Winemaker David O’Reilly grew up in Ireland before migrating to North America, where he honed his palate at wineries in California and Oregon before building a reputation at Sineann, which he had co-founded prior to launching Owen Roe. Owen Roe’s first vintage was in 1999 with the goal of making wines from top sites in Oregon and Washington. Committed to quality, all their grapes are hand harvested, handled with minimal processing, small-lot fermented and aged in French oak barrels. The past couple years have been busy for O’Reilly and partner Ben Wolff. They completed their new destination winery in Wapato where they now handle all their Washington wine production.
The estate-grown Union Gap Red Wine is a standout blend of 38% Cabernet Franc, 29% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Malbec. The wine is a rich and pure-tasting Bordeaux varietal displaying crushed rock and pronounced red fruit that evolves mid-palate to darker fruit of steeped black currant, fig and plum skin, with savory elements and more gravelly rock echoing on the finish.
Editor’s Choice – Outstanding
Website: www.owenroe.com