2020 Red Mountain Reserve
Reviews
94 from James Suckling
An appetizing, tannic texture folds in black cherry, raspberry, cedar and cinnamon flavors for a nicely complex expression. Cabernet Sauvignon blended with 17% malbec for a bit more spice and mid-palate density.
Past vintage review: 95+ from Anthony Mueller with The Wine Advocate
This blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Malbec and 17% Petit Verdot delivers a dense, dark red-fruited profile with oak, graphite and black fruit skins. The 2019 Red Mountain Reserve is a full-bodied wine with a firm palate and gripping tannins, showcasing the quintessential Red Mountain richness and a vivid dusty fruit essence. With aging potential spanning over a decade, if not two, it remains fresh, focused and food friendly. Offering remarkable value, I recommend grabbing a few bottles for your cellar before the price increases. Nicely done! The wine aged for 23 months in 50% Hungarian and 50% French oak, 90% new.
Production notes
As much as possible, we take a non-interventionist approach to winemaking. We place great emphasis on vineyard selection, picking, pressing, and blending so that Hightower wines are naturally beautiful and free from pretense. We let the powerful and concentrated fruit from Red Mountain speak for itself. The result is a collection of well-balanced, nuanced wines that reveal something new and interesting each time you open a bottle. We like to think they’re wines with character through and through — in how they were made, how they taste, and in the connections they inspire.
Vineyard
Red Mountain AVA 100%
Out of Line Estate Vineyard 83%
In 2005 we finished planting 10 acres of vineyard: 6 acres planted with 5 clones of Cabernet Sauvignon, 2½ acres planted with 4 clones of Merlot, and ½ acres of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot – with all of the plant material certified to be free of diseases and pests. Our vineyard rows are canted eleven degrees off of north-south. This orientation more evenly balances the sun exposure on each side of the vine row, increasing the exposure on the east and decreasing it on the west.
E&E Shaw Vineyard 17%
The grapes from E&E Shaw Vineyard contain floral and feminine characteristics. This vineyard lends intense color, concentrated dark fruit and tannin structure to Hightower wines. Most of Red Mountain is covered by Worden Silt Loam. This soil type retains very little moisture and contains little organic material, both causing the grapes to struggle tremendously. This struggle, channels the vine's energy where it needs to be – in the berries. Red Mountain is one of the warmest sites in Washington and receives an average of 6 inches rainfall per year.
Each year, we handpick our favorite barrels to create this standout blend, showcasing the very best Red Mountain has to offer. With rich Cabernet Sauvignon at its core, complemented by Malbec and Petit Verdot, this wine is deep, structured, and food-friendly—whether you enjoy it tonight or let it rest a little longer in the cellar. It’s a wine that knows how to stand out, without ever needing to raise its voice.
Red Mountain AVA 100%
Out of Line Estate Vineyard 83%
In 2005 we finished planting 10 acres of vineyard: 6 acres planted with 5 clones of Cabernet Sauvignon, 2½ acres planted with 4 clones of Merlot, and ½ acres of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot – with all of the plant material certified to be free of diseases and pests. Our vineyard rows are canted eleven degrees off of north-south. This orientation more evenly balances the sun exposure on each side of the vine row, increasing the exposure on the east and decreasing it on the west.
E&E Shaw Vineyard 17%
The grapes from E&E Shaw Vineyard contain floral and feminine characteristics. This vineyard lends intense color, concentrated dark fruit and tannin structure to Hightower wines. Most of Red Mountain is covered by Worden Silt Loam. This soil type retains very little moisture and contains little organic material, both causing the grapes to struggle tremendously. This struggle, channels the vine's energy where it needs to be – in the berries. Red Mountain is one of the warmest sites in Washington and receives an average of 6 inches rainfall per year.
Tim & Kelly Hightower
Tim and Kelly Hightower founded Hightower Cellars in 1997 in Woodinville, Washington with a simple philosophy: "Get the best grapes and don't screw them up." With their grape supply primarily coming from Red Mountain, the husband and wife co-winemaking team set out to make high quality wine, beginning with their first vintage: 221 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Today Tim and Kelly aim to make wine that lets the powerful, concentrated fruit from Red Mountain speak for itself, producing wine with great character, that’s naturally beautiful and free from pretense. The result is a collection of well-balanced, nuanced wines that reveal something new and interesting each time you open a bottle. We like to think they’re wines with character through and through – in how they were made, how they taste, and in the connections they inspire.