K Vintners The Creator 2020
K Vintners 'The Creator' 2020 originates from the United States, specifically from the Walla Walla Valley region of Washington State. Winemaker Charles Smith, a former rock band manager who founded K Vintners in 1999, remains the visionary behind the label, which is part of his House of Smith portfolio. The winery operates with a philosophy of indigenous fermentation and a hands-off approach in the cellar to let the terroir of the estate vineyards speak for themselves. This specific wine is sourced entirely from the Powerline Estate Vineyard, located over 1200 feet in elevation on well-drained cobblestone river rocks and silt soils.
Wine Description
This red blend presents a big, bold, and smooth profile with a dark ruby colour. The sensory profile features a complex nose of ripe black cherries, currants, and blue plums, layered with savory notes of old leather, pipe tobacco, sagebrush, and peppery herbs. On the full-bodied and broad-shouldered palate, it delivers gobs of dark fruit tones and sweet oak flavours, balanced by silky, polished tannins and a mineral-focused expression. The finish is remarkably long and intense, showcasing a great deal of finesse and precision.
Varietal Composition: A co-fermented blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Syrah.
ABV: Recorded at 13.5%.
Organic Status: While the estate focuses on sustainable viticulture and native yeast fermentations, this specific wine is not typically certified organic.
Stylistic Notes: The wine was aged for 22 months on its lees in 65% new French oak barriques to enhance its depth and texture.
Food Pairing
The rich structure and bold intensity of 'The Creator' make it an excellent partner for hearty, well-seasoned dishes. Suggested pairings include:
Meats: Grilled sirloin steak, ribeye served rare to medium-rare, or lamb kreatopita (Greek meat pie).
French Cuisine: Boeuf en croûte (beef fillet in pastry) with a mushroom sauce.
Savoury & Cheese: Aged Manchego cheese, or a rich mushroom risotto featuring portobello or shiitake varieties.
Vegetarian: Eggplant Parmesan or smoked tofu served with stewed lentils to balance the wine's prominent tannins.
Vintage Quality
The 2020 vintage is described by winemaker Charles Smith as potentially the best in Washington State history, characterized by a long and temperate growing season that allowed fruit to ripen evenly. Despite some regional concerns regarding smoke and drought in the Pacific Northwest, the Walla Walla Valley produced wines with incredible tension, balance, and focused fruit concentration. The low-yielding vines at Powerline Vineyard resulted in small berries that contributed to the wine's remarkable depth and satisfying complexity.
97 Points - Robert Parker: The 2020 The Creator is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Syrah. The nose is big, bold and smooth with a juicy, round and mineral-focused expression, offering gobs of dark red and black fruit tones. Full-bodied, the palate explodes with pleasure, showing soft herbal tones with sweet oak flavors that ride with blackberry and dark cherry flavors, compounding complexity while displaying layers of finesse and precision. The wine concludes with a food-friendly finish, emphasizing intense juicy flavors. The wine spent 22 months on the lees in 65% new French oak barriques. You'll want to set your calendars for this one when it's released in the fall later this year. Almost 25,000 bottles produced.
K Vintners 'The Creator' 2020 originates from the United States, specifically from the Walla Walla Valley region of Washington State. Winemaker Charles Smith, a former rock band manager who founded K Vintners in 1999, remains the visionary behind the label, which is part of his House of Smith portfolio. The winery operates with a philosophy of indigenous fermentation and a hands-off approach in the cellar to let the terroir of the estate vineyards speak for themselves. This specific wine is sourced entirely from the Powerline Estate Vineyard, located over 1200 feet in elevation on well-drained cobblestone river rocks and silt soils.
Wine Description
This red blend presents a big, bold, and smooth profile with a dark ruby colour. The sensory profile features a complex nose of ripe black cherries, currants, and blue plums, layered with savory notes of old leather, pipe tobacco, sagebrush, and peppery herbs. On the full-bodied and broad-shouldered palate, it delivers gobs of dark fruit tones and sweet oak flavours, balanced by silky, polished tannins and a mineral-focused expression. The finish is remarkably long and intense, showcasing a great deal of finesse and precision.
Varietal Composition: A co-fermented blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Syrah.
ABV: Recorded at 13.5%.
Organic Status: While the estate focuses on sustainable viticulture and native yeast fermentations, this specific wine is not typically certified organic.
Stylistic Notes: The wine was aged for 22 months on its lees in 65% new French oak barriques to enhance its depth and texture.
Food Pairing
The rich structure and bold intensity of 'The Creator' make it an excellent partner for hearty, well-seasoned dishes. Suggested pairings include:
Meats: Grilled sirloin steak, ribeye served rare to medium-rare, or lamb kreatopita (Greek meat pie).
French Cuisine: Boeuf en croûte (beef fillet in pastry) with a mushroom sauce.
Savoury & Cheese: Aged Manchego cheese, or a rich mushroom risotto featuring portobello or shiitake varieties.
Vegetarian: Eggplant Parmesan or smoked tofu served with stewed lentils to balance the wine's prominent tannins.
Vintage Quality
The 2020 vintage is described by winemaker Charles Smith as potentially the best in Washington State history, characterized by a long and temperate growing season that allowed fruit to ripen evenly. Despite some regional concerns regarding smoke and drought in the Pacific Northwest, the Walla Walla Valley produced wines with incredible tension, balance, and focused fruit concentration. The low-yielding vines at Powerline Vineyard resulted in small berries that contributed to the wine's remarkable depth and satisfying complexity.
97 Points - Robert Parker: The 2020 The Creator is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Syrah. The nose is big, bold and smooth with a juicy, round and mineral-focused expression, offering gobs of dark red and black fruit tones. Full-bodied, the palate explodes with pleasure, showing soft herbal tones with sweet oak flavors that ride with blackberry and dark cherry flavors, compounding complexity while displaying layers of finesse and precision. The wine concludes with a food-friendly finish, emphasizing intense juicy flavors. The wine spent 22 months on the lees in 65% new French oak barriques. You'll want to set your calendars for this one when it's released in the fall later this year. Almost 25,000 bottles produced.
Description
K Vintners 'The Creator' 2020 originates from the United States, specifically from the Walla Walla Valley region of Washington State. Winemaker Charles Smith, a former rock band manager who founded K Vintners in 1999, remains the visionary behind the label, which is part of his House of Smith portfolio. The winery operates with a philosophy of indigenous fermentation and a hands-off approach in the cellar to let the terroir of the estate vineyards speak for themselves. This specific wine is sourced entirely from the Powerline Estate Vineyard, located over 1200 feet in elevation on well-drained cobblestone river rocks and silt soils.
Wine Description
This red blend presents a big, bold, and smooth profile with a dark ruby colour. The sensory profile features a complex nose of ripe black cherries, currants, and blue plums, layered with savory notes of old leather, pipe tobacco, sagebrush, and peppery herbs. On the full-bodied and broad-shouldered palate, it delivers gobs of dark fruit tones and sweet oak flavours, balanced by silky, polished tannins and a mineral-focused expression. The finish is remarkably long and intense, showcasing a great deal of finesse and precision.
Varietal Composition: A co-fermented blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Syrah.
ABV: Recorded at 13.5%.
Organic Status: While the estate focuses on sustainable viticulture and native yeast fermentations, this specific wine is not typically certified organic.
Stylistic Notes: The wine was aged for 22 months on its lees in 65% new French oak barriques to enhance its depth and texture.
Food Pairing
The rich structure and bold intensity of 'The Creator' make it an excellent partner for hearty, well-seasoned dishes. Suggested pairings include:
Meats: Grilled sirloin steak, ribeye served rare to medium-rare, or lamb kreatopita (Greek meat pie).
French Cuisine: Boeuf en croûte (beef fillet in pastry) with a mushroom sauce.
Savoury & Cheese: Aged Manchego cheese, or a rich mushroom risotto featuring portobello or shiitake varieties.
Vegetarian: Eggplant Parmesan or smoked tofu served with stewed lentils to balance the wine's prominent tannins.
Vintage Quality
The 2020 vintage is described by winemaker Charles Smith as potentially the best in Washington State history, characterized by a long and temperate growing season that allowed fruit to ripen evenly. Despite some regional concerns regarding smoke and drought in the Pacific Northwest, the Walla Walla Valley produced wines with incredible tension, balance, and focused fruit concentration. The low-yielding vines at Powerline Vineyard resulted in small berries that contributed to the wine's remarkable depth and satisfying complexity.
97 Points - Robert Parker: The 2020 The Creator is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Syrah. The nose is big, bold and smooth with a juicy, round and mineral-focused expression, offering gobs of dark red and black fruit tones. Full-bodied, the palate explodes with pleasure, showing soft herbal tones with sweet oak flavors that ride with blackberry and dark cherry flavors, compounding complexity while displaying layers of finesse and precision. The wine concludes with a food-friendly finish, emphasizing intense juicy flavors. The wine spent 22 months on the lees in 65% new French oak barriques. You'll want to set your calendars for this one when it's released in the fall later this year. Almost 25,000 bottles produced.
