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: 2013 Long Shadows "Pirouette" Columbia Valley Bordeaux Blend

2013 Long Shadows "Pirouette" Columbia Valley Bordeaux Blend

SKU #1261626 93 points Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark While a step back from the blockbuster 2012, Philippe Melka’s 2013 Pirouette is no slouch and offers serious amounts of ripe black cherry fruits, graphite, hints of chocolate and plenty of sweet oak in a beautifully concentrated, ripe, textured package. Made from 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 12% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc (mostly from Red Mountain) that spent 22 months in 75% new French oak, give bottle 3-5 years in the cellar and enjoy over the following decade or more. (JD) Inner quote mark (6/2016)

93 points Vinous

Outer quote mark (15% alcohol with a 3.82 pH but significantly higher acidity than the Pedestal Merlot; Philippe Melka ferments this wine in 400-liter barrels): Dark ruby-red. Medicinal scents of black cherry, blueberry and violet, complicated by a whiff of game. Wonderfully suave and fine-grained, with a restrained sweetness perfectly countered by a light saline character, firm minerality and a solid tannic spine. A nicely focused vintage for this bottling, as the Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc brought very good acidity in 2013. Like Rolland, Philippe Melka looks for concentration through lower yields. In fact, a lot of this juice is declassified into Long Shadows' Nine Hats Red Blend and Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings. (ST) Inner quote mark (6/2016)

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2013 Long Shadows "Pirouette" Columbia Valley Bordeaux Blend

Price: $44.99

Quantity:

RP: 93

VN: 93

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Varietal:

Cabernet Sauvignon and Blends

- Cabernet Sauvignon has come a long way from its role as a blending varietal, however dominant, in the wines of Bordeaux. Today it is the most planted red varietal in the world. Identified as a descendent of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon needs to be planted in warmer climates to fully ripen. Its small berries can easily be identified for their distinctive blue color, thick skins and high tannins. And while the varietal has its own definitive characteristics: green pepper-like aromas and black currant flavors among them, it is perhaps most prized for its ability to convey terroir, vintage and winemaking. A relatively new varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon started making inroads into the wines of the Médoc and Graves in the late-18th century. Today it is also dominant in the up-and-coming Entre-Deux-Mers region of Bordeaux and can also be found in Southwest France. It is the companion varietal to Sangiovese in Italy's Super Tuscans and is planted all over Europe, stretching to lesser-known winegrowing regions like Russia and Lebanon. In the Americas Cabernet Sauvignon has found champions in every nook and cranny of California and among winemakers in Washington, where it complements plantings of Merlot. In South America, Cab thrives in Chile, but can also be found in smaller amounts in Argentina and even in Mexico.

Country:

United States

- When people consider domestic wine, they normally think about the state of California. The fine viticultural Region within California, including the Napa Valley, Sonoma, Santa Cruz Mountains, Mendocino and Santa Barbara, are capable of growing grapes of world-class quality. But there's plenty of fabulous wine coming from other states, too. Oregon, Washington and New York are also causing eyebrows (and glassware) to be raised around the world.

Sub-Region:

Washington

- Washington has become one of the most important wine producing states in the United States, and development continues to grow rapidly. In 1969, when California was exploding as a wine producer, Washington had only two wineries, but by 2000 that number had passed 100. Most of Washington's grape crop goes to uses other than wine. Merlot and Chardonnay have been the most successful in Washington. It's interesting to note that Washington's prime wine regions are located at 46° north, along the same latitude as the legendary French wine districts of Bordeaux and Burgundy. During the summer, Washington averages more than two hours more sunlight each day compared to California.