2017 Passing Time Chardonnay (Screwcap)

Passing Time is a name that makes plenty of sense once you understand that the two men who dreamed up the idea of this winery are both former NFL quarterbacks. Dan Marino and Damon Huard liked to talk about opening a winery back in the days when both were passing the football for the Miami Dolphins, among other pro teams. Along with two other business partners, Marino and Huard hired Washington winemaker Chris Peterson to craft their Cabernet Sauvignons. Passing Time focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon and sources grapes from some of Washington’s most prestigious vineyards. The wine is generally available only by allocation.

Washington State, with 59,000 vineyard acres, is the second largest producer of wine in the United States. Wine was made in the state as early as the mid-19th century, but Prohibition and, later, restrictive state laws killed the wine making business in the 20th century until the 1960s, when laws changed and large and small producers started making wines. An influential horticulturalist and agriculture professor name Walter J. Clore studied various grape clones in the 1960s to find the best ones for Washington, and by the 1970s Yakima Valley, Walla Walla and Columbia Valley had all become important grape growing areas. The best vineyards in the state are east of the Cascade Mountain range, where hot dry summers and cold winters are conducive to successful viticulture. Numerous grape varieties are grown, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc at the head of the list.

This white variety originated in Burgundy, but is now grown around the world. Its flexibility to thrive in many regions translates to wide flavor profile in the market. Chardonnay is commonly used in making Champagne and sparkling wines.