Time & Direction ‘Diamond Cutter’ Red Blend
WHY WE LOVE IT
- The ‘Diamond Cutter’ Red Blend got its name from a misunderstanding. A friend of Time & Direction Wines mispronounced the winery name and called it “Diamond Erection.” When yet another friend heard, she sent Steve Wells, Owner, the Urban Dictionary definition of “Diamond Cutter” which is “…an erection so hard it can cut diamonds.” With this in mind, Steve created a label that has a subliminal message. Can you see it?
- The Diamond Cutter Red Blend changes with every vintage. The 2020 is a blend of Syrah, Grenache & Mourvedre.
- The soils for this wine are Loess over fractured basalt, sandy loam and silt.
Varietal Composition: 60% Syrah, 21% Grenache, 19% Mourvedre
Elaboration: Aged in neutral oak barrels.
Tasting Notes: Black-fruited with a subdued nose, the Diamond Cutter offers aromas of blackberry and black plum with a rocky essence and peppercorn spices. Medium to full-bodied, the wine has a compressed frame and firm tannins that grip a gumline and continue toward a muscular finish that subsides with blackberry skin flavors.
PRESS
2018 – 90 Wine Advocate
2019 – 92 Wine Enthusiast | 91 Vinous
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
Two essential components to any journey in life… Time & Direction. That’s the philosophy behind Time & Direction Wines in Walla Walla, Washington. The winery was founded in 2016 by Steve Wells who titled himself Director of Awesome. Steve’s story may not be typical of other winery owners but the path still leads to exceptional wine. Steve started in the restaurant business in New York City where he developed his appreciation for the complexities of fine wine.
He joined the Court of Master Sommeliers and studied until he felt ready to take the Introductory and Certified-level exams. Upon certification, he became a sommelier and beverage director for a large restaurant group. On a winetasting tour of Washington, he realized that this was where his future was. He convinced his wife to move across the country with their three small children and started working and learning at wineries while enrolling in the respected Center for Enology and Viticulture at Walla Walla Community College.
Time & Direction became reality when Steve’s employer started allowing employees to create their own wine at the facility. Steve purchased some barrels, selected fruit from quality growers, and put his winemaking talent to work.