Airfield Estates Spitfire Red
WHY WE LOVE IT
- 100% Estate Grown. Sourced from reserve tier blocks on the estate vineyard.
- Full-bodied Super Tuscan style blend of 55% Sangiovese and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon.
- The wine can be enjoyed in its youth, or can be cellared for many years to come.
Varietal: 55% Sangiovese, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon
Elaboration: The Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon components were harvested separately at optimal maturity. Destemmed but not crushed, the grapes were sorted using an optical sorter before being pumped into small 2-ton fermenters. Both lots were fermented dry on the skins for 14 to 16 days. Next, the wine was drained, pressed, sent to barrels, and inoculated for malolactic fermentation. Once complete, each barrel had its lees stirred twice a month for 3 to 4 months. The lees stirring process helped create a rounder mouthfeel, enhancing the structure and naturally softening the wine. Each varietal was aged separately for ten months in various types of French oak before being blended and aged for an additional eleven months. Total aging was 21 months in 100% French oak (55% new French oak, 40% 2-year-old French oak, and 5% neutral French oak).
Tasting Notes: Boasts captivating aromatics of fresh raspberry jam, dried cranberry, black cherry, and hints of seared leather. The palate unfolds layers of fresh pomegranate, acai berry, and cola interwoven with a touch of smoked cedar plank. Brisk acidity lends a bright yet harmonious balance, leading to a polished finish characterized by lush tannins, a rich medley of red and dark fruit, and exquisite notes of toasted oak.
PRESS
n/a
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.