Overview: We (Kelly, Mom/President/Founding Winemaker and Chris Sparkman, Dad/President/Founding Winemaker) launched Sparkman Cellars in Woodinville, Washington in 2004 to focus on our family. In Year One we made one baby girl, 12 barrels of wine (289 cases) and three labels in a tiny warehouse. In Year Three we made another baby girl, opened our first tasting room, made 1425 cases of wine and eight labels. We have now grown our annual production to over 12,000 cases in our shiny new winery, tasting room and event hall at the old Redhook Brewery in Woodinville. The babies are now in high school. We remain a family owned and operated winery committed to making wines that are considered among the finest in the world.
Holler is named for Red Hollow, the place where Chris's parents live in Knoxville, Tennessee. The theory behind the wine is simple: once the barrels for Kingpin are selected, the remaining barrels (plus some other Bordeaux varietals) become Holler. The blend is Cabernet Sauvignon based wine, with small portions of Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc. The grapes are sourced from multiple vineyards in the Colombia Valley AVA (Obelisco, Dyonisus, Olsen, Kiona, Oasis and Klipsun). The wine ages in roughly 30% New oak divided between near equal parts of French and American Oak for 18 months.
Tasting Notes: Polished, supple and just plain delicious. A cabernet sauvignon blended with malbec, cab franc, merlot, and petit verdot for a gorgeous wine of lovely depth and power. It shows a dense blue-purple color as well as a showy bouquet of blackberries, pencil lead, cedar, stone, sweet oak and mineral. On the palate it leads with pretty, bright, blue and black fruits, mocha, herbs and fine chewy tannins. As always with this wine, a little decantation will help it open, but rest assured it will develop for many years.
Pairing: Steak and baked potato, old school like. Or roasted mushrooms and mashers.
Points: 93, Wine Spectator
Format/ABV: 750 ml/14.5%
In certain circumstances, a specific vintage may not be available. If this is the case, a comparable vintage of the same wine will be substituted for online orders. If shopping in store, please check the bottle for the appropriate vintage. If you have a question about a specific vintage that is in stock, please email wine@kegnbottle.com
