Long Shadows Chester Kidder 2008 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Syrah, 6% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc.

"Allen Shoup Shoup named this wine in honor of his grandfather, Charles Chester, and his grandmother, Maggie Kidder. He has a purpose in mind; a vision really, and that is to offer his guests a glass of Chester-Kidder and say "this is how good a Washington red wine can be". Allen picked Gilles Nicault, former winemaker for Woodward Canyon, to bring this vision to fruition."

Tasting Notes: Inky in color with deep, dark hues, the 2008 Chester-Kidder offers exquisite black cherry and chocolate aromas and flavors with a pleasant hint of oak spice. This is a vibrant and rich wine with intense flavors of ripe blackberry that leave a lengthy impression.
Vintage: Wines with wonderful balance and intensity are the hallmark of the 2008 harvest, and our ‘08 Chester-Kidder exemplifies the style of this vintage. The growing season started slowly with summer temperatures warming gradually. As a result, veraison was a bit later than usual, but our growers worked diligently throughout the summer to keep the vines in good balance so that by the time the Columbia Valley’s typical warm fall days and cool nights arrived in September the grapes were in a position to ripen beautifully.
Winemaking: Working with some of the best vineyards in the Columbia Valley, French-born winemaker Gilles Nicault draws on his considerable experience in Washington state to craft a layered red wine styled for complexity and richness. In addition to working with the state’s top growers, Gilles is meticulous about his selection of coopers, selecting tight-grained barrels made from air-dried staves to enhance the aromas and flavors of the finished wine without overpowering it. The 2008 Chester-Kidder was aged 30 months in 100% French oak
Vineyards: Located just above Red Mountain, Candy Mountain is one of the warmest vineyards in the Columbia Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, comprising 40% of the ’08 blend, ripen beautifully on this south-facing site. The balance of the Cabernet Sauvignon is from three Walla Walla vineyards each selected to add mouth-feel and dimension to the wine. Petit Verdot from Stone Tree Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope imparts a bright, dark fruit character. Cabernet Franc from Weinbau Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope enhances the wine’s structure and adds refined tannins.

"Bright, deep ruby-red. Expressive nose offers currant, cherry cola, graphite and dark chocolate. Silky, sexy and intense, with firm, vibrant cabernet fruit complicated by licorice and spices. Finishes lively and very long, with sweet tannins and solid structure from the cabernet, some of which spent up to 40 days on its skins."
- Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 92 pts