After 20 years at the helm of the Stimson Lane wine group (Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest and other wineries), Allen Shoup retired to pursue a personal dream. For years he had envisioned a joint venture with top winemakers from different regions of the world. His goal was to bring their expertise to Washington to create some of the most luxurious wines ever crafted from the region’s fabled viniferous grapes—wines that stand shoulder to shoulder with the world’s best.

Actively encouraged by his associates, including longtime friend and mentor Robert G. Mondavi, Allen invited several of the world’s most exciting vintners to the sunny slopes where the Snake River and the Yakima River flow into the mighty Columbia. Allen drafted plans to establish individual wineries that would reflect the status and acclaim of each vintner, and named the venture “Long Shadows Vintners,” in tribute to this select group of individuals.

Napa Valley vintner Randy Dunn is a 1975 graduate of UC Davis. He has built a reputation over four decades for producing world-class Cabernet Sauvignons. After making wines at Caymus Vineyards from 1975-85, Randy established Dunn Vineyards on Howell Mountain in California, where he continues to craft distinctive wines of high acclaim. In 2003, Randy Dunn joined Long Shadows Vintners. Now partnering with Shoup, Randy brings his artistry and expertise to the state of Washington to produce small quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon from the Columbia Valley’s finest vineyards.

Columbia Valley growing seasons are remarkably consistent, but the 2005 vintage may well be remembered as one of the finest to date. Ideal temperatures during the summer months allowed grapes to build perfect sugars, and then, as if made to order, the vines slipped into a slow and even ripening pattern in September. Warm daytime and cool nighttime temperatures throughout the fall extended hang times and allowed us to pick at perfect maturity.

2005 Feather Cabernet Sauvignon - Columbia Valley
Winemaker Notes: Ripe and beautifully balanced, the 2005 Feather is a wine with great concentration and depth. Bursting with mocha-scented blackberry and plum flavors that offer a rich mouth-feel across a long, lingering finish, it is a classic Cabernet Sauvignon from a classic Columbia Valley vintage. This 2005 vintage was released in early April and has not yet been released for review.

Six Sigma Ranch was purchased by the Ahlmann family in 2000 and is located on a 4,300-acre site in Lake County, Calif. Kaj Ahlmann decided to name the winery Six Sigma Ranch after the management process he had successfully implemented during his professional career. Six Sigma Ranch features steep mountains, rolling hills and picturesque valleys, and is home not only to vineyards but also to a spectacular array of wildlife and vegetation.

Six Sigma Ranch is a family affair. Kaj’s son Michael began working in the vineyards alongside his other siblings in 2000 and helped with the winemaking processes. The Sauvignon Blanc in this release includes grapes exclusively from Michael’s Vineyard, which Kaj named after his son. Michael vividly remembers clearing every rock and weed from this vineyard to get it ready for planting.

Michael was born in Denmark and immigrated to the United States with his family when he was eight years old. He majored in mechanical and aeronautical engineering at UC Davis and graduated in 2007. He is now doing his graduate studies in engineering at UC Davis and works as a teacher’s aide for the Department of Engineering.

In 2007, Michael married Mary Beth Link, a biomedical engineering student at UC Davis. Mary Beth works as an intern at Johnson & Johnson, implementing Six Sigma principles in the quality control system.

2006 Sauvignon Blanc - Michael’s Vineyard
Winemaker Notes: This elegant wine shows charming notes of roasted hazelnuts, toast, vanilla and honeysuckle. A true explosion of Meyer lemon, yellow grapefruit and the lovely citrus aromas of candied orange peel accompany ripe fruit flavors of peach, pear, nectarine and even Mirabelle, with hints of fresh button mushrooms followed by a delicate minerality. The mouth feel has a creamy quality yet fresh, round and rich with some spicy notes. A good balance supplements the long and silky finish.

2005 Tempranillo - Christian’s Vineyard
Winemaker Notes: Tempranillo, the “King of Spanish red grapes,” is to Spain what Cabernet Sauvignon is to Bordeaux and Napa Valley wines. This wine is opaque purple in color and boasts charming black fruit flavors, including sweet black cherries, blackberries and mission figs.

The wine is full-bodied and mouth-filling, with excellent depth and rich flavors of cinnamon, vanilla, licorice, mocha and dark chocolate-covered candied orange peel. This wine embodies elegance combined with dense, ripe tannins and a creamy texture. It can be appreciated now or cellared for many years.