Red Willow Vineyard Malbec
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 3–10 years from vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, roasted lamb chops, roasted portobello mushrooms
✨ Technical Specifications
Crafted from one of Washington State's most historic and pioneering sites, the Kerloo Cellars Malbec sources its fruit from the legendary Red Willow Vineyard in the far western corner of the Yakima Valley. Established by the Sauer family, Red Willow is famous for its steep, rugged hillsides and ancient, well-drained soils of fractured sandstone and clay. Under the low-intervention philosophy of winemaker Ryan Crane, this Malbec showcases the unique cool-climate signature of the site. Rather than the jammy, heavy style often associated with the grape, this expression highlights vibrant acidity, savory dried herb notes, and a distinct mineral backbone, reflecting the high-elevation terroir and the vineyard's rich viticultural heritage.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 2007 by winemaker Ryan Crane, Kerloo Cellars takes its name from the echoing call of the sandhill crane, symbolizing Crane's calling to craft authentic, terroir-driven Washington State wines. After studying viticulture and enology in Walla Walla and honing his cellar craft at Forgeron Cellars and Va Piano Vineyards, Crane built Kerloo around meticulous fruit sourcing from esteemed, sustainably farmed vineyard sites spanning the Walla Walla Valley, Yakima Valley, and Columbia Gorge. His cellaring philosophy prioritizes minimal intervention, foot-treading, native fermentations, neutral oak, and concrete maturation to highlight purity of site and varietal transparency. Kerloo built a devoted following for its cool-climate Rhone-style expressions and vibrant single-vineyard bottlings, including Celilo Vineyard Chardonnay, Boushey Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, and single-site Grenache, Syrah, and Grenache Rosé from benchmark crus like Upland and Painted Hills.
🍇 Grapes
Malbec