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Quady North 2014 Arsenal
A rebel goes north to southern Oregon
In the San Joaquin Valley of California, the name Quady means world-renowned dessert wines and aperitifs, orange muscats that explode like a sunburst on the tongue.
A second-generation winemaker, it would have been easy for Herb Quady to stick with the family business. But Herb Quady has never done the easy thing. Or the expected thing.
So, Quady went north to Oregon to build his own winemaking career. To a place where the wine industry still welcomes rebellious sorts that don’t take themselves too seriously.
And he started making big reds and bright whites, leading with unusual varietals, like Grenache Blanc and Mourvedre, Viognier and Cabernet Franc. And Herb loves to shock folks by selling some of his wines as box wines – enclosed inside ammo boxes.
But the rebel is building quite a reputation, with folks all around wearing t-shirts proclaiming, “Herb is my winemaker.” Which leads to an important question: Can you still be a rebel when you’re the king?
Cellar 503 Tasting Notes
Quady North, Jacksonville, Oregon
2014 Arsenal
Herb Quady loves Cabernet Franc. And he’s not shy about it. At Quady North, he makes three stand-alone Cabernet Francs and two blends.
And this one is what he terms his “big gun”. The Arsenal brand is reserved for best blend of the year — and this 2014 edition is no exception. The 2014 Arsenal is 80% Cabernet Franc, 10% Malbec, and 10% Merlot – Herb’s homage to the Bordeaux blends of France.
We are very excited to be featuring a wine with this much age. Seven years old now, it’s just coming into its own with great structure, texture and aromatic complexity. (Note: you might find some sediment in this wine. Totally safe and definitely expected in an unfiltered wine of this age. It’s a sign of quality!)
In this big, bold and delicious wine, you’ll taste dark chocolate, baking spices, tobacco, black cherry and anise. Only 125 cases made – and half of that production is exclusive to Cellar 503 members. What a treat!
A Cellar 503 selection in April 2021, Environmentally Conscious Wines Applegate Valley | Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot
