A S P E N T I M E S W E E K L Y F No v e m b e r 6 - No v e m b e r 1 2 , 20 14 14

WINEINKFROM ASPEN, WITH LOVE

I HARBOR AN EVER-GROWING AFFECTION for the wines of the Great Northwest, especially those from the emerging wine regions of

eastern Washington.Of course where

love lives, money surely follows. And in the last few years, financial charts showing investment in Washington vineyards have indicated a hockey stick-like uptick. Investors (large

and small) have noted that the price of land — even in those regions with the greatest potential for producing significant wines — can sell for a pittance of what similar dirt would cost in Napa, Sonoma or the Central Coast of California.

One such investment was made this past winter by the Duckhorn Wine Company of Napa Valley, which purchased 20 unplanted acres high atop the Red Mountain AVA. The AVA is considered by those in the know to be perhaps the hottest wine region — both climatologically and also in terms of desirability — in the state, if not the nation.

Duckhorn’s move into an area that only saw its first vines planted in the early 1970s followed that of Chateau Ste. Michelle, the big dog of Washington wine, who partnered with the Antinori Family of Tuscany to create Col Solare in 2007. And, in fall of last year, a Canadian holding company, the Aquilini Investment Group, which counts the Vancouver Canucks NHL club amongst its various assets, acquired 670 acres of undeveloped land in Red Mountain with the intent of making a stand in the wine business.

This past September, Duckhorn released their first offering from their new project, which, in keeping with their flock of wines that all carry the names of ducks, has been dubbed Canvasback. While I would like to say my first sip of Canvasback took place in the vineyards of Red Mountain, it actually took place in a meeting room in Napa Valley at the Duckhorn Winery. There I was

hosted by Duckhorn executives Zach Rasmussen and Carol Reber, who could barely contain their enthusiasm, both for the migration northward and for Red Mountain itself.

As we tasted the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend made from fruit sourced from a quartet of Red Mountain vineyards surrounding the Duckhorn property, they outlined the company’s initial steps and long-term plans for the project. Working closely with legendary Washington vine man Dick Boushey, they meticulously sought just the right site for their vision. They then hired Brian Rudin, a young Washington winemaker with a passion for Red Mountain. The team is indicative of the local focus that Duckhorn invests in all of their winemaking projects. This past spring the vineyard, dubbed Longwinds, was planted to Cabernet and Merlot.

The true beauty of Red Mountain lies in its terroir. A unique combination of soils and climate make it a particularly perfect place to plant and grow tannic, well-structured Cabernet Sauvignon. The sandy soils that host the vines are the remains of the great Missoula Flood, which covered the region some 10,000 years ago.

The southwest aspect of the slopes Duckhorn planted takes advantage of the long growing days of the northern climes, and the height of the hills places the grapes just feet above the frost lines. Less than 6 inches of rain falls each year in the desert climate of Red Mountain and while the name sounds romantic, the surrounding terrain is more brown than “Red.” The region’s tallest “Mountain,” just above the Duckhorn property, tops out at a modest 1,500 feet.

There have been outstanding wines produced in Red Mountain by the wineries that inhabit the AVA. Hedges Family Estates, Fidelitas and Kiona are the area’s pioneers. But the region’s renown largely came from wineries outside the area that used the fruit of Red Mountain’s best vineyards, like Klipsun and Ciel du Cheval, in their wines. Noted Washington

wineries such as Andrew Will, L’Ecole No. 41, and DeLille Cellars all celebrated the grapes of the region in their wines, and Quilceda Creek Vintners famously produced a 100-point wine using Cabernet sourced from three different Red Mountain Vineyards.

But of all the projects and growth that are shaping the region, I think the introduction of Duckhorn to the AVA may well prove to be the most significant. Founded in 1976 in the Napa Valley by Dan Duckhorn, who famously grew great Merlot in Cab country, the winery has expanded to include the production of wines from other

regions of Northern California, most notably from the Anderson Valley with Golden Eye, a Pinot Noir project.

Duckhorn has always shown a propensity for not only playing well with others, but for making positive contributions to the winemaking communities in which they land. It will be fun, and tasty, to watch Duckhorn fly North.

Kelly J. Hayes lives in the soon-to-be-designated appellation of Old Snowmass with his wife, Linda, and black Lab named Vino. He can be reached at malibukj@aol.com.

DUCKHORN FLIES NORTH

KELLY J.HAYES

C O U R T E S Y P H O T O S

UNDER THE INFLUENCE2012 CANVASBACK RED MOUNTAIN

WASHINGTON STATE CABERNET SAUVIGNONSo the thing to note about this wine is that it

is a first release from grapes purchased from other vineyards. It is a starting point for a new project that does not reflect what Canvasback will become. But still … this is a tremendous beginning for a new wine. Rich and structured, even in youth, one can taste the alchemy of sun, soil and fruit in this Cab/Merlot blend. Big berries and tannins that talk, but don’t scream, let you know that you are tasting wine from a special place. And the label is as pretty as anything in the shop.

15A S P E N T I M E S . C O M / W E E K L Y

by KELLY J. HAYES

I first met Eric Dunham in the oh-so-chic lobby of the Hotel Monaco in Seattle. He had come in the front door looking anything but chic in his “Walla-Walla” clothes, which included a healthy handful of vineyard dirt on his jeans. He was carrying a box of wine and at his side was his three-legged dog, Port, Eric’s best buddy. We tasted a wine that featured Port’s portrait on the label, called “Three Legged Red.” It was a value wine that would sell enough to make Dunham Cellars well known throughout the Pacific Northwest and give Eric the financial ability to grow as a winemaker producing awesome high-end Washington juice.

News came last week that, at 44 years of age, Eric was lost to us, the victim of a suicide in Cannon Beach, Oregon. Like nearly all cases where someone takes their own life, we who are left behind are at a loss for explanation. All I know is this talented man has left us before his work was done. There were still so many vintages ahead for Eric, and for us. We can only hope that he and Port have reunited in a vineyard far, far away.

R.I.P. ERIC DUNHAM

VERY VICEROY. VERY FESTIVE. HOLIDAY PARTIES.

The perfect setting for a Holiday lunch for your company staff or friends this season!

10% early booking discount before October 30th!

Please contact Maria DePont (970) 923-8024 or maria.depont@viceroysnowmass.com to book your Very Viceroy Holiday Party!

** For parties of 8 or more between Thanksgiving and December 20th. Viceroy Snowmass, 130 Wood Road, Snowmass Village, CO 81615

SNOWMASS