Anyone have any experience or knowledge? Intrigued by the offer from the Alexander family!
Can you expand? Iâm not sure what this is, or what youâre referring to. Is Black Square a new winery project?
Probably Blacksquarewine.com
Info hiding behind email requirement.
I believe itâs from Todd and Carrie Alexander, not the Andersen Family. Todd and Carrie are behind a number of Washington and Oregon wines such as the Holocene Pinot Noirs. My understanding is that Black Square is their new Cabernet Sauvignon label from the Rocks District of Walla Walla Valley.
This page from the Holocene website mentions The Black Square wine: https://holocenewines.com/people/
From the Holocene member website, hereâs Todd Alexanderâs description along with Jeb Dunnuck review of 2022 The Black Square Cabernet Sauvignon:
There is something ethereal about Cabernet Sauvignon grown in the cobblestone soils of the Walla Walla Valley.
Aromatic exuberance, elegance, finesse, a gracious and polished texture, layered complexity, and never-ending length. It is an area where you can craft a singular, stand-alone example of this varietal, unique in the United States â or anywhere â yet contains echoes of some of our favorite wines grown and produced in Bordeaux.
In 2022, we decided to embark on a new but familiar journey - one that we had been conceptualizing for a number of years, patiently waiting for the perfect moment and opportunity to move forward.
We would now like to introduce you to a new wine we are calling The Black Square. This is the inaugural vintage â 2022, and it is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grown in the Rocks District of Milton Freewater, Oregon, inside the Walla Walla Valley**.**
Background:
As many of you know, I have been working with Cabernet Sauvignon for some time now. First, in Napa Valley, where I worked alongside some of the most respected and accomplished winemakers and consultants in the industry, ultimately becoming General Manager and Winemaker at the esteemed Bryant Family Vineyard, arguably one of the very top properties and original âcult winesâ there. When I reflect back on that time now, it was an exceptional place to learn and grow at a young age as a new winemaker, and it ingrained many philosophies and practices that I still employ to this day in everything that I do.
My friends and colleagues were a bit surprised when I left Napa for the Pacific Northwest. The simple reason was that it felt like anything was possible here; there was and is still much opportunity, and no blueprint needed to be followed. I make Cabernet as winemaker of a few different wineries, and because of that I have always resisted making it under the Holocene umbrella. There was a time when I said I would never make Cabernet for my own brand. Yet, when this opportunity presented itself, it felt like the right time and circumstance to put this all in motion, a path that made sense to take.
Force Majeure built a physical foundation in the Rocks District area in 2018, and at that time, I began to work more in earnest with a few sites within this fascinating sub-appellation of the Walla Walla Valley with these cobblestone soils. I discovered that despite the single soil series that defines this area (and all the broad strokes the region can be painted with), there exists a lot of subtlety and nuance from vineyard to vineyard, which, at times, can actually be quite drastic.
As I have been crafting wine here, my intrigue with this special place has increased. Our work with colleagues in the Rocks District has given us access to some amazing vineyard sites, and during that time, we have also largely taken the care of those sites under our own influence. These vines are approaching their third decade of age, coming into their own, and producing the best fruit they ever have.
People talk a lot about Syrah here, but I found the Cabernet had huge potential that felt like it had been, perhaps, a bit underutilized. It is funny to look back now, and recall that when Force Majeure purchased its Walla Walla Estate Vineyard where the winery is now located, popular wisdom said that âYou canât make great Cabernet Sauvignon in the Rocks.â I took that as a challenge, and the first Cabernet I made from the Force Majeure Walla Walla Estate vineyard was rated 100 points. Combining improved farming for quality over quantity, applying my years of experience in making Cabernet, having an astute pallet, and paying attention to detail while allowing the site to express itself all allowed me to coax out its very best qualities.
The Wine:
Regarding The Black Square, I had envisioned a wine that would have elegance and grace but be framed with great structure, supple texture and acidity to help it go the distance. I was not interested in crafting a huge wine that would be monolithic and boring â there are enough of those out there. This is a totally unique expression of Cabernet. It is possibly the most delicious wine I have ever made â from anywhere â and it also steps into a new domain of what is possible in Rocks District Cabernet Sauvignon. And a quick note â there are many people who believe that all Rocks District wines have a strong âfunkiness.â That is not the case here â this wine is more fruit-forward with a luscious savory backbone; it is undeniably Cabernet first and foremost.
Having crafted single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon at the highest levels possible in the Napa Valley, I know what it takes to do it in a way that not many others do. Over time, Iâve also developed my own instincts and beliefs that Iâve applied to that important foundation, and I am uniquely positioned to put my own stamp on this varietal and this place.
Our hope is that this wine will find a special home in your cellar and on your table amongst the wines you cherish. While there is not much to go around, we want to extend to you the opportunity to be part of a small group with access to it, in humble appreciation of your support of all that we do.
So â we are excited for you to try this wine â we are offering it with no minimum purchase and no charge for shipping.
Those who purchase this inaugural release will have exclusive access to future wines. This wine is both special and personal. I understand that the price may not be within everyoneâs reach, but considering that the wines I crafted in Napa, along with many other top Cabernet Sauvignons in the world, cost significantly more per bottle, I genuinely believe that The Black Square offers exceptional quality for its price of $300 per bottle.
In many ways, this wine represents the culmination of my lifeâs work â and I am thrilled for you to try it.
We have also released it in time for the fall shipping window - so it can arrive to you this year.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out anytime.
Best regards,
Todd and Carrie Alexander
âIt has a Pauillac (or is it St.-Estèphe?) like style in its smoky black fruits, iron, leafy tobacco, and black olive-driven aromatics. These carry to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, yet elegant Cabernet that has flawless overall balance, fine, polished tannins, and beautiful length. This is a riveting Cabernet Sauvignon from winemaker Todd Alexander thatâs up with the crème de la crème of the variety.â - Jeb Dunnuck, 96-99 points
Wow, thanks for all that great detail, CF. I donât see your name anywhere, so CF it is.
I signed up for the Holocene project out of curiosity but, as I recall, after seeing their prices, I passed. While Iâm sure this wine is killer, I would also imagine itâs very, very expensive.
Iâve only had a couple of what I would imagine are Rocks Cabernets (Reynvaanâs The Classic, as well as Cayuseâs Camaspelo) and theyâre good, but I like many Cabernets from the Horse Heaven Hills, Red Mountain, and Royal Slope just as much, if not more.
just what the market needs right now, another $300 Cab.