Long Shadows estate spotlight
The official Long Shadows Vintners channel walks the Walla Walla home behind Nine Hats, where Gilles Nicault directs this Columbia Valley blend.
The market on this bottle
Wine-Searcher tracks this 2020 Nine Hats Red Wine Columbia Valley across the open market. Their published U.S. low is $14.86 and the average is $25.67. Our slash is $15.00.
2020 Nine Hats Red Wine Columbia Valley, USA
Gilles Nicault's Cabernet-led Columbia Valley blend, three 91-point reviews, a 2020 you can open at fifteen dollars.
The 2020 Nine Hats Red is 50 percent Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Syrah, and Petit Verdot: blackberry, cocoa, dried herb, now $15.
Three critics at 91, a Cabernet-led blend you can actually use
Wine Enthusiast named it an Editors' Choice. James Suckling and Wine and Spirits matched the 91. Gilles Nicault built a 50 percent Cabernet blend with Merlot silk and a Syrah edge. This is the proof that a Columbia Valley red can be serious and still land on a weeknight table.
The house
Nine Hats is the Long Shadows everyday label, directed by Gilles Nicault in Walla Walla.
The wine
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 15% Syrah, 5% Petit Verdot. 14.5% ABV.
The scores
Wine Enthusiast 91, Editors' Choice. James Suckling 91. Wine and Spirits 91.
The drinker
Blackberry and cocoa. Serve 60 to 64 F. Ribs or a blackened fish sandwich.
Blackberry, cocoa, dried herb, a savory close
Dark berry, cocoa, coffee, dried herbs, and tobacco meet polished tannin. The finish is savory dark chocolate rather than sweet jam.
A Cabernet-led Washington blend year. Merlot fills the middle. Syrah and Petit Verdot add spice and color.
Blackberry, cocoa, coffee, dried herbs, tobacco.
Medium, fine tannin, 14.5% ABV, Cabernet frame with Merlot silk.
Savory dark chocolate. Serve 60 to 64 F. A short splash decant is optional.
Cabernet frame, Gilles Nicault in the cellar
Gilles Nicault directs winemaking and viticulture for Nine Hats. The 2020 red is 50 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 30 percent Merlot, 15 percent Syrah, and 5 percent Petit Verdot. Cabernet sets the line. Merlot fills it. Syrah and Petit Verdot add the savory edge.
Fruit is Columbia Valley. The Long Shadows cellar in Walla Walla is the home. The brief is drinkability with enough structure for ribs.
Serve 60 to 64 F. A splash decant is optional, not required.
Nine Hats inside the Long Shadows idea
Allen Shoup founded Long Shadows so Washington fruit could hire great hands. Nine Hats is the house you can open on a Tuesday.
Nine Hats launched in 2007 from the Long Shadows project in Walla Walla. Gilles Nicault has directed the wines and the viticulture.
The name nods to the many hats a Washington winemaker wears. The 2020 red is Cabernet-led Columbia Valley fruit in that everyday-serious lane.
Three 91-point reviews on the exact vintage make the bottle unusually easy to trust at the table.
Ribs on the tray, blackened fish on a bun
Blackberry, cocoa, and dried herb want sweet-smoky glaze or a Cajun crust, not a delicate plate.
Two plates. One oven-baked rib. One blackened fish sandwich with slaw. Both can take this blend.
Serve 60 to 64 F. A short splash decant is optional, not required.
Oven-Baked Barbecue Ribs
Sweet-smoky ribs deepen blackberry, cocoa, and coffee while tannin cuts the glaze.
Why it works: Char and caramel meet the review notes without burying the fruit.
View Recipe for oven-baked barbecue ribs (opens in a new tab)
Blackened Fish Sandwich with Slaw
A Cajun crust draws out dried herbs and tobacco. Slaw keeps it fresh.
Why it works: Savory spice meets the blend's darker edge. Fruit softens the heat.
View Recipe for blackened fish sandwich (opens in a new tab)Put the Editors' Choice red in the cart
Gilles Nicault, three 91s, blackberry and cocoa. Fifteen dollars.
Put it in the cart. This is the Columbia Valley blend you can open tonight and still respect in the morning.
