Charles and Charles Red

The vintage: the 2015 vintage was the warmest year on record in washington state lapping the 2014 vintage as the prior record-holder. Perfect hot dry weather persisted throughout the growing season and extended all the way to harvest with cooler temperatures coming just in time to extend ripening made for an excellent vintage. The heat kept berries and clusters small which resulted in highly concentrated and dense wines. The wine: since the 2012 vintage all of our syrah has been fermented whole cluster (with stems) in stainless tanks with fermentations started with native yeasts that come from the vineyards. The cabernet sauvignon was harvested and fermented separately whole berry (stems removed) in stainless steel tanks also with native yeast for both primary and secondary fermentations. From beginning to end the cabernet and syrah were on their skins for 35 days on average. Fermentations proceeded slowly and the wine sat on the skins post fermentation for a week or so for a