Jones Vineyard Reserve Malbec
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 5–10 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, roasted lamb chops, strong blue cheese
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the sun-drenched Wahluke Slope of Washington State, the Columbia Crest Jones Vineyard Reserve Malbec represents a focused, small-lot expression of one of the region's most promising red varieties. The Jones Vineyard is celebrated for its sandy loam and gravelly soils, coupled with a warm, arid climate that allows Malbec to achieve optimal phenolic ripeness while retaining balanced acidity. Columbia Crest's winemaking team utilizes traditional small-lot fermentation and meticulous oak aging to craft a wine that highlights the grape's signature dark fruit profile, cocoa undertones, and velvety texture. This reserve bottling showcases the unique synergy between Washington's dramatic diurnal temperature shifts and the expressive potential of Malbec.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1982 by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Columbia Crest was the pioneer winery founded within what is now the acclaimed Horse Heaven Hills AVA of eastern Washington. Situated along the benchlands above the Columbia River, the estate takes full advantage of a semi-arid, rain-shadowed microclimate marked by intense summer sunshine, constant river breezes that deter frost and pests, and fast-draining, wind-blown Warden silt loam soils. Initial plantings in 1978 and early winemaking under founding cellar master Doug Gore established the winery's benchmark status for reliable varietal purity and commercial scale. The production regimen bridges large-scale precision with small-lot barrel fermentation and French and American oak aging. Columbia Crest cemented its reputation when its 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon won Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year. Today, the estate produces tiered selections ranging from the everyday Two Vines and Grand Estates labels to vineyard-driven Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay expressions.
🍇 Grapes
Malbec