Union Gap Vineyard
⏳ Drinking Window
2024 - 2029
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
roasted lamb chops, grilled ribeye steak, braised beef short ribs
✨ Technical Specifications
The Union Gap Vineyard Red Blend is a premier estate bottling from Owen Roe, sourced from their dramatically steep, south-facing estate vineyard in the Yakima Valley. Situated where the Yakima River cuts through the basalt ridges of the Rattlesnake Hills, this unique geological formation—the Union Gap—creates a natural wind funnel that moderates temperatures. The soil is a rugged mix of fractured basalt and cobblestones, forcing the vines to struggle and yield concentrated, mineral-driven fruit. This proprietary red blend typically marries the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with the plushness of Merlot and a touch of Syrah, all aged in French oak barrels. The resulting wine is celebrated for its complex layers of dark fruit, savory herbs, distinctive stony minerality, and refined, age-worthy tannins.
🍾 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
Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah