2007 K Vintners Ovide en Cerise Vineyard

The 2007 Ovide en Cerise is composed of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Syrah. Meaty, gamey, and kinky on the nose, on the palate it is medium to full-bodied with an easy-going personality. This friendly effort is loaded with fruit, Asian spices, and herbs leading to a lengthy, pure finish. Give it 2-3 years to fill out although it can be enjoyed now. Over the past two years a cult following has sprung up around the persona of Charles Smith, imbuing him with larger than life attributes. By and large, he has acquired this status the old-fashioned way, he has earned it. When I tell enquiring minds that I’ll be visiting Charles later in the day, they know exactly where I’m going. Once past the persona, however, Charles Smith continues to make some of Washington’s finest wines. Native yeast fermentation, foot crushing, spontaneous malolactic fermentations, gentle basket pressing, no fining or filtration are routinely practiced in the cellar. Even more important, Charles Smith knows where to find the great grapes. In a region where blending is still the rule of thumb, he is the ultimate terroirist. Almost all of his wines are sourced from single vineyards. There are three groupings, the K Vintners selections, The Cayuse selections, and the Charles Smith selections. Tel. (509) 526-5230; www.kvintners.com