2016 “Trine” - Pepper Bridge Winery

Juicy damson plum, black tea leaf, dark cherry puree. Tart blueberry, blooming rose, black raspberry compote. Fresh basil and green tobacco, vanilla powder and crushed clove. Black currant, açai, and assorted licorice initiate an attack brimming with impressive depth and tremendous freshness - somehow managing to come off simultaneously elegant and unrelenting. Spearmint and thyme emerge to contribute beautiful herbal character that shifts towards impressions of new cedar and roasted pepper with time. Complex baking aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg, and dried citrus peel skillfully cut the edge while hazelnut coffee, shaved dark chocolate, and cigar ensure their intricacies are felt. Smooth basalt highlights a distinctly volcanic earthy component that is present yet largely subdued behind bright fruit, wood, and herbs. Medium plus in body/tannin/acidity, exhibiting great polish, balance, and structure along with impressive delineation of flavor. This 2016 "Trine" by Pepper Bridge Winery is a remarkably serious and unquestionably impressive Bordeaux blend from the Walla Walla Valley.

Carefully straddling the border of Eastern Washington and Oregon sits the unique multi-state winegrowing appellation of the Walla Walla Valley. This pastoral agricultural zone exists in a low-lying basin between the Columbia River and the Blue Mountains and is home to some of the Pacific Northwest's most interesting warm climate vineyards. This bottling, crafted by Pepper Bridge Winery using a blend of all 5 primary Bordeaux grapes sourced from within the Walla Walla Valley, is an outstanding example of the potential of this fascinating and picturesque region. It is impressively elegant and composed, possessing ample weight and concentration yet presenting itself in a way that never overpowers or overwhelms. This wine is polished, poised, and tremendously classic - all while managing to express wonderful terroir. Excellent.