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Dunham Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

(Carefully curated notes below are taken from the Producer’s website)

Varietal Composition: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec

Location: Columbia Valley

Cellar Aging: Drink now or cellar until 2040

A Few More Details: 

Sourced vineyards: Lewis Estate, Kenny Hill Estate, Sagemoor, Tokar

James Suckling 93; Sean Sullivan 90

Tasting Notes 

Our classic Cabernet offers aromas of ripe cherry, red plum, and quince, with intriguing layers of baking spice and cocoa. Full-bodied with bold purple fruit and minerality, this expressive beauty has a long life ahead. 

Food Pairing

• Dry-Aged Steak: The wine’s tannins complement the richness of a well-marbled steak.
• Grilled Lamb Chops: The savory flavors of lamb align with the wine’s depth.
• Braised Short Ribs: The hearty nature of this dish matches the wine’s boldness.
• Mushroom Risotto: The earthy mushrooms enhance the wine’s cocoa and spice notes.
• Eggplant Parmesan: The dish’s richness pairs well with the wine’s structure.

From them to you:

The winery makes its home in a rustic, remodeled World War II era airplane hangar in Walla Walla, Washington, and is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2025. The family-owned winery strives for excellence from vineyard to bottle, and sources fruit from several renowned estate vineyards in prime locations around the Walla Walla and Columbia Valley appellations. Dunham wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Trutina (Bordeaux-style blend), Three Legged Red (red table wine), Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay.

With a strong heritage and a brand well-known throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond, we are committed to producing premium wines through gentle treatment in all phases of the winemaking process. Our goal is to bring something to the bottle that we enjoy and are proud to label with the name Dunham.

Source: https://www.dunhamcellars.com/

Terra Blanca  Malbec Arch Terrace Red Mountain

(Carefully curated notes below are taken from the Producer’s website)

Varietal Composition: Malbec

Location: Red Mountain

Cellar Aging: Drink now or cellar until 2028

Tasting Notes from the Producer:

Our 2021 Arch Terrace Malbec is a blend of two clones of Malbec from our estate vineyard, which is aged for up to 22 months in French Oak barrels (30% new). Aromas of sweet raspberry, strawberry and red plum, with nuances of white pepper and spice, lead to bright raspberry and boysenberry with notes of cherry, pepper and anise on the palate. Supple fine-grain tannins, that are well-integrated with the fruit, lead to a smooth, clean finish. 

Food Pairing from Them to You!

• An excellent pairing with spicy red pastas and grilled meats.

From them to you:

Keith, a University of California, Davis-trained geologist and student of viticulture and enology, set about clearing the land by hand, drilling wells and planting vines. ReNae, who studied accountancy, would make the long treks from the their home in Redmond, Washington each weekend to battle the wind, heat and snakes and learned to fit irrigation pipes.

Together, they figured out how to grow grapes, make wine, sell wine and stay married. That’s the version of the story we tell to most people. To you, we’ll tell the real story.

To begin, you need to know a few things about them. Keith grew up in Napa, running through the caves at Beringer, spending his pocket money on new releases (that his parents would safeguard until an appropriate age) and generally thinking wine was a pretty remarkable thing. Living so close to the Pacific, he also loved being on the water whenever possible, sailing. ReNae? She’s pretty much fearless and as long as she’s actively pursuing a new idea, she’s happy.

When they were first married, Keith’s career as a consulting geologist meant that he travelled a great deal. For a young married couple, the separations were a lousy way to start a new life together.

So one night, Keith suggested he quit and that they start a business together. He presented ReNae with two ideas. The first? They would operate a charter sailing business. Not an avid sailor, ReNae pressed him to define her role in that venture. He jokingly said, “Ah, you could cook and clean for the guests.”

“What’s your other idea?,” she asked. Turned out to be Terra Blanca.

300 acres of Red Mountain property were purchased in 1992. Development of the winery and estate vineyard began in 1993. Transformation of what was once arid land featuring solely soil, sagebrush and bunch grass was officially underway.

Source:  https://terrablanca.com/