2023 Hedges Family Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasting notes
Aroma / Flavor: black current / blackberry /anise / clove / black pepper / graphite / chicory / vanilla / cedar
Texture: full / structured / chewy / long / spicy
This is a gorgeous wine that has the structured elegance of a classic Red Mountain Cabernet. The other varieties in the wine help to balance the Cabernet to create a full, rich, and food friendly wine. Grapes are from estate Red Mountain AVA vineyards within a two-mile radius of the winery: Hedges, Bel’ Villa, Jolet, and Les Gosses. The wine was destemmed and partially crushed into stainless steel fermenters and fermented via indigenous yeast. it was pumped over twice daily until desired tannin extraction was achieved. It was then pressed to barrels where it underwent indigenous malo-lactic fermentation, then racked off lees and 100% was barrel aged in 50% new oak, French oak (60%), American oak (37%), Hungarian (3%).
Cellaring: This wine, like other Red Mountain wines, is best now with food, but will age well, probably peaking in 5-10 more years.
Harvest notes: 2023 started with a drier, mild spring, which resulted in slightly delayed bud break. Then the heat started in May and June and the grapes had a lot of growth. Everything was back on track for veraison, which happened in the last week of July, first week of August. We saw a nicely spread-out maturation and harvest period in September and October, which balanced yields. 2023 should prove to be a classic Washington State vintage, especially for Red Mountain.
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Varietal | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Varietal Composition | 85% Cabernet Sauvignon / 7% Merlot / 3% Syrah / 3% Cabernet Franc / 1% Malbec / 1% Petit Verdot |
| Appellation | Red Mountain |
| Vineyard | 50% Hedges / 29% Bel’ Villa / 18% Jolet / 3% Les Gosses |
| Acid | 5.2 g/L |
| PH | 4.08 |
| Aging | This wine is lovely now but Red Mountain Cabernet should age well, probably peaking in 10 years, but still very drinkable at 15-20 years old. |
| Alcohol | 14.50% |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Country of Origin | UNITED STATES |
| State of Origin | Washington |
| Artificially Carbonated | No |
| Sparkling Wine | No |
93 - Jeb Dunnuck
93 - James Suckling
48% Bel’ Villa, 42% Hedges, 8% Jolet, 2% Les Gosses
