Rhône varieties and this Iberian red are specialties of homegrown winemaker Melanie Krause, and this Temp ranks among the most approachable produced in the Pacific Northwest. She sources from the Snake River Valley’s first site for the grape — Sawtooth Vineyard — as well as Rocky Fence Vineyard near the Payette River and Martin Brothers Vineyard on the Oregon side of the AVA. It presents a nose of blueberry, cherry and huckleberry that includes pleasing accents of crushed herbs, sweet oak and orange peel. Cherries and huckleberries come back as flavors that splash about in cranberry acidity. The fine-grained tannins have been sorted out nicely before the finish of blackberry and cigar leaf. Krause and her family enjoy pairing their Temp with strongly flavored meats, Cornish game hen, mushrooms and garlic-based dishes. And earlier this spring, Cinder received a gold medal and best of class award for this release at the Sunset International Wine Competition.
Rating: Outstanding!
Production: 210 cases
Alcohol: 13.4%
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