K Vintners El Jefe 2016
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Dunnuck
Jeb -
Suckling
James
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Iodine, blood, earth, leather. Echoes of Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises.” It suggests sun-ripened tomato, sea salt, black raspberry and a complexity of Tempranillo that centuries can only understand. No bull... This is El Jefe.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The ruby/plum-colored 2016 Tempranillo El Jefe Stoneridge Vineyard reveals a meaty, savory, smoky style to go with a medium to full-bodied, concentrated style on the palate. Some classic tar and asphalt notes as well as cold fireplace develop with time in the glass and it has present yet silky tannins, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. It’s a terrific expression of this variety that will keep for at least a decade.
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James Suckling
This variety is compatible with the Stoneridge Vineyard, in that it shifts to a floral, elegant and refined stance, yet delivers length and power. The succulent, long and fresh mulberry and boysenberry core really delivers in a delicious mode here.
Other Vintages
2018-
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Suckling
James
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Dunnuck
Jeb -
Parker
Robert -
Enthusiast
Wine
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Robert -
Enthusiast
Wine
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Robert
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Parker
Robert
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Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine
Located at the base of the Blue Mountains in Walla Walla Washington, K Vintners opened its doors to the public on December 3rd, 2001. The property at 820 Mill Creek Road where the winery sits was homesteaded in 1853 with the adjacent farmhouse built in 1872. The winery grounds with Titus Creek flowing through the lawn and the old pioneer planted trees, is a little slice of heartland Americana. The Winemaker: He loves to drink wine! Charles Smith, proprietor and winemaker, comes to Walla Walla after 11 years in Scandanavia. Originally from northern California, he has been involved with wine personally and professionally his whole life. And did we forget to mention... he loves to drink wine! The Vineyards: K Vintners is producing wines from 2 distinctive viticultural zones: Wahluke Slope and Walla Walla Valley. Each of these areas are unique and awesome for Syrah and the Field Blends produced. In April '02 two seperate blocks of vineyards were planted to Syrah adjacent to the winery in the rocky dry creek beds that run through K Vintners property.
Notoriously food-friendly, long-lasting and Spain’s most widely planted grape, Tempranillo is the star variety of red wines from Rioja and Ribera del Duero. The Rioja terms Joven, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva indicate both barrel and bottle time before release. Traditionally blended in Rioja with Garnacha, plus a bit of Mazuelo (Carignan) and Graciano, the Tempranillo in Ribera del Duero typically stands alone. Somm Secret—Tempranillo claims many different names depending on location. In Penedès, it is called Ull de Llebre and in Valdepeñas, goes by Cencibel. Known as Tinta Roriz in Portugal, Tempranillo plays an important role in Port wine.
Distinguished by a broad, south-exposed, uniform slope and landlocked by the Columbia River to its south and Saddle Mountains to its north, the Wahluke Slope AVA of Washington holds 15% of the total vine acreage of the state and takes its name from the Native American word for “watering place.”
Incidentally the Wahluke Slope AVA has one of the hottest and driest climates of the state so irrigation is not only essential, but also allows complete grower control of vine vigor. On top of its arid and warm environment, strong summer winds blow across this broad slope and ensure both smaller leaf size and grape clusters. The result is top quality wines with great concentration, phenolic ripeness, body and depth of flavor.
Vineyards cover the AVA from 425 to 1,480 feet along the slope. Its deep soils of wind-blown alluvium and sand with a depth, on average, of more than 5 feet along the continuous grade allow optimal drainage for the vines.
Thriving varieties include Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc.
Merlots are rich in sweet, ripe cherry, red currant, raspberry and cocoa. Syrahs tend to express black and blue fruit along with savory notes. Wahluke Cabernets are rich in stewed red and black berries.