1999 Andrew Will Klipsun Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Andrew Will Winery is on Vashon Island, a small island in the Puget Sound just west of Seattle, Washington. The winery was founded in 1989 by Chris Camarda, a restaurant industry veteran who named his winery after his son Will and nephew Andrew. Camarda sources his wines from vineyards in Eastern Washington, some of which he owns. Camarda focuses on blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc made in the style of Bordeaux. Robert M. Parker Jr. has called Camarda “one of America’s finest producers of Merlot” and Andrew Will wines consistently earn high ratings from reviewers.

Columbia Valley AVA is larger than some states. At 18,000 square miles, or 11 million acres, the appellation covers almost half of Washington State and a small part of Oregon on the south side of the Columbia River. Established in 1984, Columbia Valley contains numerous sub appellations within its boundaries, including Yakima Valley AVA and Walla Walla AVA, both large and important wine districts. Columbia Valley AVA, generally called the Columbia Basin by Pacific Northwesterners, is in the Columbia River Plateau, and the AVA also includes a section of northeastern Oregon. There are dozens of microclimates within this appellation of about 7,000 vineyard acres. Many kinds of grapes are grown in the Columbia Valley, though the principal grapes planted are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Riesling, Syrah, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc. Eastern Washington experiences very hot summers and cold winters, and the northern latitude means that Washington vineyards receive several more hours of sun in the summer than California vineyards. Grapes in Washington therefore have time to develop significant tannins and overall ripeness.

One of the most widely grown grape varieties, it can be found in nearly every wine growing region. A cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. It’s a hardy vine that produces a full-bodied wine with high tannins and great aging potential.