93+ from Eric Guido with Vinous

The 2022 Cabernet Franc Out of Line Estate Vineyard is spicy from the first tilt of the glass, mixing notes of mentholated herbs with hints of crushed stone and white pepper-tinged wild berries. This is pure elegance on the palate, pleasantly ripe in style, with vibrant acidity and a balancing nip of sour citrus toward the close. The 2022 lingers long, leaving a resonance of cedary spice, balsamic-infused black cherries and mouthwatering juiciness. It's simply spellbinding.

Red Mountain AVA 100%

Out of Line Estate Vineyard 100%

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.

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.