Summer 2021 Cellar Circle wines
If your summer bucket list includes a backyard barbecue with friends, a picnic on the beach, or late-night stargazing, this season’s Cellar Circle selections are the perfect go-to wines.
Both Classic and Red-only members will be the first to sample the inaugural release of the 2018 Januik Red Mountain Merlot. Mike’s magic touch with this grape is the stuff of legends. Wine Enthusiast magazine tagged him one of the world’s ten “Masters of Merlot,” and this new wine shows why. Sourced from Quintessence, Ciel du Cheval, and Obelisco, all top-rated Red Mountain vineyards, this rich, velvety red offers delicious black cherry and raspberry aromas and flavors, with a streak of dark chocolate throughout. Serve alongside a juicy bacon avocado burger at your next cookout. Your friends will be back for more.
Red-only members will also enjoy the 2018 Novelty Hill Stillwater Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine drinking beautifully now but also well-suited to the cellar. Black currant, wild blackberry, and spicy plum aromas and flavors are interwoven around a hint of coffee bean and a dusting of cocoa powder. Rich and full-bodied with pretty, polished tannins that linger on an expressive finish, pack this wine in a picnic basket along with some beachy snacks like beef jerky, aged gouda, and bacon-wrapped dates if you’re feeling fancy.
Classic members will take home the 2020 Novelty Hill Stillwater Creek Vineyard Viognier, delicious with a cheese plate or served alongside a grilled pork chop topped with mango salsa. If you are wondering about the Royal Slope appellation on the label, you might be interested to know the Royal Slope became Washington State’s 15th American Viticultural Area (AVA) last September. The designation confirms the distinct characteristics of grapes grown here as defined by the region’s climate, soil, elevation, and topography. You can taste the specificity of the site in this bottling. Something to ponder as you search for the Big Dipper.
