Andrew Will’s celebrated winemaker, Chris Camarda, is passionate about letting each vineyard site speak for itself. This wine is derived from the Champoux Vineyard, one of the family’s first parcels when Chris Camarda founded Andrew Will back in 1989. Located in southeastern Washington in the Horse Heaven Hills appellation, this special vineyard enjoys a unique microclimate that is virtually synonymous with Bordeaux. The Columbia River mimics the fingerprint of the Gironde River in Bordeaux. The proximity of the river next to the vineyards generates significantly more wind than in other appellations while the moderate, semi-arid climate allows the grapes to ripen very slowly. The long hang-time produces beautiful flavor concentration and simultaneously prevents the grapes from over-ripening, thus reaching high alcohol levels. In addition, the sandy-loam soils, roughly 650-feet elevation, north/south sun exposure, and average 32-year-old vines in the Champoux Vineyard make for near unrivaled quality in the bottle.

 

With the winery named after his nephew and son, the rockstar producer has continued to keep the business a family affair although the operation has grown since its early days in a small, 600-square-foot facility that was primarily an enclosed walkway between two buildings. After upgrading the location and the winery, along with countless accolades, one thing has stayed the same - Chris Camarda consistently continues to create magic out of his pristine fruit. This particular wine is a blend of 64% Cabernet Franc, 22% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon that spends 18 months in French Oak. The result encapsulates what Washington is capable of and then some for a price that is well worth the gamble.