One of the great stops in the Yakima Valley, Owen Roe not only carries my namesake but makes some downright outstanding wines from some of the best vineyards in Washington including the DuBrul Vineyard, the Olsen Vineyard and the Red Willow Vineyard. If you haven’t had a chance to drop by this winery, it is a must visit, especially in the summer when the sweeping views of the valley are best enjoyed. Owen Roe was founded in 1999 and has been focused on making high quality Pinot Noir from Oregon and red and white varietals out of Washington. I recently had thew chance to try their new release red wines out of Washington and was captivated by the consistency of the wines. The releases come from warm vintages but these powerful wines not only exude depth and concentration but also display a wonderful poise and sense of place.
One of the great values in Washington wine is the 2016 Owen Roe ‘Sinister Hand’ Red Wine (WWB, 90) that delivers a ton of bright red fruits for under 20 bucks. Another outstanding value was the 2014 Owen Roe ‘Yakima Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon (WWB, 92) which is sourced from a host of great vineyards and shows wonderful depth and concentration from this warm vintage. Learn more about this great winery at http://www.owenroe.com Here are the outstanding new red wine releases by Owen Roe.
2016 Owen Roe ‘Sinister Hand’ Red Wine- The wine is a silky blend of 61% Grenache, 16% Syrah, 16% Mourvedre and 5% Cinsault. The translucent colored red blend begins with aromas of red fruits with rose petals and orange rind accents. With a silky smooth texture, the wine reveals flavors of wild strawberry, pomegranate seed, candied red cherry and a touch of cedar. This is an outstanding value that will cellar well for five plus years. Drink 2017-2022- 90
2015 Owen Roe ‘Red Willow Vineyard Chapel Block’ Syrah- The Chapel Block is located in the far western edge of the Red Willow Vineyard, first planted in 1973. This dark colored wine begins with aromas of black olive, black tea, wild blackberry jam and hints of sagebrush. The plush texture entices. Black tea, blackberry jam, black olive and black cherry cough syrup flavors show some nice depth and richness. With some strong acidity, this outstanding wine will cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2017-2027- 92
2015 Owen Roe ‘Rosa Mystica’ Cabernet Franc- This outstanding Cabernet Franc is sourced from several vineyard sites in the Yakima Valley. Needing an hour in the decanter to settle, the wine slowly reveals aromas of red bell pepper, red cherry, crushed mint and allspice. The silky texture coats the mid-palate. The weight is lovely, as the wine showcases red and dark fruit flavors woven into herbal elements and a touch of milk chocolate. Drink 2017-2027- 92
2014 Owen Roe ‘Yakima Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This warm vintage Cabernet starts with aromatics reminiscent of dill, sandalwood, anise and creme de cassis with black olive. Downright delicious and inviting, the wine shows off creme de cassis, coffee ground, black olive and sagebrush flavors that connect with a nice tension. This is an outstanding effort by Owen Roe. Drink 2017-2027- 92
2014 Owen Roe ‘DuBrul Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- One of the hallowed sits for Bordeaux varietals in Washington State, the DuBrul Vineyard is farmed by Hugh and Kathy Shiels and is located outside the town of Sunnyside, Washington. This wine really needs two hours in the decanter to strut its stuff. Mocha, graphite, cassis, and black cherry compote with rose petal aromatics hit you. The smoothness of this wine is apparent as this seductive effort yields black tea, mocha, black cherry pie and sagebrush flavors that sit alongside some excellent structure. Outstanding now, this will only continue to evolve in the cellar. Drink 2017-2035- 93