How do you cast a long shadow in the wine business? Start by bringing the world’s foremost winemakers to the Columbia Valley in Washington state, offer them the best grapes the appellation has to offer and then stand back.
That’s exactly the vision wine maven Allen Shoup had in mind when he created the Long Shadow project several years ago when he assembled a “dream team” of winemakers and put them to work making a specific style of wine they were each known for. And what a team he assembled; Randy Dunn from Napa, Michel Rolland from Bordeaux, Phillipe Melka from Napa and John Duval from Australia, just to name a few, have come together to share Shoup’s goal of producing the best wines possible from the finest grapes available in Washington state.
The winemakers are both literally and figuratively invested in this experiment since they own each of their projects in separate partnerships. Information is freely shared among all of the winemakers in order to benefit the entire project and the partners spend hundreds of hours together, selecting grapes from particular vineyards from every corner of the Columbia Valley appellation, so that every partnership can produce the best wine. But make no mistake; while the grapes may be from the Columbia Valley, each vintner strives to produce wines in their own well-respected style.
Here are a few of my favorites from the Long Shadow project. Retail prices are approximate.
2003 Long Shadow “Feather” Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, WA ($60 – produced by Randy Dunn – available at Calvert Woodley in D.C.)
Randy Dunn is arguably one of the best winemakers in Napa Valley, known for his massive, opulent cabernet sauvignon wines. Hislegacy reads like a who’s who of wine, from his days at Caymus Winery (his 1975 Caymus Special Select is still one of my favorites), to stints at LaJota and Pahlmeyer, and since founding his own winery in 1979, he has set the benchmark for domestic cabernet. This wine is a ‘feather’ in his cap. The nose is full of ripe black plums and mocha scents, which translate beautifully onto the palate where they are joined by hints of licorice and cassis. The full-throttled finish leaves impressions of espresso and blackberries as it glides over the tongue.
2003 Long Shadow ‘Pedestal’ Merlot, Columbia Valley, WA ($55 – produced by Michel Rolland)
Michel Rolland is considered one of the most influential winemakers in the world today. He spends most of his time trotting around the globe consulting for some of the most prestigious wineries in the business — more than 100 at last count — including Araujo in Napa Valley and Chateau Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol (an appellation in his native Bordeaux). His winemaking practices are so highly regarded, the trade refers to his technique as the “Rolland Method.” Here, his “method” produces a wine with scents of beef jerky and baked black plums on the nose and gobs of jammy black fruits on the palate. The wonderful integration of fruit and tannins delivers a finish that is velvety, rich and lengthy. I’d put this wine on a pedestal, too.
2003 Long Shadow ‘Pirouette’ Red Wine, Columbia Valley, WA ($50 – produced by Phillipe Melka – available at MacArthur Beverages in D.C.)
Philippe Melka has been making a splash in Napa Valley with his signature meritage blends since 1994. Part geologist and part winemaker, Melka skillfully blends his talents to produce wines that begin in the vineyard and end in the glass. His winemaking talents have been employed at notable Napa Valley wineries such as Vineyard 29, Lail, 100 Acre and, most recently, Bryant Family. His current Long Shadow release employs a blend of 56percent cabernet sauvignon, 22 percent merlot, 10 percent syrah, 9 percent cabernet franc and 3 percent petit verdot to produce a massive red wine full of ripe blackberries, crème de cassis and dark plums on the front of the palate. The well-structured finish delivers hints of licorice and roasted coffee on a velvet-covered-hammer frame, which leaves room for another sip.
2003 Long Shadow ‘Sequel’ Syrah, Columbia Valley, WA ($60 – produced by John Duval – available at Stateline Liquors in Elkton, Md.)
If you’re going to make a big syrah, you might as well use a winemaker who made one of the world’s most famous. John Duval has long been admired for his work at Penfolds in Australia where he produced Grange Hermitage, simply the best syrah in the country. John now has his own winery — John Duval Wines — where his wines garner both international acclaim and loyal devotees. Not bad for a former sheep farmer. And lamb would pair well with this wonderful syrah. Aged in a combination of French and American oak, the “Sequel” boasts a big nose of cassis liqueur, black cherries and spicy black pepper. The forward flavors of cherries, baked blueberries captivate the palate up front while notes of coffee, tar and pepper loiter on the tongue for almost a minute. If this is a sequel, I can’t wait for the next vintage.
These legendary winemakers are, indeed, casting a long shadow. Make a New Year’s resolution to grab some of their shade.
