Andrew Will Red Champoux Vineyard Horse Heaven Hills Columbia Valley 2017

Often drawing comparisons to the iconic Chateau Cheval Blanc, Andrew Will is one of the top producers in Washington State, and his single vineyard expressions such as this are simply spectacular. We rarely get access to these rare and collectible wines – dollar for dollar and pound for pound – some of the best the USA has to offer! 95 points, under $50...with an elegance and purity you have to taste to be believed!

The Champoux vineyard, named for former vineyard owner and manager, Paul Champoux, is one of the great vineyards of Washington state. When Paul retired and sold the 175-acre property in 2014, some of the state’s best-known producers (and long-time clients of the site) formed a partnership group to purchase the vineyard and ensure the quality stayed high. In addition to Andrew Will, Washington State luminaries like Quilceda Creek, Woodward Canyon, and more, now share ownership of the property – set five miles back from the Columbia River in the Horse Heaven Hills. These vines can be as old as 50 years in the original blocks, and Bordeaux varietals thrive on these sandy, loamy soils like few places else in the state.

These wines rarely hit the open market in any sort of quantity (an average case production of only 800 cases ensures that), and are usually traded hand to hand by collectors and small retailers. Every now and again a major critic will get access to these bottles, and a pretty solid score follows. The past several vintages of this wine have all scored 94+ with Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, and the site is known for the sort of silky, powerful tannins that lend themselves to a long and beautiful development in bottle. The comparison to Cheval Blanc isn’t just our own, either – here’s the skinny from highly respected wine writer and rare wine specialist, John Gilman:

"Across the board, these single vineyard bottlings are amongst the most superb wines made in the US today… Stylistically, there really are some similarities on both the nose and palate from the more recent releases with the wines of Cheval Blanc..."

Ok, we don’t take comparisons to Cheval Blanc lightly, but when tasting through this portfolio...it really was impossible not to draw similar conclusions. Like Cheval Blanc, the blend is typically cabernet franc and merlot heavy – as the case is here. 39% cabernet franc, 39% merlot, with a complement of 22% cabernet sauvignon make up this 2017 vintage of Champoux – the most powerful of the portfolio’s single vineyard wines. This expression is gloriously heady and wild, with an intense profile of blackberry compote, black raspberries, cinnamon, tobacco, sage, and spearmint, with a luscious and velvety finish of fine kirsch. This is high-toned, and still quite tightly wound, and a decant is recommended. Cellaring for two decades or more is definitely within the realm of possibility, but even after 20 minutes in the glass – this is a beast that roars to life and commands a room. Just a fantastic wine, ready to be enjoyed by a curious collector!

PAIRING IDEAS: To me, this is the perfect accompaniment to a classic Prime Rib dinner. Bone-in-beast is the only way to go here, and get some friends sorted...you’ll want a three-bone cut, at least. Season simply and roast hot and fast, leaving the cut to rest, absorb those juices, and continue to cook slowly in your cooling (now off) oven. Creamy horseradish mash potatoes, plenty of au jus, and a side of roasted green veggies, too, make this a feast worth savoring!