The Red Mountain AVA of Benton County, Washington produces some of the finest grapes of the region, cultivating into wines that have unique expressions and Old World charm. The 2019 Hedges Family Estate La Haute Cuvée is a fine example of terroir and the feel of a wine that could be cellared for 15+ years. Winemaker Sara Goedhart has nearly 10 years as head winemaker at Hedges Family Estate and her twenty plus years in the business is evident in the bottle we have today.
Gorgeous, deep eggplant color that oozes to the edge of the glass. This wine was not decanted but it was provided about twenty minutes of air time in the glass prior to tasting. The first thing we noticed about this wine was how herbaceous it is and not the fruit bomb we may have been expecting. Again, Old World style here all the way. Fresh blackberries, dark chocolate shavings, pencil lead, mocha and leather blended effortlessly, each trying to take their turns to shine but not overpowering one another. On the tongue is a satisfying, mouth-coating offering that offered more black fruits, baked Shiitake mushroom, garden herbs, fennel and damp earth.
This is one of those wines that surprised us, but in the loveliest way possible. It spent over 2 years in oak and the tannins are refined and minute. Our recommendation? Buy a half or whole case of this wine, open a bottle per year and see how it continues to develop. We think there could likely be fifty more descriptors that could come out of this bottle. It's a real treat.
ABV: 13.5%
Appellation: Red Mountain AVA
Winery: Hedges Family Estate
652 cases produced
Suggested retail price: $75.00
Drink The Bottles score: 93/100
