Winemaker Jason Morin and his wife Erin pay tribute to their family traditions at this boutique Woodinville Warehouse winery. Jason grew up in Gig Harbor, Wash., as part of a Croatian fishing family.
“In the third grade I got my start making wine with my grandfather in his basement,” he told Tasting Room Magazine. “As a family we have always enjoyed wine and the sharing of experiences with friends and family.” Morin is an alumnus of The Northwest Wine Academy at South Seattle College, and his background in winemaking is further enhanced with a biology degree.
His signature wines are well constructed Bordeaux varietals and as the name “ancestry” implies, many of the wines link back to his early family memories. Le Frère, a Cabernet-based blend is a tribute to the “brothers” in the family and La Soeur is a Merlot-dominant blend dedicated to the “sisters” in the family.
Aged for 25 months in French oak barrels, the 2011 Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is lithe and graceful with finely tuned, well-integrated tannins.
Nose: Classic Red Mountain bouquet of dusky cinnamon and sagebrush-tinged aromas, dark berries, bittersweet chocolate and graphite.
Taste: Richly concentrated with flavors of red and black fruit studded with caramel, tea leaf, steeped currants, lilac, pencil lead and roasted sage.
Editor’s Choice – Excellent
Alcohol: 14.4%
Website: www.ancestrycellars.com