The winemaker provides an update on the 2015 harvest season and current activities. The harvest was the earliest on record due to very hot weather. Most of the fruit was harvested by mid-October. The winemaker is now preparing the 2015 wines for bottling and tasting barrels of Chardonnay. He also notes an upcoming trip to Japan to promote Gordon Estate wines. Current releases and awards are highlighted in sidebars.
The Pisoni Family announces the 2014 Spring release of their Lucia wines. This release consists of the 2012 vintages of Lucia Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah from the Soberanes Vineyard, as well as the Santa Lucia Highlands cuvées.
Silicon Valley Bank released its Annual State of the Wine Industry Report in a live broadcast from SVB TV studios today. This was the presentation from that event, offering insights and data about the wine industry.
Silicon Valley Bank 2015 State of the Wine Industry PresentationSilicon Valley Bank
The Silicon Valley Bank 2015 State of the Wine Industry Presentation is a companion to the report of the same name. The presentation identifies trends and addresses current issues facing the U.S. wine industry, offering data and observations that help that wineries can use to develop their business strategies.
Silicon Valley Bank's wine report is based on its in-house expertise as one of the largest bankers to the West Coast wine industry for nearly 20 years, a proprietary database of more than a decade of winery financials, ongoing research, and an annual survey of 600 West Coast wineries.
The Pisoni Family announces the 2014 Spring release of their Lucia wines. This release consists of the 2012 vintages of Lucia Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah from the Soberanes Vineyard, as well as the Santa Lucia Highlands cuvées.
Silicon Valley Bank released its Annual State of the Wine Industry Report in a live broadcast from SVB TV studios today. This was the presentation from that event, offering insights and data about the wine industry.
Silicon Valley Bank 2015 State of the Wine Industry PresentationSilicon Valley Bank
The Silicon Valley Bank 2015 State of the Wine Industry Presentation is a companion to the report of the same name. The presentation identifies trends and addresses current issues facing the U.S. wine industry, offering data and observations that help that wineries can use to develop their business strategies.
Silicon Valley Bank's wine report is based on its in-house expertise as one of the largest bankers to the West Coast wine industry for nearly 20 years, a proprietary database of more than a decade of winery financials, ongoing research, and an annual survey of 600 West Coast wineries.
Consumer Behavior (UMD Center For Economic Development)Trevor Entwisle
I participated in the UMD Center for Economic Development's Student to Business Initiative for my Consumer Behavior class. I worked as team leader, assigned to a business client that requested consulting in the consumer behavior aspect of their business. We created an extensive plans book for the client. In this plans book, we researched the businesses current state and based off the information gained throughout the semester we developed strategic business changes.
2020 Oregon Wine Symposium | Farming and Making Alternative Varieties for a C...Oregon Wine Board
Our climate is changing. Now more than ever, we are beginning to see these dramatic effects across the globe, making it vitally important for our industry to consider its impact on our landscapes, marketplace, and wine growing over the next decade and beyond. Pulling from regions around the world already addressing these challenges, what can we learn and apply in Oregon to prepare ourselves? What steps could we be taking now and how do we plan both strategically and economically? What trends are we seeing in the market and how will a warming climate affect them? Topics of discussion will include potential solutions through varietal and site selection, grafting, adaptations in the cellar, and how informed choices can work advantageously in a maturing marketplace.
Noche de Gourmet is not only one of the Valley’s premier charity events; it’s a highly anticipated social affair as well. The brochure's original copy had become outdated and while close, didn't completely reflect the sophistication of the event. With refreshed copy and a stronger sell, sponsorship opportunities sold out.
R. VILLANO - ANIMALS (cd rom vol. 2 part 3 IT-2016)Raimondo Villano
58. R. Villano “Animals. Volume 2”, selezione di fotografie originali e inedite realizzate dal 2004 al 2016, con colonna sonora. (36,8 Mb; 1 files, 50 diapositive), Chiron dpt Ph@rma, Roma, ottobre 2016;
Consumer Behavior (UMD Center For Economic Development)Trevor Entwisle
I participated in the UMD Center for Economic Development's Student to Business Initiative for my Consumer Behavior class. I worked as team leader, assigned to a business client that requested consulting in the consumer behavior aspect of their business. We created an extensive plans book for the client. In this plans book, we researched the businesses current state and based off the information gained throughout the semester we developed strategic business changes.
2020 Oregon Wine Symposium | Farming and Making Alternative Varieties for a C...Oregon Wine Board
Our climate is changing. Now more than ever, we are beginning to see these dramatic effects across the globe, making it vitally important for our industry to consider its impact on our landscapes, marketplace, and wine growing over the next decade and beyond. Pulling from regions around the world already addressing these challenges, what can we learn and apply in Oregon to prepare ourselves? What steps could we be taking now and how do we plan both strategically and economically? What trends are we seeing in the market and how will a warming climate affect them? Topics of discussion will include potential solutions through varietal and site selection, grafting, adaptations in the cellar, and how informed choices can work advantageously in a maturing marketplace.
Noche de Gourmet is not only one of the Valley’s premier charity events; it’s a highly anticipated social affair as well. The brochure's original copy had become outdated and while close, didn't completely reflect the sophistication of the event. With refreshed copy and a stronger sell, sponsorship opportunities sold out.
R. VILLANO - ANIMALS (cd rom vol. 2 part 3 IT-2016)Raimondo Villano
58. R. Villano “Animals. Volume 2”, selezione di fotografie originali e inedite realizzate dal 2004 al 2016, con colonna sonora. (36,8 Mb; 1 files, 50 diapositive), Chiron dpt Ph@rma, Roma, ottobre 2016;
Cómo entender y acercarte a tu buyer persona en el momento correcto y a través del contenido adecuado.
Lead Scoring: Cómo saber que contactos están dispuestos a hablar con tu equipo de ventas
Lead Nurturing: Cómo entregar el contenido correcto a la persona adecuada en el momento oportuno
Muzika është pjesë e formimit kulturor dhe nevojë e përhershme e njeriut.
Ajo komunikon në mënyrë të drejtpërdrejtë dhe kreative me tërë qenien e tij duke ia formuar mjedisin tingëllor.
The Silicon Valley Bank 2014 State of the Wine Industry Report identifies trends and addresses current issues facing the U.S. wine industry, offering data and observations that help that wineries can use to develop their business strategies.
Silicon Valley Bank's wine report is based on its in-house expertise as one of the largest bankers to the West Coast wine industry for nearly 20 years, a proprietary database of more than a decade of winery financials, ongoing research, and an annual survey of 450 West Coast wineries.
The Nevada Department of Agriculture introduces the 2014-15 Buy Nevada Holiday Gift Guide, a catalog of businesses selling food and agriculture products made and grown in Nevada.
The fifth annual release of Fundamental Observation, Bottle Logic Brewing’s chart-topping Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Vanilla Stout, is here! This “liquid brownie batter” was aged in a combination of Buffalo Trace, Woodford Reserve, Four Roses, Heaven Hill, and Knob Creek bourbon barrels and finishes out at a mighty 13.55% ABV. Each barrel saw multiple additions of Madagascar vanilla beans, ultimately aging the finished batch of beer with hundreds of pounds over the course of a year.
https://www.delmesaliquor.com/
Business State Issue 5_Anna Hill A Consummate Host
Gordon Estate Newsletters
1. Winemaker Update from Tyler Tennyson
SOME LIKE IT HOT…
… And all the better for you if you happen to
be making wine in Washington State this year,
because 2015 is shaping up to be Washington’s
hottest growing season, with the earliest start
date on record. In fact, the crew and I had
brought in 60% of our fruit by September
11th… the same day we began harvest in 2014!
This season’s heat has gifted us with a low disease pressure
year and fruit bursting with deeply layered, concentrated
flavors and great textures. Our Chardonnay, Merlot, Syrah,
and Tempranillo grapes are already fermented, pressed, and
put to barrel, and now we are “rounding Second” as we start to
house our Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and Petite Verdot.
In spite of our busy, fast-paced harvest, we’ve still managed to
squeeze in a little fun. A couple of weeks ago, we had the
privilege of being a part of the Washington Wine Road Trip,
where we were one of 62 Washington wineries hosting trade
members from around the country for tastings, dinners, and
hands-on winery work. Industry professionals were able to
visit the Gordon Estate Winery, meet the family, stomp Syrah
grapes, and stir the lees on our 2015 Reserve Chardonnay.
For those of you I had the pleasure of working with on this
year’s Road Trip, it was an absolute pleasure! For those I
didn’t, thank you for the great work you do as ambassadors for
Washington Wine all year round. I hope to meet you and
your customers at the next one!
Cheers!
Tyler
IN THIS ISSUE:
Winemaker Update
Current Releases
Meet the Family: Jeff & Vicki
Sales Support
o OND Focus
o New Trade Site
o Scores and Awards
Additional Resources
CURRENT RELEASES:
Estate Reserves
2014 Gewürztraminer Ice Wine
2013 Reserve Chardonnay
2012 Block 3 Merlot
2010 Reserve Cab SIX
2010 Tradition
Estate
2014 Chardonnay
2014 Malbec Rosé
2013 Cabernet Sauvignon
2013 Merlot
2013 Malbec
2013 Tempranillo
2012 Syrah
Kamiak
2014 Unoaked Chardonnay
2014 Palouse River Rosé
NV Windust White
2012 Rock Lake Red
Michelle Richards of St. John’s
Restaurant and Meeting Place
(Chattanooga, TN) stomping Syrah
2. [Sidebars are great for calling out important points from your text or adding additional info for quick reference, such as a
schedule.
They are typically placed on the left, right, top or bottom of the page. But you can easily drag them to any position you
prefer.
When you’re ready to add your content, just click here and start typing.]
O-N-D
A THREE-LETTER WORD
O-N-D is here, and we know what a crazy, busy,
PRODUCTIVE time it can be! We’ve sent out new
deals, and with new pricing in place, we trust that you’ll
use the extra support to take advantage of this high-
volume time to increase depletions, revenue, and brand
exposure. Please contact us for POS, incentive
programs, winemaker dinner requests, holiday deals,
funny memes, massage gift certificates, and anything
else you might need to survive O-N-D and increase our
mutual success in your markets through the end of 2015.
Thank you for your focus, hard work, and partnership!
WE APPRECIATE YOU!
NEW TRADE AND MEDIA
SITE IS LIVE!
Tech Sheets, Shelf Talkers, Label Shots, and other sales
materials are now available on one convenient page:
www.gordonwines.com/trade.
Please send us any feedback on how we can improve the
usability and content on this page for your use in the
market to crystale@gordonwines.com.
LATEST SCORES & AWARDS:
2013 CABERNET: Silver Medal – Great Northwest Wine
2012 MERLOT: Gold Medal – Craft Wine Fest
2013 MERLOT: Silver Medal – Pacific Rim Wine Comp
2013 SYRAH: Gold Medal – Decanter (1 of 4)
2013 RES. CHARD: 90 points – Wine Enthusiast
Gold Medal – Seattle Wine Awards
Bronze Medal – Pacific Rim Wine Comp
2012 TRADITION: 91 points – Wine Enthusiast
Gold Medal – Seattle Wine Awards
Gold Medal, "Best of Class” – Pacific Rim
2012 BLOCK 3: Gold Medal – Seattle Wine Awards
2010 SIX: Double Gold – Seattle Wine Awards
Gold Medal – Decanter
Silver Medal – San Francisco Chronicle
$ALES SUPPORT
Notes from Crystal Elsey, National Sales Director
MEET THE FAMILY
Jeff and Vicki Gordon, Founders & Owners
There are many things that
make Gordon Estate Wines
unique and fun to sell. We
are the oldest estate winery
in Washington State. We
were one of the first
wineries to pioneer red
grape varietals in the
Columbia Valley. We
consistently receive prominent accolades for our
handcrafted wines. But one of the greatest things that
makes us unique is our people.
Gordon Estate has been owned and operated by Jeff and
Vicki Gordon since they planted their first vines in 1980.
Thirty-five years later, they are still behind the scenes and
on the front lines growing the brand they’ve built.
Jeff and Vicki met during summer vacation in 1961 at
Hayden Lake in Idaho. They were friends for seven years
before Jeff asked Vicki on their first date. In January 1971,
Jeff and Vicki tied the knot, starting their married life with
just $600 and a blue Chevy.
The rest, as they say, is history. Ten years later, Jeff and
Vicki sought the expert opinion of Walter Clore, the
“Father of Washington Wine,” in regard to 200 acres of
sagebrush-covered land on the Snake River that they
wanted to use for both white and red grape varietals.
Walt’s stamp of approval sealed the deal, and Jeff and Vicki
bought the land that is
now the Gordon Estate
Winery, and built
the house they still
call home today.
We want to express our
appreciation to all of you—
our distribution partners
and sales teams—for the
work you do for our brand nationwide. Thank you for
joining our adventure and championing our dream…
We love having you as part of the Gordon Family!
3. 671 Levey Road, Pasco, WA 99301
(509) 412-2323
crystale@gordonwines.com
AT YOUR FINGERTIPS…
Additional Resources and Information
The Washington Wine Commission has a great website
dedicated to educating trade members and consumers on
Washington wine. They even have a trade section with sales
and presentation materials that outline vintages, growing
conditions, the history of our soil, sales trends in the market,
etc. This site is a great resource to help you sell our wine and
our neighbors’! Check it out at www.washingtonwine.org.
The Recommendeuer, an app available on iTunes and Google Play, features
comedian Greg Proops, and pairs humor with in-depth knowledge on
Washington State Wine. Videos and articles showcase why wines from
Washington State are rated as the best wines in the world by the most
respected wine critics. Download the app to explore what makes our wines
unique, industry reports, grape production data, AVA profiles, food and wine
pairings, industry groundbreakers, award winners, and much more.
Like us, follow us, friend us on social media for an inside look and
up-to-date information on Gordon Estate Winery! Our handle on
all forums is @gordonwines, or simply click on the icons to the left.
4. Winemaker Update from Tyler Tennyson
BARE VINES, FULL BARRELS
Thanks to the hottest growing season on record,
the 2015 grape harvest had the earliest start date
and end date for us here at Gordon Estate. The
weather during harvest was great, with mild
temperatures and not a single drop of rain
slowing us down. We finished picking fruit in mid-
October and then began topping, racking, and
blending the 2014 wines, which had been waiting
patiently while we brought the 2015 vintage into cellar.
Post-harvest, I had the pleasure of traveling to Nashville, TN to
work the market with the fine folks at Athens Distributing. I had a
blast hosting two fantastic wine dinners at JJ’s Wine Bar in Franklin
and the Vine in East Nashville. Both were amazing! It was great
meeting our Nashville reps, sharing our wine, telling our story,
eating delicious food, and of course—doing a little honky tonk’n!
As it is now winter in Eastern Washington, the newly vinted 2015
wines have been put to barrel, topped off, and have begun their
evolution toward world class wine. We are currently preparing
the 2015 Rosé of Malbec for bottling, and are starting to taste
through barrels of Chardonnay to plan the final blend that will
ultimately become the 2015 Gordon Estate Chardonnay.
Now that the wines are barreled, I am excited for my first trip to
Japan in a few weeks to work with our partners at Nakagawa
Wines, and talk about the uniqueness of both Gordon Estate and
Washington wines. Does anyone know how to say diurnal shift in
Japanese?
Cheers! (乾杯)
Tyler
IN THIS ISSUE:
Winemaker Update
Current Vintages
Founder’s Note
Sales Support
o New Year, New Focus
o Trade Site
o Scores & Awards
Meet the Family: Marc & Katie
Additional Resources
CURRENT VINTAGES:
(Click for tech sheet)
Estate Reserves
2014 Gewürztraminer Ice Wine
2013 Reserve Chardonnay
2012 Block 3 Merlot
2012 Tradition
2010 Reserve Cabernet SIX
2012 Reserve Cabernet
Estate
2014 Chardonnay
2014 Malbec Rosé
2013 Cabernet Sauvignon
2013 Merlot
2013 Malbec
2013 Tempranillo
2013 Syrah
Kamiak
2014 Unoaked Chardonnay
2014 Palouse River Rosé
2014 Windust White
2012 Rock Lake Red
With the awesome team at the Vine in East
Nashville, after our wine dinner in November!
5. NEW YEAR, NEW FOCUS
I hope you all made it through OND 2015 relatively
unscathed, and found time over the holidays to relax and
enjoy the company of loved ones. I am excited to jump
into 2016 with you, and do everything I can to help fill
shelves, wine lists, and your pocket$ from the continued
growth of the Gordon Estate brand. As you start working
with accounts to reset shelves and adjust wine lists, I’d like
to ask you to keep our Estate Cab and Estate Chard in
mind. We’ve got BIG goals on those two SKUs this year,
and I need your help to make it happen! If you need an
extra push to help score a placement, don’t hesitate to ask
your managers to contact me, and I will do what I can to
ensure our mutual success.
Thank you for everything you do, and Happy New Year!
TRADE & MEDIA SITE
Tech Sheets, Shelf Talkers, Label Shots, and sales materials
are available in a one-stop shop at gordonwines.com/trade.
SCORES & AWARDS
2014 KAMIAK CHARD: Silver Medal – Seattle Wine Awards
“Excellent” & “Best Buy” – Great NW Wine
2014 KAMIAK ROSÉ: Gold Medal – SIMI Rosé Competition
2014 MALBEC ROSÉ Silver Medal – SIMI Rosé Competition
Bronze Medal – Seattle Wine Awards
2013 CABERNET: Silver Medal – Great Northwest Wine
2012 MERLOT: Gold Medal – Craft Wine Fest
2013 MERLOT: Silver Medal – Pacific Rim Wine Competition
2013 SYRAH: Gold Medal – Decanter (1 of only 4 awarded!)
Silver Medal – Great Northwest Wine
2012 SYRAH: 91 points – Wine Enthusiast
2013 RES. CHARD: 90 points – Wine Enthusiast
Gold Medal – Seattle Wine Awards
Bronze Medal – Pacific Rim Wine Comp
2012 TRADITION: 91 points – Wine Enthusiast
Gold Medal – Seattle Wine Awards
Gold Medal, "Best of Class” – Pacific Rim
2012 BLOCK 3: Gold Medal – Seattle Wine Awards
2010 SIX: Double Gold – Seattle Wine Awards
Gold Medal – Decanter
Silver Medal, “100 Top Wines” – SF Chronicle
92 points – Wine Enthusiast
Notes from National Sales Director, Crystal Elsey
SALES SUPPORT
Greetings from Founder, Jeff Gordon
THE ESTATE DIFFERENCE
Being an Estate Winery has some great benefits, and as we
turn the page on 2015, we are very excited about the
exceptional wines we will bottle this year. Growing our own
grapes essentially gives us the advantage of being able to
start making our wine as soon as we start pruning in the
spring. As we continuously watch and care for our budding
grapes, we are always keeping the final wines in the back of
our minds.
Growing under contract would mean that our job is finished
at harvest, and our key focus would turn to maximizing
profit, instead of maximizing the quality of wine our grapes
will produce. At every step and throughout all aspects of our
vineyard’s growing cycle, we maintain the continual thought
process of “how will what we are doing in the vineyard affect
our wine?” This a key difference in growing estate grapes,
and one of the things that makes our brand unique.
I tell people we harvest three times a year, but we only get
to keep the third harvest. The first harvest happens at bloom
the first of June. We do shoot thinning, cluster positioning,
and leaf stripping. The second takes place the first of August.
We do crop estimations before thinning and spacing the
clusters, resulting in ideal tonnage and spacing along the
vine. The third and final harvest is late September/October
when we harvest for keeps.
Harvest is my favorite time of year, because we can taste our
fruit, foresee the wine, and take pride in finding that our hard
work at every stage was worth it. Vintage to vintage, our
fruit and our wines reflect the soil, climate, and practices of
each growing season. It is a partnership between nature and
craftsmanship, and we aim every year to produce wines that
your customers will enjoy drinking, and that you will be
proud to sell. Thanks for your hard work, and keep selling!
-Jeff
6. Katie was four years old when her parents, Jeff and Vicki Gordon, planted their first
Chardonnay vines in their new vineyard. From a young age, Katie recalls her parents’ toils
and triumphs as they worked on their new project, running the winery and tasting room
from a repurposed shed in the driveway of their family home. Even Katie was put to work
sorting cherries in her overalls and helping hand-label bottles for their first release.
When Katie was around 12, Jeff and Vicki brought home one of their
first major recognitions—the “Best of Show” Award from the
Enological Society of the Pacific Northwest—for their Merlot. “They
were just so happy and excited,” Katie recalls. “That’s my first vivid
memory of success, and realizing, ‘Okay, this is what we’re doing now.
It’s not just a hobby.’”
A family tradition, Katie attended Washington State University, where she studied
Agricultural Economics and met her husband, Marc. Marc grew up in Ephrata, WA, and
his love for the outdoors led him to get a degree in Agricultural Technology and
Management. Marc took Katie on their first date to an Alanis Morissette concert at the
Gorge Theater in 1996, and the two were married three years later.
After college, Marc went to work supervising quality assurance at Lamb Weston, and Katie
managed bookkeeping for Flattop Ranch, then handled communications and government
affairs at the WA State Potato Commission. After Jeff’s brother retired, Jeff and Vicki
found themselves sprinting to keep up with the growth of what were then called “Gordon
Brothers” wines, so Marc and Katie joined the family business in 2001.
Marc now oversees all aspects of farm and vineyard operations, including pest management
and fertilizing, budgeting, irrigation, harvesting, maintenance, crop sales, and
certifications. Katie manages the bookkeeping for the farm and vineyards, as well as
superintends the company’s marketing, branding, promotions, and winery-related events.
Katie says she finds much gratification in being able to work with her parents and help
continue the family legacy.
When not working, Marc enjoys hunting and coaching
baseball, and Katie loves to travel. They love going to the
movies, drinking Gordon Estate Syrah, watching their three
sons, Isaac, 18, Max, 15, and Luke, 6, play sports, and
attending WSU football games (Co Cougs!). They just
celebrated the New Year and their 40th birthdays in Hawaii,
where they snorkeled, kayaked, drank lots of mai-tais, and
recharged for a busy, exciting 2016!
MEET THE FAMILY
Marc & Katie (Gordon) Nelson
Vineyard Manager, Marketing Director
7. 671 Levey Road, Pasco, WA 99301
(509) 412-2323
crystale@gordonwines.com
AT YOUR FINGERTIPS…
Additional Resources and Information
The Washington Wine Commission has a great website dedicated to
educating trade members and consumers on Washington wine. They
even have a trade section with sales and presentation materials that
outline vintages, growing conditions, the history of our soil, sales trends
in the market, etc. This site is a great resource to help you sell our wine
and our neighbors’! Check it out at www.washingtonwine.org.
The Recommendeuer, an app available on iTunes and Google Play, features comedian Greg
Proops, and pairs humor with in-depth knowledge on Washington State Wine. Download the
app to explore what makes our wines unique, industry reports, grape production data, AVA
profiles, food and wine pairings, industry groundbreakers, award winners, and much more.
Like us, follow us, friend us on social media for an inside look and up-
to-date information on Gordon Estate Winery! Our handle on all
forums is @gordonwines, or just click on the icons to the left.
Miss the last newsletter? View it here:
8. New Winemaker Announcement
MEET HILLARY SJOLUND
veteran Washington winemaker. Sjolund has worked with Hoppes
on several different notable Washington brands, and she also has
her own label: Sonoris Wines.
The Wine Boss team will work with Gordon’s existing cellar crew,
including Norberto Canseco who has been with the winery for 20
years. His experience and knowledge will be essential to making
this new partnership work. Until now, Wine Boss has done all
their consulting work at their facility in Richland, WA. In this
partnership, the wines will be made at Gordon Estate winery
located at the vineyard near Pasco. Charlie and Hillary will visit
the winery often to consult with Vineyard Manager Marc Nelson
and guide the Gordon cellar team with key winemaking decisions.
Sjolund, who will be the primary consultant in the agreement, has
17 years of experience in winemaking and her creativity and
expertise are exactly what the Gordons are looking for to continue
and build upon Gordon Estate brand’s success. “This is a new
strategy for us and it may take a few weeks for everyone to settle
into their roles,” says Jeff Gordon, founder and owner of Gordon
Estate, “but we are really looking forward to working with Wine
Boss and we hope to gain a fresh perspective. Charlie and Hillary
have already come up with some great ideas regarding winemaking
practices which will bring out the best in our vineyard and elevate
our brand.”
Jeff Gordon Hillary Sjolund
jeff_g@gordonwines.com Hillary@wawineboss.com
IN THIS ISSUE:
New Winemaker Announcement
Current Releases
Scores & Awards
2016 WA Wine Guide
Additional Resources
CURRENT RELEASES:
(Click on a wine for the tech sheet)
Estate Reserves
2014 Gewurztraminer Ice Wine
2014 Reserve Chardonnay
2012 Block 3 Merlot
2012 Reserve Cabernet
2012 Tradition
Estate
2014 Chardonnay
2015 Rosé of Malbec
2013 Cabernet Sauvignon
2013 Merlot
2013 Malbec
2013 Petite Verdot
2013 Tempranillo
2012 Syrah
Kamiak
2014 Windust White
2012 Rock Lake Red
Gordon Estate Winery has made a move to begin
partnering with some of the most successful
winemaking consultants in Washington State:
Charlie Hoppes and Hillary Sjolund (“SHOW-lund”)
of Wine Boss in Richland, WA. Wine Boss is a
winemaking consulting company founded in 2011
9. LIKE, FOLLOW,
FRIEND US
@GORDONWINES:
2013 Estate Cabernet: 90 points from Wine & Spirits Magazine
Silver Medal from Great Northwest Wine
2013 Estate Merlot: Silver Medal from Pacific Rim Wine Competition
2013 Estate Syrah: Gold Medal from Decanter (1 of only 4!)
2012 Tradition: 91 points from Wine Enthusiast
Gold Medal from Seattle Wine Awards
Gold Medal & “Best of Class” from Pacific Rim
Wine Competition
2012 Block 3 Merlot: Gold Medal from Seattle Wine Awards
For press on previous vintages, visit
http://www.gordonwines.com/trade.
671 Levey Road, Pasco, WA 99301
(509) 590-1815
crystale@gordonwines.com
CURRENT SCORES & AWARDS
WA STATE WINE ROAD TRIP
Each year, a select group of the nation’s most important trade come to
learn about Washington State wine via focused seminars, group
tastings, and small group exercises across the entire state during
Washington State Wine Road Trip.
The Washington State Wine team is extremely proud of the quality
and educational content of this program, and we invite you to
nominate a candidate for this year’s trip. The ideal candidate is a key
decision maker, educator, buyer or gatekeeper for their community.
Have someone in mind? Nominate them here.
2016 WA WINE
GUIDE AVAILABLE
HERE:
NEW CONTACT NUMBER
National Sales Director, Crystal Elsey, has a new contact number:
(509) 590-1815
As of May 1, she will no longer receive calls at (509) 412-2323.
Please make any necessary changes in your contact logs.
10. Winery News: August 25, 2016
HAPPY HARVEST!
Today was our first day of harvest!
Winemaker Hillary Sjolund and
Vineyard Manager Marc Nelson have
been keeping a close eye on our
grapes, roaming the vines to taste test
our first grapes to ripen—the grapes
that will become our 2016 Estate and
Reserve Chardonnays. Today we
harvested 15 tons of Chardonnay to
be loaded onto the crush pad. Harvest
will continue for the next 5-6 weeks as the rest of our grapes continue
to round out the veraison process and plump up into their purplish
hues.
There are several factors taken into account when determining when
to make the “pick call” for each varietal. We brought in the first round
of Chardonnay two weeks ago to test the baselines (sugar, acid, and
pH levels) of 15 different blocks. Once the baselines showed desirable
readings, the grapes continued to be evaluated for their readiness in
other areas: progression of ripeness, condition of seeds, and fortitude
of skins.
IN THIS ISSUE:
Winery News: Happy Harvest!
Vintage Changes & Current Releases
Puncheons: Elevating our Reserves
Wine Dinners
Scores & Awards
Additional Resources
CURRENT RELEASES:
(Click on a wine for the tech sheet)
Estate Reserves
2014 Gewurztraminer Ice Wine
2014 Reserve Chardonnay
2012 Block 3 Merlot
2012 Reserve Cabernet
2012 Tradition
Estate
2014 Chardonnay
2015 Rosé of Malbec
2013 Cabernet Sauvignon
2014 Merlot (Vintage change)
2013 Malbec
2013 Petite Verdot
2013 Tempranillo
2012 Syrah
Kamiak
2014 Windust White
2012 Rock Lake Red
Ripe and ready grapes will have a desirable
balance of brix and acid, crunchy brown
seeds that are not bitter or flaky (green seeds
make green wines), and skins that have
remained intact, uncracked, and
undamaged by the sun. As we have few
clusters in our vineyards that face west, we
are easily able to protect the skins of our
grapes—especially those delicate whites—
from splitting and sunburn (yes, grapes can
sunburn!), thereby ensuring minimal
microbiological impact.
Cluster of our
ripening Chardonnay
grapes, taken 8/17/16
(Continued on next page)…
11. GIVE US A SHOUT OUT
ON SOCIAL MEDIA
@GORDONWINES: 2013 Estate Cabernet: 90 points from Wine & Spirits Magazine
Silver Medal from Great Northwest Wine
2013 Estate Merlot: Silver Medal from Pacific Rim Wine Competition
2012 Estate Syrah: Gold Medal from Decanter (1 of only 4!)
2012 Tradition: 91 points from Wine Enthusiast
Gold Medal from Seattle Wine Awards
Gold Medal & “Best of Class” from Pacific Rim
Wine Competition
2012 Block 3 Merlot: Gold Medal from Seattle Wine Awards
For press on previous vintages, visit
http://www.gordonwines.com/trade.
671 Levey Road, Pasco, WA 99301
(509) 590-1815
crystale@gordonwines.com
CURRENT SCORES & AWARDS
PUNCHEONS
Our winemaking team will be implementing a new fermentation
technique for our 2016 Block 3 Merlot and Reserve Cabernet. They will be
converting ten 500-liter puncheons made from new French oak into red
fermenters by attaching a small door and rollers, so the wine can be
turned 2x/day. Puncheons were first used in the Gordon Estate Winery for
the fermentation of our 2015 Reserve Chardonnay, and the results were so
favorable, that the method will start being applied to our reserve reds.
This large format fermentation method allows for slower maturation
without drying out the fruit, while also increasing body and enriching the
mouthfeel of the wines. It is our intention that this new practice will
further elevate the quality and complexity of some of our most prestigious
products.
… Here Comes Harvest! (continued)
Our winemaker, Hillary
Sjolund, is excited about
the potential of the 2016
vintage. With a hot spring
that propelled the
ripening of the fruit, and a
summer growing season
nearly as hot as 2015’s, we
estimate starting harvest
around August 29th.
What will make this vintage different,
according to Sjolund, will be the cooler
nights the vineyards experienced during
the growing season. With higher levels of
acid than last year’s grapes, she anticipates
slightly longer hang times that will allow
us to pick grapes at moderate maturity,
with more flavor at a lower brix level. The
resulting wines should have quite a
healthy and discernable amount of
structure, complexity, food-friendly
acidity, and layered flavors.
Questions for Hillary?
Hillary@wawineboss.com
BOOK WINE DINNERS NOW!
Our Winter schedule is now open for consumer wine dinners. Wine
dinners are a great way to strengthen rapport with accounts, increase
consumer awareness, reward faithful business, and introduce your team to
the people behind the wine. No market work is expected in Nov/Dec.
To schedule, email crystale@gordonwines.com