October 5, 2005
Dear Friends,
I hope this letter
finds you doing well. After a few challenges, we have finally completed
construction of a new building on our property for the winery. We hope you
can stop by and see it during our annual Open House on November 5th.
As my palate has
matured over the years, I’ve gained a better appreciation for wines with
finesse and elegance and have tried to incorporate those attributes into our
wines. To reflect this change, our long-time label designer (Heckler
Associates) has re-designed our original Soos Creek label. We have retained
the popular logo of the Mustang horse but softened the look of the label.
You will see it on our 2003 Cabernet and Merlot wines.
The Washington wine
industry has a new slogan: “WASHINGTON STATE – THE PERFECT
CLIMATE FOR WINE”.
So it’s no surprise that 2003 was another very good vintage. The
distinguishing characteristic of this vintage is the nice balance between
the fruit, tannin and acid.
The Cabernet
Sauvignon from the Ciel du Cheval vineyard is our second vintage of this
wine. It is produced from the old vines of the1982 Cabernet Block, which
provides the depth and elegance and from the 1994 Cabernet Block, which
provides the structure. It also contains 20% Cabernet Franc from this
vineyard for complexity. The wine’s delicious black fruit flavors combine
with lingering mineral notes distinctive to this vineyard.
The Cabernet
Sauvignon from the Champoux Vineyard is produced primarily from the old
vines of the 1982 Block 2 Cabernet and also includes Baby Poux Block
Cabernet and 8% of the Champoux Vineyard Cabernet Franc. It has very nice
balance and is a good example of the depth and elegance typical of wines
produced from older vines.
Artist Series #3
is a blend of 61% Cab, 19% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 9% Petite Verdot
from all our vineyards. The style of this wine is consistent with the first
two vintages of this blend: adequate structure, but softer than the
Cabernets; very nice aromatics and a cornucopia of flavor nuances.
Merlot
– Surprisingly, this is the first time we have produced a Merlot. The Merlot
fruit came from the Ciel du Cheval, Dionysus and Charbonneau vineyards and
also includes some Cabernet and Cabernet Franc to add structure and
complexity. It has an intense, dark color; a lively natural acidity that
gives it a lovely juicy quality and delicious flavors that beckon you back
for another sip.
Sundance
– This wine has been selling very well in the Seattle area wine shops and
restaurants so please don’t be misled by the relatively modest price. This
year, it is a blend of 50% Cabernet, 25% Petite Verdot and 12.5% each of
Cabernet Franc and Merlot. It is full bodied, yet soft and fruity and is
already drinking very well.
Our annual Open House
will be on Saturday, November 5th from 12 to 5 p.m. We will be serving
samples of all five 2003 wines and Cecile will be providing the food. You
are welcome to give us your order (please see enclosed order form) at the
open house but it will be faster if you send your order and payment in
advance.
Thanks for your
business!
Sincerely,
Dave & Cecile Larsen