merlot collection to two, along with the original from Bacchus Vineyard. The two can be a really fun comparison and a nice complement to each other.