2007 Columbia Crest Walter Clore Private Reserve Red Wine

I always feel a little melancholy after the holidays. The tree comes down, decorations put in storage, back to a normal work routine. Seems everyone is so eager to put the holidays behind and forge full steam ahead into the new year. Maybe just one more night of Christmas music to enjoy with my sample of 2007 Columbia Crest Walter Clore Private Reserve Red Wine.

Smoke and spicy blackberry aromatics, fresh and vibrant cherry and chocolate flavors. Finishes with lingering flavors of cocoa. A nice dry and very elegant wine.

Appellation – Columbia Valley, WA
Varietal – 65.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32.1% Merlot, 2.7% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol – 14.4%
TA – 0.55g/100ml
pH – 3.73
SRP - $30

Produced in the traditional Bordeaux style and representing the pinnacle of winemaking, the grapes were picked from Columbia Crest’s premier vineyards located throughout the Columbia Valley. Vineyards from the Wahluke Slope bring aromatics, texture and complexity to the grapes. Cold Creek vineyards contribute to the flavor and fruitiness while the Horse Heaven Hills vineyards offer balance and body.

Dr. Walter Clore is known as the “Father of the Washington Wine Industry”. Beginning in the 1930’s Dr. Clore’s viticulture research determined the best growing locations where premium wine grapes would thrive best. The research is responsible for putting Washington state on the winegrowing map, proving premium grapes could be grown in the rich volcanic soils. After becoming the assistant horticulturist at the Irrigation Branch Experiment Station, he supervised experimental plantings and by 1974, Clore had managed the plantings of 312 grape varieties.

The Columbia Crest website claims the Walter Clore is a wine that is easily worthy of aging for 10+ years. I decided to have a little fun with a new Christmas gift, a Clef du Vin. It's a teardrop-shaped piece of metal alloy that when dipped into a glass of wine is supposed to replicate the aging process. While I didn’t take it to the full 10 years, I did try to replicate what the wine would taste like if cellared for five years. The pepper and spice flavors became bolder, the dryness seemed to intensify and was really a very nice wine.

After all my sparkling wine consumption over the past month it was a delight to dive back into the red wines with a truly exceptional wine. Unfortunately this wine is sold out on the Columbia Crest website, told you it was good, but check with local owned wine stores for availability.

Happy 2011!

2011© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

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