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Chester-Kidder 2009 Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $50

By on September 5, 2013

Allen Shoup, founder of Long Shadows Vintners, named this red wine in honor of his grandfather, Charles Chester, and his grandmother, Maggie Kidder. The wine is made by Gilles Nicault.Allen Shoup collaborates with several world-famous winemakers for his renowned project, but this red blend — named for his grandfather and grandmother — tends to be our favorite Long Shadows release year after year. His long-time friend and lieutenant in Walla Walla, French-born winemaker Gilles Nicault, casts a spotlight on Candy Mountain near Richland, Wash., for much of the Cabernet Sauvignon (50%) and all of the Syrah (28%). Two Wahluke Slope sites are responsible for the rest as StoneTree Vineyard contributes the Petit Verdot (17%) and the Cabernet Franc comes off Weinbau. The nose brings elegance with chocolate-covered blueberries, black cherry, black pepper, Weetabix cereal, eucalyptus and a whiff of gaminess — a sign of the Syrah. There’s a syrupy inkiness to the entry of blackberry juices that comes with a midpalate of cherries and chocolate. Bold acidity and seamless tannins make this an ideal Saturday dinner companion, yet it’s also built to carry well into the next decade.

Rating: Outstanding!

Production: 989 cases

Alcohol: 14.9%

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Articles authored by Great Northwest Wine are co-authored by Eric Degerman and Andy Perdue. In most cases, these are wine reviews that are judged blind by the Great Northwest Wine tasting panel.

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