Andrew Will Red Bordeaux Blend Horse Heaven Hills Champoux Vineyard 2009

Editorial Review by Gregory Dal Piaz:

darky almost opaque black tinged ruby - vanilla and green pepper explode from the glass, oaky smoky pipe tobaccy,balsamic vinear, cherry coke, baked plum, creme de cassis all follow - sweet attack, lots of red fruits, good acids and tons of soft tannins, medium full mouthfeel with a bit more obvious alcohol here, eucalyptus top not over the curranty fruit with notes of roast meat and vanilla, good if indistinct fruit with an abrupt finish that leaves tanin and alcohol evident. Good in it's style and not at all over blown yet still too much for me

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Region: USA » Washington » Benton County » Yakima Valley AVA » Red Mountain

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Winery: Andrew Will

Color: Red

Variety: Bordeaux Blend

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Andrew Will:

Andrew Will Winery was started in 1989 and is owned by Chris Camarda. The winery was launched out of a love for wine that Chris had developed while working in the restaurant trade for almost 20 years. Named after the Camardas’ son Will and nephew Andrew, Andrew Will has been a major contributor to the success and notoriety in recent years of Washington State wines. Initially, the winery consisted of 900 square feet of rented industrial space in Seattle. In the early days, everything was done by hand from shoveling grapes into crushers, to labeling and delivering the wine. In 1994, the Camardas moved to Vashon Island, a short ferry ride from Seattle, where they built the present winery. They now have two buildings which allow them to make about 4300 cases of wine a year. They have also purchased land in Eastern Washington and planted 36 acres in grapes. Andrew Will makes Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese. As Chris Camarda has developed his style of winemaking over the years, he has focused on the primacy of the vineyard over variety. It is now the driving force behind Andrew Will. While the idea of terroir has become almost a hollow marketing tool, it has great attraction for Chris in its purest form. "I believe that an individual piece of property can form a signature - an identity - and it is that face that is the focus of my winemaking, " he said. "We are trying to let the vineyards reveal themselves. I believe that if Washington is ever to be considered a great wine region we need to establish the characteristics of our geographical areas and the characteristics of each vineyard in those areas," he added. He also believes that blends of varieties also make the most complex and attractive wines. The Cabernet Franc and Merlot, two grapes which mature beautifully over the long growing season in Eastern Washington, when blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, best express the characteristics of a vineyard. For instance, the 1999 Sorella is made up of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet France and 15% Merlot. Andrew Will has no plans to increase the size of the winery or its output but instead to focus on the vineyards and the care needed to produce the kind of fruit to satisfy the Andrew Will ideals. Read less

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Editorial Reviews for Andrew Will Red Bordeaux Blend Horse Heaven Hills Champoux Vineyard

Gregory Dal Piaz

233,906

Vintage: 2004 09/22/2008

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Member Reviews for Andrew Will Red Bordeaux Blend Horse Heaven Hills Champoux Vineyard

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mikespeer

1,196

Vintage: 2008 08/25/2012

great fruit nose....on the palatte is is very silky with hints of vanilla....very long finish

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Philip James

12,570

Vintage: 2007 10/21/2010

My favorite wine from Andrew Will - the Cab Franc dominates and is full of expression. Peppery with delicate lilac flavors. Very nice and balanced.

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Philip James

12,570

Vintage: 2007 10/21/2010

Nice wine - the Cab Franc leaves a clear taste, although its primarily Cab Sauv dominated. Cheaper than the Champoux blend, this is a nice alternative.

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Pepper Turner

131

Vintage: 2007 10/31/2010

I think a better name would have been two brunettes ;o) This is a hearty wine that is surprising in its velvety finish. Elegant but not stuffy. A very good wine for the price.

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dalbright

Vintage: 2003 02/10/2008

Three and a half glasses

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External Reviews for Andrew Will Red Bordeaux Blend Horse Heaven Hills Champoux Vineyard

Vintage: 2008 05/06/2012

A Proprietary Blend wine from Washington in USA. 2008 Andrew Will Champoux Vineyard 750ml

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Vintage: 2008 05/08/2012

Powerful, focused and compelling for its layers of black cherry, mineral, animal and spice flavors, swirling together on the beautifully constructed finish. This has presence, depth and distinction, with miles to go. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Caber... Wine Spectator. A Proprietary Blend wine from Washington in USA. 2008 Andrew Will Champoux Vineyard 750ml

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Vintage: 2007 05/19/2011

Bright ruby-red. High-toned aromas of blueberry, raspberry and spices. Then juicy, fresh and spicy in the mouth, with vibrant flavors of blueberry, cassis and bitter chocolate. Finishes with substantial palate- and toothcoating tannins and very good length, with lingering flavors of berries and spices. This has the structure fore eight to ten years of bottle aging.

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Vintage: 2007 05/19/2011

A beautifully formed, harmonious red. Firm, with bright currant and strawberry flavors at the center, shaded with floral, herbal notes as it all lingers effortlessly on the mildly chewy finish. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Best from 2007 through 2012.

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Vintage: 2007 05/19/2011

The 2005 Ciel du Cheval is composed of 40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc,14% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot. It offers up darker black fruit aromas and flavors with significantly more structure, grip, and power. It exhibits layers of spicy black fruits which should become increasingly opulent and glossy as it develops in the bottle. Give it a minimum of 5-7 years in the cellar and drink it through 2030.

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Vintage: 2007 01/10/2013

A completely different blend from the wineryandrsquo;s 2006 Ciel, this reflects Chris Camardaandrsquo;s growing enchantment with Cabernet Franc, which is now 45% of the blend. Most of the rest is Merlot andmdash; a Right Bank style. The concept works. It captures the sleek minerality of the site, and puts the fruit into tight, laser-like focus. The wine seems almost crystalline andmdash; sharp-edged and reflective, with penetrating angles and offset flavors.

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Vintage: 2007 05/19/2011

Gloriously structured, this extraordinary effort blends 44% merlot, 28% cab franc, 18% cab sauvignon and 10% petite verdot) into a wine that reveals itself in sculpted layer upon layer of scent and flavor. Citrus peel, plum, wild berry, red currant and spice are set upon a base of rich mineral and rock, with precisely cut tannins. Cellar Candidate (8-10 years).

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