Nicholas Cole Reserve Red 04
"This ripe, rich, almost decadently thick wine is about as close as a Washington vintner can come to the decadently ripe style of the cultish Bordeaux blends of California. Along with the unctuous New World fruit, sap and flesh, there are thick, ripe tannins and a vivid acid underpinning. It drinks well right out of the bottle, the flavors beautifully wrapped together, mixing black fruits, black olives, herb and earth, smoke and coffee and toast." - Wine Enthusiast
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Previous Vintage tasting notes 2001 Vintage Tasting Notes
Wine Spectator 90 points: "Crisp, framed by swarms of fine tannins, with juicy acidity against cedary berry, currant and red pepper flavors, finishing with an earthy grace note. There's a lot here, but it needs time to flesh out. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2005 through 2010. 376 cases made." (HS)
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The hit of the 2004 Taste Washington, everyone was pushing and shoving to get a taste of this wine. This is a joint effort of winemaker Mike Neuffer and veteran Andrew Will Winery owner/winemaker Chris Camarda. Just delicious.
From the winery:
Warm, toasty vanilla aromas and a hint of mint complement ripe black cherry and currant flavors and an elegant dark chocolate note. Deliciously rich and complex, this is a supple, gracefully balanced wine with a long, lingering finish. Mike Neuffer, owner/winemaker; Chris Camarda, consulting winemaker.
Vintage
The 2001 harvest was our first vintage and Mother Nature really delivered! Grapes arrived at the winery with bright aromas and flavors and tannins and acids were well-balanced. Overall, the growing season was ideal. Warmer than average temperatures in July and August produced ripe fruit that developed deep, concentrated flavor. Daytime temperatures cooled just enough in September and October to allow the grapes to reach optimal physiological maturity - assisted by growers skilled at managing vines for low yields and high quality.
Vineyards
The 2001 Claret combines grapes from two diverse but equally renowned vineyards: Klipsun on Red Mountain and Champoux in the Horse Heaven Hills. Both sites have produced some of Washington's most highly acclaimed wines and are particularly well-known for their success with Bordeaux varieties.
Winemaking Hand-picked, hand-sorted
Punched down by hand to extract generous color and flavor while producing soft, supple tannins
Racked every 3- 4 months to soften and clarify the wine
Aged 22 months in 55% new French oak; 45% neutral French oak barrels
Blended with Cabernet Franc to give the wine its bright, fruit-forward character and elegance
Unfiltered, unfined
Blend 52% Cabernet Sauvignon; 48% Cabernet Franc
pH 3.77
Total Acidity 0.50 g/100 ml
Alcohol 14.5%
Case Production 376 cases
Release Date December 2003
