Airfield Estates Aviator Red
WHY WE LOVE IT
- 100% Estate Grown.
- All of the varietals for this blend were sourced from reserve tier blocks, which were cropped to low yields to produce dark, concentrated flavors while balancing out tannins.
- Airfield’s red wines display dark fruit elements with structure and finesse and Aviator is no exception.
- A wine of this caliber was created to be enjoyed in its youth, yet has the structure to age for many years to come.
- Vegan friendly.
Varietal: 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc
Elaboration: Each element was harvested at optimal maturity, sorted, sent to small fermenters, cold-soaked for 48 hours, and then inoculated with very specific yeast strains selected to help each wine achieve particular flavor and mouthfeel profiles. Once each lot was fully extracted, some lots were left on the skins for an extended maceration to develop more exotic and compelling flavors, while other lots were sent directly to the press. Each wine was barreled down into exclusive French oak barrels and inoculated for malolactic fermentation. During this process, the lees were stirred twice a month for three months to help build roundness and naturally soften the wine. Overall, the wine was aged for 21 months in French oak barrels (58% new French oak, 32% 2-year-old French oak).
Tasting Notes: Aviator is a full-bodied Bordeaux-style blend with powerful aromas of black cherry and black currant layered with hints of cola, graphite, and seared leather. The palate is robust yet balanced, featuring restrained tannins and secondary flavors of sweet chocolate, roasted sage, and salted toffee. As the wine exits the palate, it showcases structure and length, offering layers of sweet oak spices and a dark berry medley.
PRESS
2021 – 90 Vinous
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
Airfield Estates is a fourth-generation family vineyard based in the Yakima Valley, Washington. Today the winery is overseen by brother-sister duo Marcus Miller and Lori Stevens. The siblings prepared themselves for this endeavor. Marcus pursued an MBA in Finance and a degree in Viticulture and Enology, interning at Canoe Ridge in Walla Walla, he also worked as winemaker at Tsilan Cellars in Chelan and harvester at Montana Brancott Winery in Marlborough, New Zealand. Laurie obtained a Master’s in Wine Business from the University of Adelaide in Adelaide, South Australia, with a background in retail distribution management..
Prior to its farming days, Airfield Estates operated as a training base for hundreds of Army Air Corps pilots during World War II. The airbase closed in 1944, and the airplane hangars and other buildings were auctioned off to the Miller family for $1. The ranch produced alfalfa, asparagus, potatoes, onions, and oats, as well as cattle and hogs. Founder H. Lloyd Miller’s entrepreneurial spirit brought him in contact with President Roosevelt to find the funding for the Rosa Canal Project in the Yakima Valley, enabling irrigation water access from the high mountains to the soon-to-be established 830-acre winery. In 1967, Don Miller, the current owner’s grandfather, planted three “test” varietals, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Cabernet Sauvignon, which would lead to more than 20 different varietals being greenhouse-propagated and commercially planted by 1971 as the oldest established AVA in Washington State.