Doug & Heather Roberts founded Amelia Bleu in 2009. The winery, named after daughter Amelia, currently produces three wines using fruit from Ashlyn’s Vineyard (named after their other daughter) in Chelan, Washington. We took the opportunity to visit their new tasting room on a recent excursion out to the Woodinville warehouse district.
Riverenza, Italian for reverence, is dedicated to the memory of Heather and Doug’s brothers who lost their battles with cancer. 5% of the proceeds from this wine is donated to cancer research.
The 2009 Riverenza is a blend of 57% Syrah, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot. The wine is dark purple in color. On the nose you pick up the savory, gamey aspects of the Syrah. The palate is grapey, with cherry and a touch of pepper. Soft tannins make this a wine to enjoy in the near term, although I suspect the wine could use another year to come together.
Amelia Bleu is worth a stop on your next visit to the Warehouse District.
My rating: 88 points
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