Long Shadows Chester Kidder 2010 is made from 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Syrah, 5% Petit Verdot

"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: Deep and dark in color, this intensely aromatic wine is loaded with dark cherry, blackberry and a hint of chocolate. With its impressive concentration of refined tannins and a lively mouth feel, the 2010 Chester-Kidder offers layers of intense fruit flavors and spice. Well balanced from beginning to end, the wine leaves a vibrant impression across a lengthy finish.
Vintage: The 2010 growing season got off to a cool start that delayed flowering and reduced fruit set. The trend continued through the summer, with moderate temperatures persisting into July and August. As a result, winemaker Gilles Nicault worked with growers to drop clusters and open up the leaf canopies early in the season so that when the warm weather finally arrived in late September, the vines were well positioned to finish ripening the grapes and produce wines with excellent flavor and varietal character.
Winemaking: Working with some of the best vineyards in the Columbia Valley, Gilles draws on his considerable experience in Washington State to craft a complex, rich wine. He is equally meticulous about his selection of coopers, relying on tight-grained barrels made from air-dried staves to enhance the aromas and flavors of the wine without overpowering it. This is particularly important given that the wine is aged for 30 months in French oak barrels (predominately new). Extended barrel aging helps to integrate the wood, tannins and fruit while enhancing the mouth feel and overall impression of the wine.
Vineyards: Roughly two-thirds of the Cabernet Sauvignon for the 2010 Chester-Kidder was grown on Candy Mountain, adjacent to Red Mountain where the remaining one-third of the Cabernet for this blend was grown. The Red Mountain area is one of the warmest sections of the Columbia Valley; Cabernet Sauvignon ripens beautifully here and brings texture, backbone and richness to the wine. Candy Mountain Syrah contributes dark color and savory, spiciness. Petit Verdot from Dionysus Vineyard imparts dense, rich character and gives the wine its bright, lively mouth feel.