2022 Red Mountain Reserve
Reviews
94+ points from Eric Guido with Vinous
Deep, complex, yet wickedly fresh, the 2022 Red Mountain Reserve bursts from the glass with an array of minty herbs and Christmas spice elevated by notes of shaved citrus, pine and dried strawberries. It is elegant yet spry, with silken textures and depths of ripe wild berry fruit offset by brisk acids and mineral tones that add a crunchy sensation toward the close. The palate is left drenched in primary concentration and edgy tannins, yet the mouth salvated for more through in incredibly long and dramatic finish. While already likable, the 2022 possesses a balance for cellaring. Well done.
Tasting notes
Baking spices, plum, silky tannins, light oak, elegant, soft palette, black cherry
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.
Other notes
Original Price $62
Vineyard
Red Mountain AVA 100%
Out of Line Estate Vineyard 50%
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.
Tinte Vineyard (formerly E&E Shaw Vineyard) 50%
Planted in 1995 by Ed and Eve Shaw, Tinte Vineyard has been part of the Hightower story since 1999. Known for its intense color, concentrated dark fruit, and firm tannin structure, this site adds depth and character to our wines. Like every parcel on Red Mountain, it brings its own nuances, shaped by the Worden Silt Loam soils that force the vines to struggle and ultimately focus their energy into the fruit. We are grateful to the Shaws—not only for their vineyard, but also for Eve’s creative touch as the artist behind the original Murray label.
Each year we carefully select their favorite barrels to craft this exquisite blend. This wine shows the best Red Mountain has to offer – Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Malbec with enough structure to pair beautifully with food, whether you enjoy it tonight or after resting it in the cellar.
Baking spices, plum, silky tannins, light oak, elegant, soft palette, black cherry
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Varietal Composition | Cabernet Sauvignon 83%, Malbec 17%, |
| Appellation | Red Mountain AVA |
| Vineyard | Out of Line Estate Vineyard 50%, Tinte Vineyard 50% |
| Aging | 19 Months in barrel |
| Residual Sugar | <0.1g/L |
| Alcohol | 14.70% |
| Wine Style | French Tight Grain Oak, 50% Neutral |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Cases Produced | 149 |
| Country of Origin | UNITED STATES |
| State of Origin | Washington |
94+ points from Eric Guido with Vinous
Deep, complex, yet wickedly fresh, the 2022 Red Mountain Reserve bursts from the glass with an array of minty herbs and Christmas spice elevated by notes of shaved citrus, pine and dried strawberries. It is elegant yet spry, with silken textures and depths of ripe wild berry fruit offset by brisk acids and mineral tones that add a crunchy sensation toward the close. The palate is left drenched in primary concentration and edgy tannins, yet the mouth salvated for more through in incredibly long and dramatic finish. While already likable, the 2022 possesses a balance for cellaring. Well done.
Red Mountain AVA 100%
Out of Line Estate Vineyard 50%
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.
Tinte Vineyard (formerly E&E Shaw Vineyard) 50%
Planted in 1995 by Ed and Eve Shaw, Tinte Vineyard has been part of the Hightower story since 1999. Known for its intense color, concentrated dark fruit, and firm tannin structure, this site adds depth and character to our wines. Like every parcel on Red Mountain, it brings its own nuances, shaped by the Worden Silt Loam soils that force the vines to struggle and ultimately focus their energy into the fruit. We are grateful to the Shaws—not only for their vineyard, but also for Eve’s creative touch as the artist behind the original Murray label.
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.
