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2018
Reserve
Estate Bottled | Red Mountain
- Vineyards: 79% Heart of the Hill, 17.5% Sunset Bench, 3.5% Kiona Estate
- Composition: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 4% Petite Sirah, 3.5% Cabernet Franc, 3.5% Malbec
The world’s finest wines are all a reflection of the areas from which they are grown. Origin and geography matter most when dictating what a finished bottle tastes like. More than winemakers, more than varietals, more than yeast or barrel or blending variables; wines taste like their place.
With that in mind (and because we are extremely well-positioned to build such a wine) we have put together a geographically-designated flagship product. This is the definitive wine of our vineyards, of our viticulture, of our plantings on Red Mountain.
So please enjoy this Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant flagship blend. It’s the answer to the question, “What’s so special about Red Mountain?”
- 92Points
- 92Points
- 91Points
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2018
Cabernet Sauvignon
Estate Bottled | Red Mountain
- Vineyards: 56% Kiona Estate, 38% Heart of the Hill, 4% Sunset Bench, 2% Ranch at the End of the Road
- Composition: 99% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot
Cabernet Sauvignon is king on Red Mountain. It's the only cultivar that Kiona grows at all five of our estate sites, and for good reason; here it's a powerful, balanced, and varietally-correct wine of distinction. For the 2018 version, older Cabernet blocks at Kiona Estate marry with the younger, burlier plantings at Heart of the Hill, Sunset Bench, and Ranch. The resulting interplay showcases Red Mountain at its finest.
This authoritative wine shows why Red Mountain has a reputation as a powerhouse Cabernet Sauvignon producer capable of going toe-to-toe with the world’s best. Fine grain tannin, great fruit, and dark color abound. Cabernet Sauvignon put Red Mountain on the map for good reason; the wines show incredible geographical typicity and intrinsic appeal.
- 92Points
- 92Points
- 90Points
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2019
Malbec
Estate Bottled | Red Mountain
- Vineyards 100% Sunset Bench
- Composition: 95% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
In 15 years, Malbec grew from a 2-acre experiment to Kiona’s fifth-most-planted cultivar on Red Mountain. The grape thrives here, producing wines of uncommon depth and complexity. The fruit is highly sought after by Washington winemakers for its strong varietal typicity and opaque coloration – demand continues to outpace supply. Observant Kiona followers know that Sunset Bench vineyard features in many of our current and former wines, but always as a blending component. This 2019 Malbec represents the first time we’ve featured the site as a 100%, single-vineyard estate offering. It’s a higher-elevation vineyard well suited to the cultivar.
Malbec was “discovered” by the new world wine-drinking public as a superb stand-alone culti- var for fruit-forward, dark, approachable wines with lots of depth. This certainly holds true on Red Mountain, where the wines tend to exhibit a softer, svelte tannin profile. Of the Bordeaux red cultivars grown in our region, Malbec stands out as being particularly tasty in its youth and equally at ease with food or by itself.
- 91Points
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2019
Syrah
Estate Bottled | Red Mountain
- Vineyards: 77% Ranch at the End of the Road, 12% Kiona Estate, 6% Artz Vineyard, 5% Heart of the Hill
- Composition 77% Syrah, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 4% Mourvèdre, 1% Petite Sirah
Legendary Washington vineyard guru Dick Boushey famously proclaimed that “Syrah loves a view,” and that’s exactly what our Ranch at the End of the Road vineyard offers. It’s located higher on the hill than many of our other plantings, resulting in superb air/water drainage, dramatic diurnal temperature swings, and ample heat accumulation, perfect for world-class Syrah.
Syrah from Red Mountain is prized for producing wines of profound concentration, color, and character. Élevage in a gentle french oak program ensures gorgeous fruit and ample minerality are preserved in bottle. Expect deep color and a lengthy finish; this is a remarkable wine. A non-traditional Cabernet Sauvignon component in the blend adds layering, texture, and aromatics.
- 91Points
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2019
Merlot
Estate Bottled | Red Mountain
- Vineyards: 66% Kiona Estate, 23% Artz Vineyard, 9% Heart of the Hill, 2% Ranch at the End of the Road
- Composition: 85% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Carmenère
The Kiona Estate vineyard is the oldest on Red Mountain. We have 4 distinct blocks of Merlot here; the first was planted in 1976, the youngest in 1995. While these components obviously have much more in common than not, they continue to surprise us even after several decades of experience. All four blocks are included in the 2019 blend, along with components from three other estate sites on Red Mountain.
Merlot from Red Mountain is special; here it's a powerful yet elegant grape, capable of producing wines of profound depth and density of character. A gentle oak regimen that employs primarily 2nd-fill barrels ensures abundant fruit and geographical specificity are preserved in the finished wine.
- 90Points
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2021
Lemberger
Estate Bottled | Red Mountain
- Vineyards: 100% Kiona Estate
- Composition: 97% Lemberger, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon
Kiona Vineyards and Winery produced the first commercial bottling of Lemberger in the United States in 1980. Since then, our original 1.8 acre planting has grown to 13.1 acres. Lemberger is typically grown in cooler regions; Red Mountain is a blast furnace by comparison, which results in a riper, rounder profile not found in cooler areas.
An intrinsically drinkable cult classic over the last 40+ vintages, Kiona Estate Lemberger revels in its unorthodoxy. This compelling, medium-bodied, fruit-forward bottling pairs easily with food, offering a rewarding break from the mundane. An extremely gentle neutral oak èlevage for the 2021 version translates to minimal oak influence, allowing the fruit to shine.
- 91Points
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2021
Sangiovese
Estate Bottled | Red Mountain
- Vineyards: 94% Ranch at the End of the Road, 3% Heart of the Hill, 3% Ciel du Cheval
- Composition: 91% Sangiovese, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, 3% Syrah
We grow Sangiovese at both the Kiona Estate vineyard (2 acres) and the Ranch at the End of the Road vineyard (3.5 acres) on Red Mountain. Although not planted in large quantities in our area, it excels nonetheless. Big diurnal temperature swings and lots of heat accumulation amount to ripe fruit with ample, well-balanced acidity.
Sangiovese is an extremely versatile grape that has near universal appeal for red wine drinkers. On Red Mountain, the wines are racy and bright, with vibrant red fruit and trademark minerality. Its ample acidity makes it a food-pairing superstar, able to complement a wide array of cuisines from around the world.
- 91Points
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2022
Sauvignon Blanc
Estate Bottled | Red Mountain
- Vineyards: 100% Artz Vineyard
- Composition: 86% Sauvignon Blanc, 14% Semillon
First planted in 1997, Artz Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc represents our western-most estate block on Red Mountain. The high-exposure site receives a lot of wind, along with a moderating temperature effect from the nearby Yakima River; the high temps aren’t quite as high and the low temps aren’t quite as low as other blocks. Red Mountain whites are somewhat rare, but known for vibrancy and complexity.
Winemaker Tyler Williams wanted to emphasize layering and texture here, so we utilized 100% barrel ferments, stirred daily. The end-result is seriously delicious; Artz Vineyard is perfect for varietally-correct Sauvignon Blanc in this style. It's riper, fuller, and more complex than most stainless-steel examples, and perfectly suited to headline at your next sit-down dinner.
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2022
Chenin Blanc Ice Wine
Estate Bottled | Red Mountain
- Vineyard: 100% Kiona Estate
- Composition: 100% Chenin Blanc
- Residual Sugar: 152.4 g/L
While Red Mountain is known for big, powerful red wine, it’s also an exceedingly good place to grow white varieties. The Kiona Estate vineyard has 4 acres of Chenin Blanc planted in a depression, ensuring a consistent freeze year-in, year-out. We don’t pick Ice Wine until the grapes are naturally frozen in the vineyard, typically picking in the early morning hours before the sun rises.
Ice Wine is one of the world’s most elusive and delicious elixirs. We prefer to use Chenin Blanc, a varietal that allows for robust acidity and intense green and tropical fruit flavors. Our philosophy with this wine is to emphasize acidity over outright sweetness, a tactic that ensures we produce a balanced, crisp wine that dances on the tongue.
Wines of the Columbia Valley
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2018
Estates Cuvée
Columbia Valley
- Appellations: 76% Red Mountain, 24% Columbia Valley
- Composition: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 3% Lemberger
Estates Cuvée is a blend from all of our estate vineyards. Each site contributes to the wine in a special way, resulting in an estate-grown wine that is uniquely representative of Washington state. The Columbia Valley components bring acid, fruit, and drinkability, while the Red Mountain additions contribute depth, structure, and color.
Cabernet Sauvignon takes the driver’s seat in the 2018 version of Estates Cuvée, and for good reason; it’s delicious, we have it planted everywhere, and Red Mountain is famous for it. Blended to be the perfect glass pour for that corner bistro you really enjoy, we want Estates Cuvée to be easy-to-like while offering plenty of layering and depth.
- 91Points
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2022
Old Vine Chenin Blanc
Columbia Valley
- Vineyards: 63% Kiona Estate, 15% Andrews, 11% Ranch at the End of the Road, 11% Artz
- Composition: 78% Chenin Blanc, 9% Viognier, 7% Roussanne, 4% Gewürztraminer, 2% Sauvignon Blanc
Chenin Blanc grows exceptionally well in the Columbia Valley, where big temperature swings and ample sunlight ensure nice ripening and vibrant acidity. Strong demand and limited old-vine acreage keep Chenin Blanc in the hands of only a few top-notch producers, Kiona Vineyards and Winery included. Our plantings at the Kiona Estate vineyard date back to 1976.
With trademark bright, crisp, fruit-forward characteristic and immense food-pairability, our Chenin Blanc is a definite crowd-pleaser. Barrel ferments and clay amphora treatments in the blend emphasize texture and mouthfeel. Chenin delights with its versatility; drink by itself poolside under an umbrella, jazz up a Mediterranean salad, or pair with fresh Pacific Northwest seafood.
- 90Points
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2022
Old Vine Chardonnay
Columbia Valley
- Vineyard: 100% Kiona Estate
- Composition: 100% Chardonnay
- Vines Planeted: 1975
Although designated Columbia Valley on the label, our 2022 Chardonnay features 100% estate-grown Red Mountain fruit from the oldest planting in the AVA. These fan-trained Chardonnay vines shepherded our fledgling vineyard into relevancy through the 1980s and beyond, producing Red Mountain first-ever 90+ point wine (Wine Spectator, October 1989).
Chardonnay thrives in Washington, where the wines are nuanced and layered with a high drinkability. Our 2022 old-vine release includes fat, barrel-fermented components layered together with crisp, fruit-forward stainless lots - landing somewhere between cool-climate, austere Chardonnay and warm-climate, ripe/round Chardonnay. It's a crowd-pleasing wine that's equally at home with a food pairing or by itself.
- 90Points
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2022
Riesling
Columbia Valley
- Vineyards: 59% Kiona Estate, 41% Olsen
- Composition: 100% Riesling
- Residual Sugar: 18.8 g/L
Riesling grows exceptionally well in the Columbia Valley, where warm summer days and cool summer nights ripen the grape fully while still maintaing ample acidity. The foundational component of our 2022 version hails from the oldest vines on Red Mountain at Kiona Estate, planted in 1975. Sourced fruit from the nearby Olsen Brothers vineyard, a slightly cooler site in the Yakima Valley, rounds out the blend.
Washington State Riesling has its own trademark style; it’s ripe and indulgent with appealing acid balance and great food-pairability. By blending two sites from the greater Columbia Valley - Olsen in the Yakima Valley AVA, and our own Kiona Estate in the Red Mountain AVA, we can layer Riesling typicities in one blend; melon and floral, spice and citrus. It’s a delicious off-dry blend that showcases the region.
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2022
Late Harvest Riesling
Columbia Valley
- Vineyards: 86.4% Olsen, 13.6% Ranch at the End of the Road
- Composition: 86.4% Riesling, 13.6% Gewürztraminer
- Residual Sugar: 82 g/L
Acid balance is imperative when crafting world-class Late Harvest wine, and we’ve found that the Riesling from Olsen vineyard is ideally suited for that requisite trait. It’s got the ideal exposure, precipitation levels, and diurnal shift to produce this delicious, well-balance dessert wine. We’ve sourced Riesling from them for decades.
Picked far into the growing season, this Late Harvest Riesling had plenty of time to develop exceptional flavor complexity and high sugar levels. The wine is cold-fermented to preserve fresh-fruit flavors and accentuate the site’s vibrant acidity while capturing a small amount of fizzante in every bottle. A 13.6% old-vine Gewürztraminer component from Ranch at the End of the Road (planted 1978) adds aromatic complexity and spice.
Winery Direct Exclusives
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2018
Ranch at the End of the Road Cabernet Sauvignon
Estate Bottled | Red Mountain
- Vineyards: 95% Ranch at the End of the Road, 5% Heart of the Hill
- Composition: 92.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 2.5% Zinfandel
Kiona Vineyards and Winery encompasses five Red Mountain sites totaling 270+ estate acres. Starting in 2015 we embarked on the goal of releasing a top-tier, vineyard-designated wine from each vineyard. Having already featured Kiona Estate and Heart of the Hill in previous Vineyard-Series releases, Ranch at the End of the Road joins the fray for the first time with this 2018 bottling.
Most Red Mountain-appellated wines already have an extraordinary degree of geographical specificity since the entire AVA is only 4,040 acres. Even so, site-specific, vineyard-designated wines hold a lot of intrigue. Ranch at the End of the Road sits more than 300' higher than Kiona Estate at its highest point, despite its relative proximity (~1.3 miles). The Cabernet Sauvignon block featured in this wine holds several distinctions: it's Kiona's youngest plant- ing (2016), the highest in elevation, and the only planted off-axis.
The wine includes a small Heart of the Hill component (5% Petit Verdot); its inclusion continually impressed us in our double-blind blending process. Still, the net result is quintessential "Ranch," and the goal is to make the best wine possible within any blending constraint.
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Version III
Nyx
Red Mountain
- Vineyards: 68% Heart of the Hill, 24% Red Heaven, 8% Ranch at the End of the Road
- Composition: 68% Mourvédre, 24% Grenache, 8% Syrah
Nyx III is our Mourvèdre dominant-blend. We love this under-appreciated grape (known as Monastrell in Spain), and it grows particularly well on Red Mountain at our Heart of the Hill estate vineyard. We purchase a small amount of Grenache for this wine (and Cyclops) from Red Heaven vineyard, which is located across Antinori Road from our own Heart of the Hill.
Wines in our Mythology Series are often blended vertically, and Nyx III is no exception. This approach results in flavor profiles that would be otherwise impossible. It’s good to think of this iteration as a 2019 wine with a 15% 2018 component in the blend; its inclusion provides more maturity, layering, and depth than what we could achieve using solely 2019 material on its own.
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2022
Rosé of Sangiovese
Estate Bottled | Red Mountain
- Vineyards: 100% Kiona Estate
- Composition: 100% Sangiovese
- Residual Sugar: 8.22 g/L
We made rosé for most of the 80’s and 90’s. We love rosé. Then people stopped buying rosé, so we had to stop making it.
Well, rosé is cool again, and we are relieved. Because we make kick-ass rosé.
The trick with making kick-ass rosé in Washington is to grow the grapes an intentional way. We like to use Sangiovese, a grape known for fantastic red fruit characteristic and bright acidity; both desirable attributes for rosé. We set aside several rows at our Kiona Estate vineyard specifically for this wine, emphasizing higher yields, more acidity, and less concentration/color than what we'd typically aim for when producing a red wine (like Estate Red Mountain Sangiovese). Once we brought it in, we pressed it right away, allowing essentially zero skin-time. This is one pretty bottle of wine.
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2018
Cabernet Franc
Estate Bottled | Red Mountain
- Vineyard: 100% Kiona Estate
- Composition: 83% Cabernet Franc, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon
Let's get nerdy, shall we? Methoxypyrazines (pyrazines for short) are naturally found in high proportion in Bordeaux cultivars (mainly because they are all related - Cabernet Sauvignon is the offspring of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, for example). Depending on where and how the vines are grown, pyrazines can present in different ways and intensities; the spectrum can range from green/vegetal to savory/herbal.
The New-World approach to pyrazines emphasizes integrating them in a balanced way. Cabernet Franc has a propensity for a green pyrazine influence; it's our job to balance that aspect in the vineyard and winery. Think of Cabernet Franc's pyrazine profile as salt in a soup recipe. Too much, and it overwhelms the senses. Too little, and the soup lacks pizzaz.
Red Mountain's warm climate helps in this regard; pyrazines often present harshly in cooler climates. We can also mitigate the more polarizing aspects of overbearing pyrazine influence in the vineyard with aggressive pruning and canopy management. -
2021
Sage Advice
Estate Bottled | Red Mountain
- Vineyards: 58% Ranch at the End of the Road, 21% Artz Vineyard, 21% Kiona Estate
- Composition: 58% Roussanne, 21% Viognier, 21% Chenin Blanc
There is an economic explanation for why white wines are not more prolific on Red Moun- tain: when a region produces red wines as well as we do, the financial incentive is to plant those cultivars. The unfortunate reality is that a bottle of high-quality red wine can be sold for more than a bottle of high-quality white wine. Ergo, white cultivars are uncommon in our diminutive region, where acreage supply is low, and demand is high. There is a significant opportunity cost to have a white cultivar planted here.
So maybe we're bad at math. Maybe we planted white grapes here before anyone knew how good the red grapes were. Maybe we just really like white wine. Maybe it's a combination of all of the above. At the end of the day, Kiona grows eight (!) white cultivars at three of our highly-regarded vineyards here on Red Mountain.As our only Reserve-tier white wine, Sage Advice allows ut to show Red Mountain through a unique lens.
