The Wine

The world’s finest wines are all a reflection of the areas from which they are grown. Origin and geography matter most when dictating what a finished bottle tastes like. More than winemakers, more than varietals, more than yeast or barrel or blending variables; wines taste like their place.

With that in mind (and because we are extremely well-positioned to build such a wine) we have put together a geographically-designated flagship product. This is the definitive wine of our vineyards, of our viticulture, of our plantings on Red Mountain.

So please enjoy this Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant flagship blend. It’s the answer to the question, “What’s so special about Red Mountain?”

Download Tech Sheet [PDF]

Cabernet Sauvignon is king on Red Mountain. From the humble beginnings of our pioneering 1975 planting to today, we’ve grown cabernet sauvignon on Red Mountain longer than anyone. This wine is a culmination of our multigenerational tradition. The backbone of the wine is cabernet sauvignon from our Kiona Estate Vineyard North Block, a stalwart contributor for quality Red Mountain cabernet sauvignon for decades.

This authoritative wine shows why Red Mountain has a reputation as a powerhouse Cabernet Sauvignon producer capable of going toe-to-toe with the world’s best. Fine grain tannin, great fruit, and dark color abound. High-end components from our esteemed Heart of the Hill estate vineyard add depth, complexity, and layered intrigue.

Download Tech Sheet [PDF]

The Kiona Estate vineyard is the oldest on Red Mountain. We have 4 distinct blocks of Merlot here; the first was planted in 1976, the youngest in 1995. While these components obviously have much more in common than not, they continue to surprise us even after several decades of experience. All four blocks are included in the 2017 blend, along with a component from our younger Heart of the Hill planting that has garnered a lot of attention in a short period of time.

Merlot from Red Mountain is special; here it's a powerful yet elegant grape, capable of producing wines of profound depth and density of character. A gentle oak regimen that employs primarily 2nd-fill barrels ensures abundant fruit and geographical specificity are preserved in the finished wine.

Download Tech Sheet [PDF]

We have just 2.55 acres of Malbec planted at our estate Heart of the Hill vineyard on Red Mountain. The varietal thrives here, producing wines of uncommon depth and complexity, usually with a softer, rounder profile than many of its Bordeaux-varietal cousins.

Malbec has recently been “discovered” by the wine-drinking public as a superb stand-alone grape for fruit-forward, dark, approachable wines with lots of depth. This certainly holds true on Red Mountain, where plantings are relatively young but already exhibiting a lot of character. Color and acid in spades!

Download Tech Sheet [PDF]

Legendary Washington vineyard guru Dick Boushey famously proclaimed that "Syrah loves a view," and that's exactly what Sunset Bench offers. It's located higher on the hill than many of our other plantings, resulting in superb air/water drainage, dramatic diurnal temperature swings, and ample heat accumulation.

Syrah from Red Mountain is prized for producing wines of profound concentration, color, and character. Our family has farmed Syrah on this dusty slope for more than 20 years, and we are continually impressed at its depth and versatility. A remarkable wine.

Download Tech Sheet [PDF]

We grow Sangiovese at both the Kiona Estate vineyard (2 acres) and the Ranch at the End of the Road vineyard (3.5 acres) on Red Mountain. Although not planted in large quantities in our area, it excels nonetheless. Big diurnal temperature swings and lots of heat accumulation amount to ripe fruit with ample, well-balanced acidity.

Sangiovese is an extremely versatile grape that has near universal appeal for red wine drinkers. On Red Mountain, the wines are racy and bright, with vibrant red fruit and trademark minerality. Its ample acidity makes it a food-pairing superstar, able to complement a wide array of cuisines from around the world.

Download Tech Sheet [PDF]

Kiona Vineyards and Winery produced the first commercial bottling of Lemberger in the United States in 1980. Since then, our original 1.8 acre planting has grown to 13.1acres. Lemberger is typically grown in cooler regions; Red Mountain is a blast furnace by comparison, which means ours is stouter and darker than most.

For more than four decades Lemberger has been an important part of our family’s
tradition on Red Mountain. The grape thrives here, producing medium-bodied,
fruit-driven wines that pair well with a wide array of foods. It’s an uncommon grape
that’s worthy of attention.

Download Tech Sheet [PDF]

While Red Mountain is known for big, powerful red wine, it’s also an exceedingly good place to grow white varietals. The Kiona Estate vineyard has 4 acres of Chenin Blanc planted in a depression, ensuring a consistent freeze year-in, year-out. We don’t pick Ice Wine until the grapes are naturally frozen in the vineyard, typically picking in the early morning hours before the sun rises.

Ice Wine is one of the world’s most elusive and delicious elixirs. We prefer to use Chenin Blanc, a varietal that allows for robust acidity and intense green and tropical fruit avors. Our philosophy with this wine is to emphasize acidity over outright sweetness, a tactic that ensures we produce a balanced, crisp wine that dances on the tongue.

Download Tech Sheet [PDF]