R. STUART & CO. 3 CLOWNS CABERNET SAUVIGNON

2016 TASTING NOTES

COLORS

dark ruby

AROMAS

cassis, cedar and rich forest floor

FLAVORS

cassis, dark chocolate and cedar, also vanilla and exotic spices like cardamom and star anise

STRUCTURE

medium bodied with defined tannins and good acid – this is a wine that will age well

FOOD PAIRING

Food Pairing Ideas

Grilled Steak with Shiitake Mushrooms and Mustard Sauce
Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks with Rosemary

GRILLED STEAKS WITH SHITAKE MUSHROOMS

2016 WINEMAKING

Klipsun Vineyards is located on the high desert plateau of the famous Red Mountain AVA in the Yakima Valley. Our longtime friends (the onJy growers who were guests at our wedding almost 25years ago!) Tricia and David Gelles own the vineyard and several years back their vineyard was named one of the top in the US by the Wine Spectator. The combination of the vineyard’s ideal location on Red Mountain and their meticulous vineyard management mean that their fruit is one of the absolute highest quality. The fruit exhibits lots of black currant and spice and when properly handled in the winery, shows a great deal of finesse with just the right level of tannin. In our opinion, Klipsun is more like one of the great vineyards of Bordeaux than anything.

TECH SPECS:

Alc: 15.2%, TA: 6.2 g/L
pH: 3.75, RS: <0.2 (dry)

COMPOSITION:

100% Cabernet Sauvignon

AVA:

Red Mountain, WA

CASES PRODUCED:

THE THREE CLOWNS IS A STORY OF FRIENDSHIP.

Since 1994 we’ve been lucky enough to have three good friends come to work every harvest with us. They take the month off from their “real jobs” as flight attendants and slog through the cold, long nights of harvest. With their high spirits and witty quips – always keeping us laughing – the trio quickly was dubbed the “Three Clowns”. Eventually they told us they wanted to make their own wine, but not Pinot Noir. Oh no, they had their hearts set on a Bordeaux-style blend.

Of course, after so many years of friendship, we were happy to help. Enter more great friends – the folks who own the esteemed Klipsun Vineyard in Washington. The Cabernet Sauvignon grown on their vineyard is among the most celebrated in the state of Washington. We were able to get a little of their fruit for the Clowns, and the rest, as they say, is history.