Goose Ridge Meritage 00
Made by Charlie Hoppes, a deep, garnet colored wine with a hint of cedar and an appealing touch of sweetness surrounding an ample supply of black fruit and cassis.
MORE INFORMATION
VINTAGE
The 2000 vintage produced extraordinarily ripe grapes and delicious, dark, concentrated red wines.
Temperatures during the summer growing season were very warm then moderated nicely in the fall
extending hang time to allow the grapes' sugar and flavor to develop fully. Picked at optimal maturity, the
grapes produced wine with concentrated aromatics, complexity and ripe fruit character. Look for wines
from this vintage to be fruit-forward, offering immediate enjoyment on release.
VINEYARD
Grapes for our Meritage were primarily sourced from our estate vineyard, Goose Ridge, in the heart of
the sun-drenched Columbia Valley adjacent to Red Mountain. This gently sloped, south-facing site is one
of the warmer areas in the Columbia Valley and consistently yields rich, ripe fruit-forward grapes, especially
true in 2000. Because we know the grapes will receive handcrafted attention in the cellar, our vineyard
management practices are handcrafted too. Each vine is carefully pruned to keep crop levels low for
greater fruit intensity; each canopy is managed to ensure even ripening.
FERMENTATION AND AGING
Handpicked grapes were destemmed and crushed then fermented in small lots where they were gently
punched down 2-3 times a day to maximize color and flavor without extracting harsh tannins. After seven
days, the skins were pressed off, and the wine was moved to barrels for 16 months where it completed
fermentation and was racked every three months for clarity.
APPELLATION
Columbia Valley
BLEND
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Merlot
