Walter Clore Private Reserve
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 5–15 years from vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted rack of lamb, grilled ribeye steak, aged cheddar
✨ Technical Specifications
Named in honor of Dr. Walter Clore, revered as the 'Father of Washington Wine' for his pioneering research into viticulture in the state, this reserve bottling represents the pinnacle of Columbia Crest's winemaking. Dr. Clore's mid-20th-century trials proved that vinifera grapes could thrive in the Columbia Valley, paving the way for the modern industry. Crafted as a classic Bordeaux-style blend, this wine showcases the unique terroir of the Columbia Valley, where warm, sunny days and cool desert nights preserve acidity while developing rich, concentrated fruit. The wine is typically aged in French and American oak barrels, resulting in a structured, velvety red with deep layers of dark fruit, cocoa, and refined tannins.
🍾 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
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc