Deep flavour and very juicy.
Black raspberries, black plums, blackberries, dates.
Orange marmalade, ground black pepper, cardamom, Columbia River gravel.
Silky and sexy Milbrandt.
Northridge Vineyard (67%): Planted in 2003, this 37-hectare vineyard is uniquely situated on the gravel soils of the Wahluke Slope alluvial fan, above the floodplain of the Columbia River.
Beneath the topsoil lies a layer of caliche and basalt 15-30cm deep, which makes the soil rich in calcium and iron, making it difficult for roots to grow.
Clifton Hill (33%) - Owned and farmed by the Milbrandt family, this vineyard has a 60cm topsoil of stony sand, beneath which is glacial gravel.
This allows the tree's growth to be naturally limited.
Both soils are very well drained, making it easy to maintain full canopy control.
The 2020 vintage may be the best in Washington State history.
The long growing season and warm temperatures allowed the fruit to ripen evenly and produced excellent results.
The wine is focused, rich, complex and lively.
The red wines are understated and elegant yet powerful, with incredible tension and balance.
The white and rosé wines are wonderfully rich, yet balanced with enough acidity to round out the wines.
We are excited to see how these wines evolve! Charles Smith's evolution onto the world wine stage has been nothing short of amazing.
Owner/winemaker Charles Smith managed rock and roll bands in Europe for 11 years before moving to Walla Walla and starting K Vintners with a shoestring budget.
Charles' wines exude the excitement of his rock and roll roots, but honest quality and values are the foundation of his winemaking.
Charles produces several brands under different labels: Charles Smith Wines, most of which are made to be drunk the same day they are purchased, and they combine easy drinking, affordable and high quality.
Charles also produces some of America's most fascinating and highly acclaimed Syrah under his original K Vintners label.
K Vintners' wines are made in extremely small quantities to appeal to discerning connoisseurs.
Over the past decade, Charles Smith Wines and K Vintners wines have received 66 scores of 95 or above and more than 300 scores of 90 or above from America's leading wineries, Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast.