DuBrul Vineyard Merlot
⏳ Drinking Window
2024 - 2028
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck, grilled lamb chops, rosemary-infused beef tenderloin
✨ Technical Specifications
Sourced from the iconic DuBrul Vineyard in Washington's Yakima Valley, Owen Roe's DuBrul Vineyard Merlot is a masterclass in the heights that Washington Merlot can achieve. Planted in 1992 by Hugh and Kathy Shiels on a steep, south-facing hillside of rocky basalt soils, DuBrul is widely considered one of the state's premier grand cru-level vineyards. The unique terroir, characterized by ancient volcanic soils and dramatic diurnal temperature shifts, imparts a distinctive mineral tension and structural complexity to the grapes. Owen Roe honors this exceptional fruit through minimal-intervention winemaking, employing small-batch fermentations and aging in French oak barrels. The resulting wine is a sophisticated expression of Merlot, offering a harmonious balance of lush dark fruit, refined tannins, and a savory, earth-driven complexity that challenges the traditional boundaries of the varietal.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1999 by David and Angelica O'Reilly, Owen Roe is named in honor of the 17th-century Irish patriot Owen Roe O'Neill. Operating across the Pacific Northwest, the winery bridges Washington’s Yakima Valley and Oregon’s Willamette Valley, celebrating cool-climate microclimates, diverse volcanic and windblown loess soils, and dry, high-sunlight ripening conditions. Following a brief period under corporate ownership, the O'Reilly family repurchased the estate in 2024 to reassert their founding independent vision. The viticultural and cellar philosophy prioritizes rigorous low-yield vineyard management, hand harvesting, small-lot fermentations, and judicious use of French oak barrel aging to preserve varietal clarity and site-specific typicity. Sourcing from benchmark terroirs such as Red Willow and DuBrul, Owen Roe produces critically acclaimed single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Chardonnay alongside value-driven cuvées under their Sharecropper’s and Corvidae labels, delivering structured, cellar-worthy expressions marked by vibrant acidity and deep concentration.
🍇 Grapes
Merlot