2013 IN ORDER TO FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION
WINEMAKER’S NOTES
Vibrant deep purple in color. The aromatics lead with Asian spices and earth and give way to notes of black currant, blackberry, leather, cedar, tobacco, and tar. On the palate the wine is concentrated and rich with beautiful texture that displays full bodied silky tannins and amazing complexity. This gorgeous wine displays multifaceted layers of blackberry, huckleberry, black plum, espresso, lead pencil, mint, tobacco, Asian spices, earth, and gravel. Properly cellared, this wine should reach maturity in 10-12 years will gracefully evolve for 20+ years.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
The wine had a pre-fermentation maceration average of 147 hours and a post-fermentation maceration average of 125 hours. 100% Native fermentation. The wine was punched down by hand 3 times each day during macerations and fermentation. All individual wine components, including free run and press fractions, were kept separate until final blending. The oak profile is 70% new French oak puncheons (predominantly from Troncais and Alliers) and 30% neutral French oak. The wine achieved its sparkly brilliance from 4 judicious rackings, no fining agents were employed. The wine was very lightly filtered to capture any remaining lees. The alcohol is 14.9%, pH is 3.52, and the titratable acidity is 6.4 g/L. Harvest dates: Various.
CASES PRODUCED 124
VARIETALS/APPELLATION 40% Cabernet Sauvignon (Firethorn, Bacchus, DuBrul, Kiona, Dionysus, XL), 27% Merlot (Dionysus, Firethorn, Bacchus), 22% Cabernet Franc (Firethorn, Weinbau), 11% Petit Verdot (Dionysus)
REVIEWS
94 POINTS | WINE ADVOCATE
“Checking in as a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot, the 2013 In Order To Form A More Perfect Union is a seamless, perfumed, complex and incredibly complete wine that offers layers of sweet red and black fruits, spring flowers, violets and hints of vanilla. While leaning towards the lighter side of full-bodied, it has fabulous intensity of flavor, ultra fine tannin and an already upfront, impossible to resist profile that will continue to impress for at least 10-15 years.”
94 POINTS | INTERNATIONAL WINE REPORT
“This Bordeaux style blend was aged in 70% new French oak puncheons (predominantly from Troncais and Alliers) and 30% neutral French oak prior to bottling. The red blend begins with aromatics of sagebrush, mint, red cherry, red bell pepper and wild blackberry. This leads to flavors of black cherry, black tea, coffee ground and black olive. This is blended beautifully and is chewy while showcasing a Bordelaise minerality. Drink 2017-2029.”
LABEL STORY
In 2009, we made our first in Order to form a more perfect Union. It was the third wine in three years that received a perfect rating from Rand Sealey (Review of Washington Wines). The wine is always a blend of 3-4 different varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot) and multiple vineyards (such as Dionysus, Bacchus, Weinbau, XL, Kiona, DuBrul, Wallula Gap, and Firethorn). Consistently, it ranks among our best wines.
Our father came to the United States in 1969. Our mother came in 1972. We followed in 1974 (ages 7 and 5). They made sacrifices in order to establish a life here. Our family story of sacrifice and hard work is special because it is uniquely ours. What makes it extraordinary is that our story is merely commonplace in the short history of the United States.
The wine, in Order to form a more perfect Union, honors our parents and the sacrifices they made and it honors the promise that is the United States.