The Columbia Valley Red is a multi-vintage blend of cellar experiments from all of the sites we farm. The wines are aged for a minimum of three years in barrel, and because many of these parcels are field blends, this vintage contains over 50 different varieties. It gives us the opportunity to explore a way of composing a wine that is utterly different from our normal approach. Wines from Hiyu and Tzum are all from tiny, specific parcels. Each only produces a few barrels, and the resulting flavors are extremely clear, transparent, and unique to that parcel. This way of working allows each and every part of the farm to express itself through its unique voice. It draws us closer to the place. We give that up with this wine, but we gain other characteristics in return. A different kind of complexity and textural depth result from the layering of the parcels. The wine still speaks with the voice of the Gorge, but that voice has more patina to its timbre. There are more layers, and the texture is more stylized. The end result feels like it’s from another age. This wine has most in common with pre-industrial Riojas and Brunellos, which were also often composites of many vineyards. This distinction is achieved by the combination of working by hand in the field and cellar, while allowing the wines to evolve beyond fruit into deeper wood, earth, and spice flavors over time.