Gilbert Cellars, Tempranillo Tawny Port 2009, Wahluke Slope, 24 K Vineyard, Yakima Valley, WA

This seductive dessert wine was made in a traditional Portuguese style, using Tempranillo grapes; it has notes of butterscotch, fig, orange zest, & dried flowers with a soft, round palate.

COUNTRY: United State of America (USA)

STATE: WA

APPELLATION (AVA): Wahluke Slope

REGION: Columbia Valley

SUBREGION: Yakima Valley

VINEYARDS: 24K Vineyard

VINTAGE: 2009

GRAPES: Tempranillo

SOIL: Loam, silt, sand; fine in texture, some clay

PRACTICE: Organic farming, sustainable

STYLE: Still

COLOR: Pale Tawney

BODY: Full

TASTE: Off dry, viscous

PRIMARY AROMAS & FLAVOR: Sweet butterscotch, fig, orange zest, & dried flowers with a soft, round palate.

FORMAT: 750 ml

ALCOHOL: 19%

SERVICE AND SUGGESTION: Enjoy on its own after dessert, or pair with cheeses or chocolate.

ABOUT THE PRODUCER: 
Gilbert Cellars is a family-run winery in Yakima, Washington, focusing on handcrafted, small batches of authentic Washington wines, with a strong sense of community and hospitality. With a deep, five generations-old connection to the Yakima Valley farming land (and its own 8,200-foot Gilbert Peak!), the Gilbert family and their partners dedicate their energies and skills to create wines that celebrate the terroir and the communities in it. Gloria and Charlie Gilbert, Le Cordon Bleu alumni and world-class hospitality masters, partnered with Justin Neufeld, a Washington winemaking veteran with a deep knowledge of the terroir diversities in Columbia Valley, to bottle the best expressions of Yakima Valley vintage after vintage.

Justin Neufeld, Winemaker
Justin showcases the flavors of the vineyards through each step of the growing and production process. Our resident wine geek, Justin has a degree in molecular biology, but outdoor pursuits (backpacking, climbing)—and a serendipitous introduction to noted Washington winemaker Doug Gore—drove him out of the lab and into the vineyards. He finessed his skills at Chateau St. Michelle, Silver Lake, and Glen Fiona before joining Gilbert Cellars in 2007.

ABOUT THE VINEYARDS: 
24K VINEYARD (ORGANICALLY FARMED)
Planted by Curtiss and Cragg Gilbert in 2007, 24K presides just a few miles from the Doc. An alfalfa farm in its past life, this vineyard got its name from its location in Mattawa at the corner of 24th and K streets (though we do hope to find gold there one of these days…).

Here, Grenache and Mourvèdre vines grow in soil subtly finer than the Doc’s—more loam than sand, and higher in clay content. As of 2012, most of the vines are starting to realize their varietal characteristics. So far, they show amazing potential for producing deeply structured wines with bright, highly aromatic fruit.

ABOUT THE LABEL:
The rugged summit of Gilbert Peak is as mighty as our commitment to the agricultural lands of Washington State. Five generations of family farming in the Yakima Valley have inspired us to share the unique wines that are born of this place. It is here, among wine, music and friends, that our community takes shape—nourished by the glacial waters of the Tieton River, outlined by rows of vineyards, and fed by spirited gatherings that celebrate the bounty of this beautiful landscape.