Swick Wines - Chillable Red 2022

Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, Joe Swick got into the wine business working as a shipping/receiving clerk at a specialty organic food store in his hometown. Tasting different wines and getting to know various Oregonian winemakers was a great start, but Joe wanted to get his hands dirty too, which led him to work his first harvest as a cellar assistant in a local winery in 2003. Following this epiphany, Joe has traveled the globe for a decade during which he made some 15 harvests in places as far as Tasmania, New Zealand, Portugal, Italy, or France, including some time with the legendary Simon Busser in Cahors or Julien Labet in Jura. 

Joe works with organically (or biodynamically, depending on the vineyard) farmed grapes from a changing selection of vineyards.

An eclectic mix of barrels that took their sweet time to finish primary fermentation, but the happy-end is a juicy red ready to chill.

Grapes & vineyards:

Mourvedre | Conley Vineyard | Yakima, WA | (certified organic)
Malbec | Conley Vineyard | Yakima, WA (certified organic)
Verdelho | Sonrisa Vineyard | Rattlesnake Hills AVA | Zillah, WA (practicing organic)
Pinot Noir | Cancilla Vineyard (certified organic)

Making of: the Pinot Noir grapes were direct-pressed, while the Verdelho grapes were macerated on skins, as well as the reds. The wines were then racked into barrels where they slowly naturally fermented (22 months) before being blended. 

Personality: Cherry starburst, floral, black tea.

Type: Red
Producer: Swick
Varietal: Malbec, Verdelho, Pinot Noir, and Mourvèdre
Country: United States
Region: Oregon, grapes sourced in Yakima, Washington
Farming: Organic, Vegan