News & Events
October 18, 201114 Hands Varietal Wines Now Available Nationally at Retail
14 Hands has announced the national retail launch of its varietal tier of wines which includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Riesling. The wines began shipping nationally in August 2011 and are available for the suggested retail price of $12.
14 Hands wines are inspired by the spirit of the wild horses that once roamed the arid, open landscape of eastern Washington. It was here that these horses – measuring a scant “14 hands” tall – developed their legendary endurance, strength, and tenacious spirit. Today, this landscape provides the perfect conditions for grape growing. Sunny days, cool nights and loamy-sand and gravel soils produce the premium quality fruit that allows Winemaker Keith Kenison to craft bold, complex reds and crisp, fruit-forward whites.
"I take a practical approach to winemaking and let the fruit express itself," Kenison explains. "I guide the wine to its final destination with as few manipulations as possible, making every decision by taste because, ultimately, that's what matters to the person buying a bottle of 14 Hands.”
• 14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon features aromas of red currants and raspberries with subtle hints of spice. Spiced cherry and plum flavors are joined by notes of cocoa and complemented by fine, velvety tannins.
• 14 Hands Merlot begins with distinctive aromas of dark fruits, baking spice and earth which are typical of the variety when grown in Washington. Subtle flavors of boysenberry, pie crust and allspice, surrounding a bright cherry core, are supported by a framework of supple tannins and culminate with a lengthy, lush finish.
• 14 Hands Chardonnay opens with bright apple and floral aromas that are complemented by light notes of vanilla and sweet butterscotch. Juicy pear and apple flavors give way to subtle touches of toast and spice and ends with a soft finish.
• 14 Hands Riesling reveals aromas of spiced peaches, freshly sliced apples and subtle notes of honey and flowers. Juicy flavors of nectarines and apricots fill the mouth ending with a racy, sweet-tart finish.
Kenison has been making wines in Washington state for more than 15 years. It was his interest in winemaking that brought him to Washington and over the years his expertise in enology and winemaking blossomed. In 2002 Kenison crafted the debut vintages of 14 Hands – the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
In 2005 14 Hands wines were introduced as a ‘by-the-glass’ wine for fine dining establishments. Consumers were quickly impressed with the quality and value of 14 Hands and showed increasing levels of interest for the wines over the years. Impact magazine named 14 Hands a “Hot Brand” for three consecutive years (2008, 2009, 2010), Beverage Dynamics awarded the winery the “Fast Track Brand” award for 2009 and 2010, and it received a Adams Handbook “Rising Star” award for 2008. Most recently the 2010 Wine & Spirits Restaurant Poll ranked the 14 Hands Merlot the #15 Most Popular Wine by the Glass and the 14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon the #15 Most Popular Cabernet.