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Seven Bridges Winery 2016 Malbec
It takes a village...
Some neighborhoods organize block parties. Others, softball teams. This one built a winery.
Kevin Ross was making wine in his garage – experimenting with different varietals and different winemaking techniques. At harvest and bottling time, friends and neighbors would drop by to help (and enjoy the fruits of their labor!)
A neighbor down the street, Bob Switzer, was intrigued by Kevin’s passion for wine and impressed by what he could do in his garage, and it wasn’t long before it was Bob’s passion as well. And in 2008, Seven Bridges was born.
As the business grew, the two founders asked another neighbor, Jim Straus, to join them in expanding the business. And before long, they needed someone to manage the tasting room and the sales operation, so neighbor Lisa Carroll jumped in with both feet.
With production growing to over 2400 cases this year, this little neighborhood partnership is really paying off! Who needs softball?
Cellar 503 Tasting Notes
Seven Bridges Winery, Portland, Oregon
2016 Malbec
Seven Bridges is a classic example of what’s so exciting about the urban winery movement. Because they’re not tied to the land, they’re able to experiment, play around, and find the best grapes they can find to express their passions.
At Seven Bridges, the neighbors aren’t interested in producing yet another Pinot Noir – and haven’t. Instead, they set out to make their mark with big, bold spicy red Bordeaux-style wines that aren’t typically found in the Portland area.
Malbec was once the most planted grape in Bordeaux but today makes up only a small portion of France’s production and it is usually blended with Cabernet Sauvignon. Most production in the world comes from Argentina, but Washington's Columbia Valley is also one of the few places in the world capable of growing exceptional Malbec. This is a big, dark, rich wine with lots of plum and blackberry flavors ending on a long, chocolatey note with hints of tobacco and vanilla.
A Cellar 503 selection in January 2021, Winter Warmers Columbia Valley | Malbec
