The 2003 growing season began in normal fashion with bud break in April. Throughout the summer the weather was consistently warm with hot temperatures in mid to late August which was excellent for bringing the grapes to full maturity. Combined with the long summer heat September had a bit of “misting” from the clouds which helped keep the nights cool. The warm days and cool nights helped develop the flavor and insure good acid and pH balance.  We have been extremely pleased with these wines from the beginning of harvest to their release dates.  The wines have intense flavors with the Merlot showing raspberries and currants on the nose with deep tannins (yes, that’s how we make our Merlot — we want them to age like a Pomerol) and the Cabernet Sauvignon has classic dark cherry, blackberry aromas with hints of chocolate and allspice.

About our release dates–

Our own philosophy is to release a wine when we think it is ready to drink so we tend to bottle age the single vineyard wines 3 to 4 years before releasing. We want the restaurant to be able serve our wine to someone and say it will be perfect with dinner, not ask them to wait three years at the table for the wine to reach its potential. The entree tends to get cold after three years and certainly the parking meter has run out. Our accountant doesn’t think waiting for the wine to be ready is a good idea, but we know our customers enjoy picking up a red wine that will go well with their dinner that night.

2003 Merlot, Seven Hills Vineyard

Varietal– 92% Merlot   8% Cabernet Sauvignon

Oak Program– 100% French Oak, Medium Toast.  50% New Oak, 25% one vintage old, 25% two vintages old.

(after the second vintage the $1000 barrels become $45 planters)

Harvested — First two weeks of September for the Merlot, First week of October for the Cabernet Sauvignon

Brix at Harvest –25.2

Total Acid .61 and pH 3.7

Time in Barrel — 16 months

Bottled — March 2005

Release Date — December 2008

Release Price — $29.99

Appellation — Walla Walla Valley

2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, Seven Hills Vineyard

Varietal– 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Oak Program– 100% French Oak, Medium Toast.  50% New Oak, 30% one vintage old, 20% two vintages old.

Harvested — Last week of September,  First week of October

Brix at Harvest — 25.8

Total Acid — .61 and pH 3.7

Time in Barrel — 18 months

Bottled — May 2005

Release Date — March 2009

Release Price — $29.99

Appellation — Walla Walla Valley