Union Gap Vineyard Malbec
⏳ Drinking Window
2024 - 2028
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, roasted lamb chops, blue cheese
✨ Technical Specifications
The Union Gap Vineyard is Owen Roe's estate jewel, situated on a dramatic, south-facing slope where the Yakima River carves its way through the basalt ridges of the Yakima Valley. This unique geological wind gap channels cooling breezes that moderate the intense Washington sun, preserving the grape's natural acidity. Planted in gravelly, basalt-rich soils, the Malbec vines here yield small, concentrated berries. Winemaker David O'Reilly utilizes small-batch fermentation and careful French oak aging to craft a Malbec that beautifully balances the grape's signature plush, dark fruit profile with a distinct mineral tension and savory complexity derived from this rugged estate terroir.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 1999 by winemaker David O'Reilly and Jerry McNally, Owen Roe was established with a mission to craft world-class, terroir-driven wines from the premier vineyard sites of the Pacific Northwest. Named in honor of the 17th-century Irish patriot Owen Roe O'Neill, the winery operates estate facilities and sources fruit spanning both Washington's Columbia and Yakima Valleys and Oregon's Willamette Valley. Owen Roe champions a low-intervention winemaking philosophy, utilizing gentle handling and thoughtful oak integration to articulate the distinctive character of esteemed vineyards such as DuBrul, Red Willow, and Union Gap. The producer is widely celebrated for its nuanced single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc, alongside popular and characterful blends like Sinister Hand, Ex Umbris, and Abbot's Table.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Malbec