Today we show off the wines of Ambassador that began more than twenty years ago in 2004. Under the vineyard management of Dick Boushey, the Ambassador Vineyard is a warm site planted to a host of varietals, from Grenache to Cabernet Sauvignon. Ambassador has a tasting room in the Woodinville Warehouse District which is a wonderful spot to try their awesome range of wines. Winemaker consultant Tom Rinaldi, formerly with Provenance and Hewitt wineries in Napa, makes a brilliant range of wines from this estate vineyard. I really liked the last few sets of wines which are very well-balanced. Check out the 2023 Ambassador ‘Envoy’ Red Wine (OB, 92) which captures the art of blending neatly. Learn more about this great lineup of wines at http://www.ambassadorwinery.com Here are the new 2023 wines by Ambassador Wines of Washington
2023 Ambassador ‘Estate’ Grenache- The 2023 ‘Estate’ Grenache opens with red florals with lavender, tobacco leaf and shades of wild blackberry. The palate is soft and open with a refined mouthfeel and loads of juicy red fruit flavors. Drink 2025-2031- 92
2023 Ambassador ‘Estate’ Syrah- The 2023 Ambassador ‘Estate’ Syrah offers medium-bodied blackberry and black cherry fruit flavors alongside sagebrush accents. Loaded with minerals, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2025-2031- 91
2023 Ambassador ‘Estate’ Malbec- The 2023 Malbec by Ambassador is nicely concentrated stuff, showing off black tea and exotic spice notes with blackberry compote and damp soils. It is medium to full-bodied and fresh, enjoy over the next ten years. Drink 2025-2035- 92
2023 Ambassador ‘Plenipotentiary’ Malbec- The 2023 Ambassador ‘Plenipotentiary’ Malbec delivers blueberry compote, smoke and wafts of dark currants on the nose with scorched earthy accents. The palate is elegant and medium-bodied with good freshness. Drink 2025-2035- 92
2023 Ambassador ‘Envoy’ Red Wine- This 2023 ‘Envoy’ is composed of primarily Cabernet Sauvignon (75%) with the remainder Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. This is round on the mouth with good tension. Black currants, pipe tobacco and damp soils all parade with a graphite edge on the plate. Drink 2025-2035- 92
2023 Ambassador ‘Minister’ Red Wine- The 2023 ‘Minister’ combines mainly Merlot (58%) with the remainder Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Green herbs and graphite mark the nose alongside dense dark fruits. The palate is elegant and smooth with medium-bodied dark fruits and Arabica bean notes. Drink 2025-2035- 92
2023 Ambassador ‘Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon - The 100% varietal 2023 ‘Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon delvers anise, fresh sage and shades of creme de cassis on the nose. The palate is soft and elegant with a smooth mouthfeel and good sense of finesse. Enjoy now and over the next decade. Drink 2025-2035- 92
2023 Ambassador ‘Estate Plenipotentiary’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2023 Ambassador ‘Estate Plenipotentiary’ Cabernet Sauvignon shows off blackberry compote, tar, and anise seed notes on the nose. The palate is rich and layered with a smooth texture and good underlying tension, with salty mineral accents. Drink 2025-2035- 92
2023 Ambassador ‘Sunset Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This 2023 ‘Sunset Vineyard’ comes from a small site on Red Mountain, planted to Clone 8 Cabernet Sauvignon. Tar, scorched earth and dense dark fruits with chocolate accents all line the nose. The palate is soft and elegant with a smooth mouthfeel, and good sense of length and finesse. Enjoy now and over the next decade. Drink 2025-2035- 92
2023 Ambassador ‘Estate’ Cabernet Franc- The 2023 ‘Estate’ Cabernet Franc shows off dried herbs on the nose with yellow bell pepper and black currants. The palate is soft and elegant, as this drinks smoothly throughout the experience. Medium-bodied, with good freshness, enjoy over the next decade. Drink 2025-2035- 92
2023 Ambassador ‘Diplomat’ Red Wine- The 2023 ‘Diplomat’ combines 75% Cabernet Sauvignon with the remainder Syrah. It is soft and medium-bodied with dark fruits that parade with mocha, tar and shades of damp gravel on the palate. Drink 2025-2035- 92