" We don't sell the wine without touching the vine "
Wine from Passing Time
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Former Dolphin QB Damon Huard had to travel 3000 miles away from home to learn about the fine wines coming from his home state of Washington. It was teammate and NFL Hall of Famer, Dan Marino, who went into his personal cellar to introduce Damon to Washington State wines during the 1997 season. Over the next decade, the formers QB’s conversation about wine evolved into a discussion about owning and operating their own winery upon Huard’s retirement and return to Washington State. Damon’s family has deep roots in the heart of Washington wine country, helping pioneer the valley into the agricultural powerhouse that it is today. “The vision of making a truly great Washington wine is one that Damon and I have shared for a long time,” said Marino, one of the most decorated quarterbacks in NFL history and a member of the NFL’s Hall of Fame. “Although there are more than 900 wineries in Washington State, we believe the industry is still in its adolescence and we want to be part of it as it grows into the world’s next great wine region.” Passing Time was launched with the 2012 vintage of cabernet and released in the spring of 2015 to rave reviews from wine critics and customers alike.
Passing Time may seem like an obvious name for a wine brand that includes two former NFL quarterbacks as partners, but it wasn’t that easy, Marino said. “There’s the subtle football reference. When it’s fourth down in the red zone and you’re down by six with seconds left, it’s ‘Passing Time.’ And when you’re enjoying a bottle of great wine with good friends, it’s just Passing Time. We think it’s the perfect metaphor for the wine, and we can’t wait to share it with wine lovers who share our passion for great wine.”
- Dan Marino, Doug Donnelly, Kevin Hughes, Damon Huard
Winemaker :
We are proud to have Chris Peterson as our consulting winemaker. After spending eight years as Assistant and Production Winemaker at DeLille Cellars, he co-founded Avennia in 2010. Peterson’s wines have found considerable acclaim from critics locally and nationally. He was recently named the 2017 "Winemaker of the Year" by Seattle Magazine.
Before his Woodinville career, Chris was the first graduate of Walla Walla’s highly regarded School of Enology and Viticulture, where he also taught a Wines of the World class. His travels to and study of Old World wine regions have informed his desire to make unique and compelling wines using traditional techniques. His years in the Washington wine industry and the quality of his work have allowed us to partner with premier sites to fulfill the Passing Time vision.
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All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
In 1992 the Hill-Smith family counted themselves amongst those fortunate enough to own a vineyard upon the famous Coonawarra terra rossa soil over limestone. Experimentation, innovation, minimalist intervention and small batch winemaking has resulted in The Menzies’ reputation as a wine of longevity, elegance and structure.
Situated in the heart of Coonawarra’s terra rossa strip, The Menzies Estate vineyard lies on a flat plain, approximately 70km from the coast. Given the terrain and influence of the cooling Bonney upwelling, Coonawarra is an ideal location to grow premium Cabernet Sauvignon. Our soil is red sandy loam over limestone, which is classic Cabernet Sauvignon country. The grapes for The Menzies 2017 are from vines planted in 1994 and 1996. Bunches are usually small with small berries, giving concentration via an ideal skin to juice ratio favouring the making of fullbodied reds.
Experimentation, innovation, minimalist intervention, and small batch winemaking has resulted in The Menzies' reputation as a wine of longevity, elegance, and structure.
Aromas of fresh rosemary, mulberry, violets and exotic spices. Take a sip and you will feel the poise and tension for which great Cabernet is renowned. A wine of great complexity with flavors of blackcurrant, bitter chocolate, and mulberries, wrapped in divine tannins and a lovely sweet, dark fruit finish. With decanting in its youth, it is enjoyable as an elegant full-bodied red wine.
Review:
The 2018 The Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon is luscious and velvety in the mouth, with a lustrous core of shimmering purple Cabernet fruit. The tannins are typical of Coonawarra in that they are firm, yet they are seamlessly inlaid into the fruit, which feels as if it spills over the edge of the glass. Seductive but rigid, it will have a long life in front of it, make no mistake. You get cassis, resin, licorice, raspberry, gravel/iodine, bay leaf, dark chocolate, after dinner mints (the only brand to be had is the After Eight mints, of course), and notions of cedar spice. Brilliant. 14% alcohol, sealed under cork.
-Wine Spectator 95 Points
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