Isenhower Cellars produces wine with a minimalist philosophy, emphasizing bright, lighter styled wines, with less extraction through lower temperature fermentation and addition of whole clusters. They source from a variety of vineyards, directed by Brett Isenhower. The winemaker is Brett Brockmeyer with past experience in Napa Valley.
2019 Rhapsody
42% Olsen Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Wallula Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Wallula Vineyard Merlot, 6% Wallula Vineyard Cabernet Franc, 4% Dionysus Petit Verdot. Columbia Valley.
Bordeaux style blend, cab dominant. Dark fruit, wet stone, and light oak on the nose. Plummy, with savory and mineral notes. Soft tannins. $40. 90 points.
2019 A Bloc Malbec
100% Malbec. Champoux Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills.
Dark fruits, vanilla, some nice intensity mid palate. Oaky tannins on the finish. $42. 91 points.
2018 Wallula Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Wallula Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills.
Dark fruit, flowers and vanilla aromas, tobacco. Lighter style cab on palate with dark cherries, salinity. Slightly chalky chewy tannins. $42. 92 points
2018 Batchelors Button Cabernet Sauvignon
Blend of vineyards, Summit View primarily with lesser amounts from Wallula, and Olsen
Columbia Valley.
Slightly bigger cab than the Wallula Vineyard, with more chocolate notes. $42. 93 points.
2017 Childrens Cuvee
66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Petit Verdot, 17% Cabernet Franc. Primarily Wallula, and Les Collines.
Beautiful nose of leather. Nice silky body of red fruit with peppery notes and structured tannins. $49. 94 points.
I enjoyed the tasting at Isenhower Cellars, and was fond of the lighter style of wines they offered. Those sourced from the Wallula vineyard were particularly interesting, with tendency to have a unique profile that I recall was savory, herbaceous, and floral.
I recommend picking up a bottle of the 2017 Childrens Cuvee. For me, it provided a larger body and more structured wine.
