 |
 |
 |
Vineyard Source
Klipsun Vineyard, Red Mountain
Ciel du Chaval Vineyard, Red Mountain
Obelisco Vineyard, Red Mountain
Red Willow Vineyard, Yakima Valley
Blend
81% Cabernet Sauvignon
9% Merlot
6% Cabernet Franc
2% Malbec
2% Petit Verdot
Alcohol
14.7%
Release Date
October 18th, 2012
Production
43 Barrels
|
|
Tasting Notes
Aromas of blackberry, violet, and raspberry combine with layers of tealeaf, tobacco, bramble, mint, cracked black pepper and clove. The palate is rich and supple with elements of cocoa and vanilla bean. The texture is refined with elegant tannins.
Best from 2013 through 2019.
Ratings
Yet to be rated.
Download Tasting Notes 
Price: $52.00
|
|
|
Winemaker's Notes
The 2010 Dead Horse Cabernet Sauvignon is a testament to a beautiful vintage and the incredible work done in vineyards. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot show the power of this vintage, while the Merlot and Cabernet France lend balance and refinement. Each lot was fermented separately in 1.5-ton fermenters from between 12 and18 days. Then the wines were gently pressed to barrel where malolactic fermentation was completed. The wine was racked only twice prior to bottling and is unfined and unfiltered.
The 2010 Vintage
Bud break arrived on schedule in early April, but a cool, wet spring led to delayed flowering and reduced fruit set across many varieties. An unusually cool summer produced dramatic differences in ripening between warmer and cooler sites, with veraison extending well into September in some cooler areas. However, naturally low yields, combined with over a month of consistently warm weather from late September through late October, produced phenolic ripeness and flavor development with extraordinary natural acidity. Cool, wet weather returned in late October, an appropriate bookend to a challenging harvest. Overall, 2010 should produce balanced, elegant wines with dense, concentrated fruit.
|
|
|
|
|
Ciel du Cheval, Red Mountain
Owned and operated by Jim Holmes and managed by Ryan Johnson, Ciel du Cheval has helped pave the way for the fine wine grapes on Red Mountain. With 120 acres under vine, Ciel du Cheval is a major contributor to Mark Ryan wines. The very first vintages of Dead Horse and Long Haul were packed with fruit from Ciel du Cheval, a tradition that continues to this day.
Balancing polish and refinement in its power and depth, Ciel represents a feminine compliment to Klipsun's brazen muscularity. The vines are planted in a fan trellis system, which provides a more-dense canopy to shield the clusters from the intense heat of the site. This style of management allows the grape's sugars to develop harmoniously with its concentration and physiological ripeness, showcasing deep fruit flavors balanced with non-fruit complexity.
Klipsun
Named by Wine and Spirits magazine as one of the Top 25 vineyards in the World, Klipsun is truly a Washington icon. Located on the western edge of Red Mountain AVA, the vineyard was planted in 1984 by David and Patricia Gelles. There are currently 120 acres planted to vines, managed by Julia Kock. Klipsun fruit is all about power. It's placement on Red Mountain exposes the vines to strong nighttime winds that thicken the grape's skins, making a smaller berry with dense fruit concentration and broad-shouldered structure. These conditions, coupled with the natural, consistent heat of Red Mountain create a wine of big, bold aromas and muscular intensity and power.
|
|
|
|
Past Vintages
2007 Dead Horse
|
|
|
|
