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Tero Estates 2013 The Brook Blend
When Argentina met Walla Walla
Amidst the rolling hills outside Milton-Freewater, with the Blue Mountains in clear view, Doug Roskelley knew he’d found what he was looking for: A mature vineyard with luscious fruit right in the heart of the Walla Walla Valley’s best winegrowing region (the Oregon side!) And more to the point, he’d found the next chapter in his life.
Doug had been working in construction, building many of the wineries and tasting rooms in the popular Woodinville wine tasting area outside Seattle. Spend enough time around wineries and you’ll fall in love with winemaking. And so, when it came time to “retire”, Doug struck up a partnership with an old friend – Mike Tembreull – and launched Tero Estates.
Meanwhile, across the state line, winemaker Ashley Trout of Flying Trout was exploring her obsession with Argentinian wine. She’d spend half the year in Mendoza working harvest and then back to Walla Walla for harvest up north. Two harvests a year! No surprise, she soon took on the challenge of making the best Malbec in the Walla Walla Valley.
Eight years ago, Doug and Ashley joined forces, bringing Flying Trout under the Tero Estates umbrella. She moved on to other projects in 2016, but the Flying Trout Malbecs are continuing to wow folks well beyond the Walla Walla Valley.
Cellar 503 Tasting Notes
Tero Estates, Milton-Freewater, Oregon
2013 The Brook Blend
This is a “purple hands” wine. When you punch down Pinot Noir or Gamay grapes with your hands, there will be a little residual color on your skin. But when you make a Malbec? Your hands will be purple for days.
The Brook Blend is 55% Malbec, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Petit Verdot. Think of this wine as the Argentinian cousin to a Bordeaux blend. These three grapes are typical in a Bordeaux blend, but the Cab Sauv typically takes the lead with Malbec in a supporting role with just a splash of Petit Verdot.
Do yourself a favor and open this wine when you fire up the grill. Let it breathe a bit before diving in. Big and bold and juicy with ripe plums and blackberries, delicious herbal notes and an undercurrent of cocoa. The serious tannins have softened as this wine aged in barrel and in bottle which lends to a lovely soft mouthfeel with just a hint of kick in the long finish. This is going to be amazing with your next BBQ – steaks, pulled pork, anything with a good char will pair beautifully with this wine.
A Cellar 503 selection in July 2018, Summer Wines Walla Walla Valley | Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot
