# Hedges Family Estate Red Mountain (2023)

- **Producer:** Hedges Family Estate
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Malbec
- **Region:** Washington, United States
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.0%
- **Average price:** €30
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** blackcurrant, plum, cherry, violet, herbaceous, vanilla, coconut, chocolate, smoke, cedar, tobacco

## About this wine

Hedges Family Estate was founded in 1987 by Washington-native Tom Hedges and his French wife, Anne-Marie Liégeois. In a fascinating historical twist, their initial venture was funded by selling bulk Cabernet-Merlot to the Swedish government, who sought clean, untainted wine in the wake of the Chernobyl disaster. This successful deal funded the purchase of their first 50 acres on the slopes of Red Mountain in 1989, long before the region gained international acclaim. Today, the estate is led by the founders' children, Sarah Hedges Goedhart and Christophe Hedges, who champion biodynamic farming and a low-intervention philosophy. The family is also famously known for their strict 'no-score' stance, refusing to submit their wines to critics in the belief that wine is a subjective, experiential art form.

## Interesting facts

- The estate was originally funded by selling bulk wine to Sweden, who sought clean wine after the Chernobyl disaster.
- The Hedges family famously opposes the 100-point scoring system and refuses to submit their wines to critics.
- The estate vineyards are 100% Demeter Certified Biodynamic and organic, holding a Michelin Green Emblem.

## Food pairing

This structured Red Mountain blend thrives alongside rich, protein-heavy dishes. The wine's robust, fine-grained tannins require the fat and protein of red meats like ribeye or lamb to soften them, while its bright natural acidity cuts through the richness of braised short ribs. The savory, herbal undertones of the wine also beautifully complement wild game and earthy, aged hard cheeses.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for this estate blend is guided by a low-intervention, traditional philosophy. Grapes are sourced entirely from the family's Demeter Certified Biodynamic estate vineyards on Red Mountain. After being destemmed and partially crushed, the fruit undergoes spontaneous fermentation with wild, native yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. To achieve optimal extraction of color and structured tannins, the must is subjected to twice-daily pumpovers. The wine is then aged in a combination of French (60%), American (37%), and Hungarian (3%) oak barrels, with approximately 50% of the barrels being new oak. The final blend is bottled with minimal sulfur additions and without heavy fining or filtration to preserve the pure expression of the Red Mountain terroir.