2008 Andreas
ACCLAIM
92 POINTS - Wine Advocate
The 168 cases of 100% Cabernet known as 2008 Andreas were vinified by Gilles Nicault, who oversees the cellar at Shoup’s Long Shadows project. High-toned scents of mint, basil, creme de cassis, and kirsch lead into a broad, rich palate, with bitter notes of cherry pit and toasted nuts adding counterpoint and a subtle suggestion of humus providing some intrigue to its long, soothing yet stimulating finish. A month’s skin contact has not rendered this in the least roughly tannic, nor does its 90% new wood stand out in any obvious much less obtrusive manner. It can be expected to reward with some time in the cellar and, I suspect, continue to perform impressively for at least a decade.Brothers Bill and Andy Den Hoed were Allen Shoup’s partners in planting the dramatically-terraced “Benches” of Wallula Vineyard (which they still manage) overlooking the Columbia where it turns west to become the border between Washington and Oregon.
SOURCE
Wallula Vineyard - Horse Heaven Hills
VARIETAL COMPOSITION
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
THE STORY:
Intensity of color pigmentation adds to the overall experience of this deep, concentrated wine. Swirl the glass and notice the different hints of deep purple, black, and red color. It screams “Oh La Vache!”. Then, as the flavors pour out of the glass and tickle your nose with aromas of blackberries, licorice, and delicate oak spice, your mind tells you “No spitting on this one!”. The mouthfeel is next, but certainly not least! It provides a sensation of weight, yet with the subtleties of a Dutchman and the liveliness of a Den Hoed. From the beginning, this wine shows good integrity and balance between the tannin structure, acidity and alcohol. Flavors of dark cherries combined with hints of earthiness lead the finish into a long and vibrant journey that calls for one more swallow. And one more… until the bottle’s gone. A wine to share at your own risk!
ANALYSIS
Alcohol: 14.6%
pH: 3.87
TA: 0.48
Harvest Note: Approximately 25.5 brix at perfect physiological maturity and good phenolic ripeness. 85 degrees Fahrenheit at pick fermentation.
Winemaking: 30 days skin contact for richness and complexity. 100% Vicard french oak (90% new) for 30 months.
PRODUCTION
162 cases
BOTTLING DATE
March 14, 2011
VINTNER
Gilles Nicault
RELEASE DATE
April 2, 2012
