Swick Wines 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley

Item Number: 20782

UPC: None

Country: USA
Region: Washington
Sub Region: Columbia Valley
Appellation/AVA: Columbia Valley
Estate Grown Wine: No
Vintage: 2022
Grape(s): Cabernet Sauvignon
Type: Wine - Red
Bottle Size: 750 ml
Pack: 12
Closure: Cork
Alc by Vol(%): 13
Viticulture: Certified Organic
Soil Type: Sandy

Vineyard Notes: Both vineyards are certified organic. 75% was sourced from Konnowac Vineyard in Rattlesnake Hills AVA at 1,100 feet. 25% was sourced from Conley Vineyard in Yakima Valley at 1,600 feet.
25% Conley Vineyard. Yakima Valley AVA.

Winemaking Notes: Whole cluster Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were macerated for 60 days before pressing. This wine was aged in neutral French oak barrels (228-liter and 500-liter) for 14 months before bottling. No additions besides a small amount of SO2 was added to this wine.

Winemaker Notes: "Early on in my wine career at age 21, it was Bordeaux and Bordelais varieties that initially turned me onto wine. Working with amazing Cabernet at Owen Roe Winery in 2003 was my intro to wine production. I've wanted to get back to my roots and make a Cab that expresses my background in wine production The thing I love most about Washington Cabernet is nice balance between pyrazines and pure fruit. In the Yakima Valley area, the 12 hours of sunlight per day burns out most of the green flavor that is associated with Bordeaux grapes. The colder night time shifts preserve the natural acidity, especially in the higher altitude sights.

For our 2022 Cabernet, I wanted to straddle the line between Old World and New World. I also mixed in a little bit of my own unorthodox techniques. Notably the whole cluster fermentation, which creates a semi-carbonic environment and slows down fermentation temperatures. Most of our Cabernet macerations in the 2022 year were around 60 days, though we did have some that last 4-6 months. This longer skin maceration makes a wine that is counterintuitively lighter in color and more of an elegant expression. This technique comes from my experience working in Barolo, Italy with Nebbiolo." - Joe Swick