2020 Anvil by Forgeron Proprietary Blend
Every year we are excited to bring in the Minnick Hills Vineyard fruit in Walla Walla Valley and delight in taking each separate varietal and creating a beautiful Bordeaux Blend. Year after year, each varietal character develops unlike the other and this year was no different. It is truly a skilled craft to achieve the perfect amounts of each varietal blended together to create such an elegant wine. We love what Walla Walla Valley has to offer and this wine is a true testament to our home region.
The 2020 vintage displays a medium-dark hue and a surprising amount of color gradation at the edges. The nose exhibits a fresh vitality, teetering between playful and handsome, but never reticent. Immediate impressions between nose and palate signify hints of anise, carob, and cinnamon evolving into nuances of melted caramel, cocoa powder, and, eventually, strawberry leaf. Fine grain tannins show the amazing integration from bringing these five varietals together. Enjoy with a roast leg of lamb to keep your mouth watering with every taste.
| Download Wine Notes |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Varietal | Red Blend |
| Varietal Composition | 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Malbec, 16% Cabernet Franc, 16% Petit Verdot, 12% Merlot |
| Appellation | Walla Walla Valley |
| Vineyard | Minnick Hills |
| Acid | 5.3 |
| PH | 3.65 |
| Aging | 17 months in 33% new French oak, 67% neutral French oak |
| Alcohol | 14.40% |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Bottling Date | 03/12/2022 |
| Cases Produced | 182 |
93 POINTS, James Suckling
Aromas of ripe purple fruit with notes of lilacs, walnuts, grilled herbs and moist earth. Medium- to full-bodied, creamy and velvety with fine-grained tannins, which are compact and well-integrated. Succulent, blue-fruited finish. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, malbec and petit verdot. Drink or hold.
- James Suckling
91 points, Wine Enthusiast Magazine
This Cabernet Sauvignon-driven traditional five-grape Bordeaux blend is made entirely with fruit from Minnick Hills Vineyard. The wine's dark raspberry and boysenberry aromas are coated with bittersweet dark chocolate and chalk dust. Grippy tannins back flavors like cassis, black tea and lemon zest. Decanting is recommended.
- Michael Alberty
MINNICK HILLS VINEYARD
The south-facing slope, at 1150 ft elevation, is higher than most vineyards in Walla Walla Valley, and is perfectly suited to soak up the warm sun while simultaneously basking in a welcoming breeze that creates good air circulation through the vines. The soils are a sought-after combination of Mt. Mazama volcanic ash content, with windblown loess; this provides deep, extremely well-drained soils. The good drainage means we don’t have to worry so much about early frost and allows for longer hang-time in the fall, giving the fruit time to fully ripen. The vines here are healthy and vigorous; important so that the full canopy can protect the grapes from the Eastern Washington sun, again allowing for slow, even ripening.
