January 2017 Domestic Wine: 2014 Christopher Michael Red Blend, Washington State
fine Wine Source Wine Club
January 2017
Christopher Michael Wines: The wine business is a somewhat unlikely landing point for brothers Eric Christopher and Ryan Michael Harms. The Harms brothers were born and raised in the Midwest where drilling or dairy farming might have been more likely ventures. But for reasons that can only be deemed as fate, they landed on the West Coast in the wine business-Ryan in Oregon and Eric in California. After more long-distance brainstorming than either can remember, small inklings for how they might one day work together gave way to one big idea for what is now an expression of their collective experiences under one label—Christopher Michael Wines. Ryan is a winemaker by trade and Eric is a financial analyst in the wine business, so each has their own unique skill sets to contribute to the venture which began in 2009. Not afraid of vineyards in the far reaches of any growing region, the Harms brothers are focusing their efforts on finding expressive fruit that produces vibrant and fresh wines. Without worrying about geographic boundaries, Ryan & Eric look to work with growers that farm sustainably and seek out the best expressions of their grapes. Be it Oregon Pinot (a past wine club selection) or Washington Cabernet, what matters most to the brothers behind Christopher Michael Wines is finding fruit that will make a delicious wine regardless of varietal or origin.
About: The 2014 vintage in Washington started out warm, bud break was early, and vineyards went through flowering under ideal conditions. Warm, dry conditions persisted throughout the season and resulted in the warmest summer on record. This unusually warm weather continued into the harvest window as they began to pick under optimal conditions. This was a rare year as both quality and quantity of fruit was exceptionally high. The resulting wines are showy with ripe fruit flavors and great concentration. The vineyard sources for the 2014 Christopher Michael Red Blend were 83% Wahluke Slope and 17% Columbia Valley.
Varietals: 54% Syrah, 20% Barbera, 10% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petite Verdot, 4% Malbec, 3% Grenache
Alcohol: 13.9%
Tasting Notes: A bright and expressive nose leads into dark fruit flavors of blackberry and cherry with hints of baking spice with nutmeg and cinnamon.
Jim Lutfy’s Thoughts: A juicy fruit forward red loaded with purple fruit flavors of blueberry and pomegranates. Big Red Wine here, with a powerful finish; great served with a juicy hamburger or any red meat.