Gård Vintners Mixed Reds

Tasting notes & discussion 32

Typically $24/bottle for The Don and $40/bottle for Vaucluse
Vintage 2016 from Columbia Valley
Available for AZ; CA; CO; DC; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; MA; MD; MI; MN; MT; NC; NM; NY; OH; OR; PA; TX; VA; WA; WI
Sold by Gård Vintners, fulfilled by Wine Country Connect

About Gård Vintners
Named as a tribute to the family’s Scandinavian heritage, Gård and The Lawrence Family has been expressing the beauty of the Columbia Valley in their wines since 2006. From their vineyards on the Royal Slope, to Walla Walla where the wine itself is produced, to their three tasting rooms in Woodinville, Walla Walla, and Ellensburg, Gård is an award-winning and value-driven representative of Washington’s wine producers. With winemaker Aryn Morell rounding out the team in 2011, the Lawrence family and Morell have shared management of the wine production ever since.

Darkest Before the Don

TASTING NOTES:
Vaucluse - “It offers a ripe, sexy, exotic, medium-bodied style to go with lots of peach, plums, and flowery, peppery incense aromas and flavors. Seamless on the palate, with fine tannins, it has plenty of upfront appeal yet will also keep nicely for 7-8 years.” (AbV 14.7%, pH 3.8, 67% Syrah 33% Grenache)

The Don - “Ripe muddled red berries with black tea and spice and a whiff of tapenade and steeped plums. Swirling brings heavy black fruits like black currants, blackberry, plum puree and cassis. Herbs and spice weave through the round and polished palate with silky tannins and a juicy finish.” (AbV 14.7%, pH 3.74, 81% Cabernet Sauvignon 14% Syrah 3% Cab Franc 2% Merlot)

BARRELS:
Fermented in combo concrete and stainless steel, aged in French oak for 20 months (Vaucluse) and about a year (The Don).

TANGENTIALLY RELATED FACT to help you make conversation over this wine:
“Don” is an honorific primarily found in Mediterranean countries, like Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Croatia. It basically refers to the head of a household, rooted in the Latin “dominus.” Nowadays in Italy, it only really sees use with Priests and mob bosses. Kind of a weird split. Weirder still is that while bosses in America go by Don [insert last name], the bosses of southern Italy are referred to as Don [insert first name]. If you’re referring to a Don [insert last name] in southern Italy, chances are you’re talking about a priest and not a mob boss.

PAIRS WITH (winery recommended):
N/A

OR (really-going-with-the-theme-option):
A self-important title you gave yourself.

Who's buying this?

How are you buying your bottles?

Best old/traditional honorific European title?

Duke/Duchess

Duke/Duchess
Count/Countess

Count/Countess
Viscount/Viscountess

Viscount/Viscountess
Marquess/Marquis

Marquess/Marquis
Baron/Baroness

Baron/Baroness
Castellan

Castellan
Earl

Earl
Thane

Thane

46 votes