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2021

The Mountain Tower

Vineyard Series

Winemaking

Aged 20 months in 40% new French oak. 52% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot.

Place

All three of these blocks lie quite close together on the steep north-facing side of WeatherEye. Here, full ripeness is reached while preserving great varietal character and lively acidity.

Winemaker's Notes

Enticing aromas of black plum, Ambrosia pluot, blueberry, whole wild strawberry, tobacco leaf, scorched earth, powdered cacao nibs, blood orange bitters, burnished cedar, and juniper berry. This wine glides through the palate, leaving a slightly dusted trail of black raspberry, dark plum, sun-warmed terra cotta, Baker’s chocolate, and dried herbs. While highlighted by finesse and balance, this wine has the power to age 20-plus years in the cellar.


Late summer meadow, hand-bound book, cave drawing, cymbal crash

AVA

Columbia Valley

Drink

2026 - 2040

$90 / 750ml bottle

Scores & Reviews

96

Points

A new wine to the Liminal lineup, the 2021 ‘The Mountain Tower’ is a Cabernet Franc dominant wine (52%) with 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and the remainder Merlot. The result is totally head-turning with a seamless texture and refined tannins that line a massive wall of black fruit flavors alongside Turkish coffee grounds and bitter dark chocolate shavings with herbal accents. Complex and delicious, this is drinking marvelously now and will live on for another twenty years. Drink 2024-2044.

- Owen Bargreen

96

Points

Another Red Mountain wine, this one the 2021 The Mountain Tower, is a mélange of 52% Cabernet Franc and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the rest being Merlot; this outstanding mélange from Liminal boasts a dark ruby-purple core with a garnet rim. Ripe strawberries, dust-coated mountain blueberries, dried mint, and crushed flower aromas spill from the glass. Extraordinary tension surrounds the spice-laden and herbaceous finish, with plush tannins and elevated acidity finishing things off. Highly recommended.

- Jeremy Young, International Wine Report

95

Points

This wine is a blend of 52% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 18% Merlot, coming from a site along the top and north side of Red Mountain that is one of the most exciting vineyards in the U.S. Aged 20 months in French oak (40% new), the aromas are arresting, with notes of black cherry, blackberry, herb, and earth, showing crystalline purity. The palate is completely seamless, with knee-buckling balance, appearing to have no beginning, middle, or end. The finish sails on as long as you care to keep watching. It’s the exquisite balance, proportion, and length that make this wine stand out so far. Stunning stuff that is a singular offering of these three varieties from the state. Best from 2028 to 2038. Cellar Stocker.

- Sean P. Sullivan

94-96

Points

The 2021 The Mountain Tower checks in as 50% Cabernet Franc, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Merlot. Beautiful red and blue fruits, spring flowers, smoky oak, and cedarwood notes, as well as a brilliant minerality, emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with ripe, building tannins and fabulous purity of fruit.

- Jeb Dunnuck

94

Points

A seamless and captivating Bordeaux blend from what is clearly an iconic and unique vineyard, this combines 52% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Merlot in a broad, lush palate. Due for release this month, it’s still showing plenty of impact from the time in 40% new French oak. The fruit mix is softer and well-blended, a fruit pâté of blueberries, cherries and figs, accented with toasted nuts and sandalwood. This wine glides, it doesn’t spike, and it’s already drinking beautifully.

- Paul Gregutt, Paul Gregutt's NW Wine Guide

94

Points

The 2021 The Mountain Tower WeatherEye Vineyard opens in the glass with mentholated freshness and notes of dusty rose, thyme and pepper-tinged wild berries. This is cool-toned and sleek, with polished waves of ripe red fruits and savory spices that swirl as tactile mineral tones add grip toward the close. Classically dry, it leaves the palate clenched with youthful tension, as a resonance of licorice slowly fades. This is the first vintage of The Mountain Tower, a blend of 52% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Merlot from the north side of WeatherEye Vineyard.

- Eric Guido, Vinous

93

Points

Aged 20 months in French oak, 40% new, this Cabernet Franc-driven blend has a long life ahead. The wine’s aromas are fruity and floral, with dusty roadside blackberries and a bouquet of violets and bee balm. Grippy tannins are the platform for cherry, dark-chocolate and cumin flavors that go on forever. Enjoy now until 2038. Cellar Selection.

- Michael Alberty, Wine Enthusiast