Cinsault is a completely different grape to all the other grapes we use.
It captivates us with its endearing character and is an important component of our blends, adding freshness and an intriguing aroma.
This wine will catch your eye at first sight with its vibrant light garnet color, lovely aroma and enticing fruit flavors.
The enchanting aroma of alpine wild strawberries, rose petals and spring violets unfolds, supported by fresh, juicy flavours and a supple texture.
This wine is perfect for an afternoon picnic and pairs perfectly with salmon, wild mushrooms and charcuterie.
Cinsault originates from the south of France and is commonly blended with Grenache and Carignan.
It is grown in small quantities in the New World and only recently in Washington state.
At McKinley Springs Vineyard, Cinsault and Carignan are late ripening and typically among the last grapes harvested each harvest.
The vineyard is planted on Warden sand silt loam soil at an altitude of 335m, facing north to south.
The tree shape is VSP, with the western side left high to provide shade and protect the grapes from the hot afternoon sun.
Whether it's the altitude, the careful cultivation or the soil, this vineyard produces the most balanced grapes we work with.
All fruit is hand-harvested, 100% de-stemmed and fermented in French concrete cube tanks.
Wild yeast is used for fermentation, and the wine is not clarified; instead, punchdown and pumpover are done by hand.
The free-run juice is then separated and aged in neutral French oak.
A syncline is a geological term that refers to a section of rock where horizontally deposited layers of rock are bent by lateral pressure to form a winding valley.
Owners and winemakers James and Poppy Manton's winery and vineyards are located in the Columbia Gorge AVA, which straddles Oregon and is on the westernmost edge of Washington's Columbia Valley AVA, the largest AVA in the state.
The AVA is split between the rainy western and semi-arid desert regions, and their winery and vineyards are located in the middle.
Their winemaking, which began with just 76 cases in 1999, has remained unchanged ever since, and they have earned a high reputation as a limited production winery, maintaining a strong vision of producing world-class wines through innovative winemaking, while also taking into consideration the environment in every aspect of their winemaking, using biodynamic farming methods themselves.
In order to maintain a close relationship with the barrels and grapes, annual production is limited to 5,000 cases.