Rasa Vineyards Red Blend “Plus One”
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Rasa Vineyards Plus One is 100% Cabernet from their Kiona Vineyard located in Red Mountain AVA in Walla Walla Washington.
- Known for its high quality and intense, concentrated fruit. It is a a long-lasting, complex wine.
Varietal Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Elaboration: The wine underwent 115 hours of pre-fermentation maceration with 100% native yeast. It was hand-punched down twice daily during fermentation, and all components, including free-run and press fractions, were kept separate until blending. The oak profile featured 50% new French oak (mainly from Troncais and Alliers) and 50% neutral French oak. The wine achieved its brilliance through three careful rackings, with no fining agents used, and was lightly filtered to remove remaining lees.
Tasting Notes: This wine displays a deep ruby color and a rich, intense aroma of cassis, blackberry, black cherry, cigar box, graphite, mint, and dried rose petals. The deeply penetrating flavors are wrapped around a tightly wound core characterized by cassis, black licorice, gravel, graphite, minerals, and roasted coffee beans. The lush, silky tannins provide a smooth supporting framework for the palate’s complexity. The very long finish reveals notes of dried cherries, leather, tobacco, and hints of scorched earth. This wine combines depth, elegance, and concentration into an impressive package. Properly cellared, this wine will gracefully evolve for 15-20 years.
PRESS
2018 – 95 Vinous | 93 Wine Advocate
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
The concept of Rasa Vineyards started with a bottle of 1988 Mouton Rothschild that brothers Pinto and Billo Naravane bought at a discount in Napa Valley. That bottle of wine changed their lives. They call it their epiphany wine. That Mouton inspired them to learn all they could about wine and seriously discuss starting a winery. In 2007, with Pinto’s business plan and Billo working on a degree from the UC Davis Master’s program in Viticulture and Winemaking, the two budding winemakers quit their tech jobs and selected Walla Walla, Washington, as the home of Rasa Vineyards.
They purchased 28 acres in Milton-Freewater, Oregon, just ten miles south of Walla Walla, in an area that would become the Rocks District AVA. Their first two wines won accolades and high ratings in wine publications. In 2017, Billo joined an elite worldwide group of 498 people who have earned the title of ‘Master of Wine.’