 |
 |
| Col Solare |
 |
| Wine making is a collaborative effort and the partnership between Chateau Ste Michelle and Marchesi Piero Antinori, is arguably one of the best in the Northwest. Chateau Ste Michelle has been a pioneer and one of the premier wineries in the Northwest since the 1960's. Add to that the Antinori family which has been producing world renown wine for over 600 years and you have Col Solare! It all started in 1992 when Piero Antinori came to Washington to find an emerging and exciting wine region. Ted Baseler of Ste Michelle was at the forefront of the sweeping changes and growth that was taking place at the time. The two companies joined together with a vision to produce Washington's best Cabernet Sauvignon based wine, Col Solare (which means shining hill). The wine is a Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot blend with (depending on the vintage) small amounts of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Syrah added in. Nestled in the foothills of the Red Mountain AVA, the new Col Solare winery facility opened its doors in April of 2007. The design team from Boxwood produced a state of the art winery that is breathtaking. It nods to modern architecture, but with an old world feel to it. Built in three conceptual parts it boasts a traditional chai, a stunning reception pavilion and its cellar with a bell tower representing the juncture of the old and new worlds. We visited with resident winemaker Marcus Notaro who oversees winemaking operations under the guidance of Renzo Cotarella from Marchesi Antinori and Doug Gore of Chateau Ste Michelle. We tasted the 2006 and 2007 from barrel and were impressed by both. Later we ventured to the tasting room where we sampled the new 2005 release. Wow! Col Solare is a wine built for aging although with ample decanting it can be enjoyed young as well. Did we mention that besides Northwest Wine Fan that the other critics like this wine as well? See for yourself: 2005 Vintage - $70 94 Points Wine Advocate - 93 Points Wine Spectator 2004 Vintage - $70 94 Points Wine Advocate - 92 Points Wine Enthusiast 2003 Vintage - $70 94 Points Wine Advocate - 90 Points Wine Spectator 2002 Vintage - $70 94 Points Wine Advocate - 90 Points Wine Spectator 2001 Vintage - $70 90 Points Wine Advocate - 91 Points Wine Spectator 2000 Vintage - Not Rated - $70 1999 Vintage - $65 91 Points Wine Advocate - 92 Points Wine Enthusiast 1998 Vintage - $70 92 Points Wine Spectator 1997 Vintage - $70 90 Points Wine Spectator 1996 Vintage - $70 92 Points Wine Spectator 1995 Vintage - Debut Vintage - $70 89 Points Wine Spectator It has taken 10 years for Col Solare to venture out and produce a second wine. Named "Shining Hill," this is a limited release wine that will be available at the winery and in very limited quantities at select accounts nationwide. With a price of $40 this Cabernet Sauvignon based wine had its first vintage with the 2005. The 2006 is being released as we publish this review and is well worth a look. We encourage you to visit the Col Solare link on this page to find out more about this winery. If you are going to be in the area be sure to call ahead to see if you can make an appointment to visit. Surrounding wineries to also visit are Fidelitas, Hedges, Kiona, Terra Blanca and there are many more in the Red Mountain AVA area. Northwest Wine Fan has very limited quantities of Col Solare available for purchase. Inquire by email or by phone. |
| Col Solare 50207 Antinori Road Benton City, WA 99320 509-588-6806 Visits By Appointment Only Resident Winemaker: Marcus Notaro With Renzo Cotarella & Doug Gore |
| Col Solare Links: |
| Talk to the Cellarmaster: |
| Name: |
| Tim Sinniger |
| Email: |
|
| The Return Pages: |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |