Sagebreaker wines are named after George Smith, who broke sagebrush from the ground in the Horse Heaven Hills a century ago. Today, his descendants – the Andrews family – carry that legacy forward at Andrews Family Vineyards, with groundbreaking Sagebreaker and Trothe wines. As winemaker of the impressive team, Ray McKee crafted these three noteworthy Sagebreaker wines. These wines show the same structure and finesse as Trothe’s luxury lineup, but feature more integrated oak. In a recent chat, Ray told us that he lovingly makes Sagebreaker like Trothe. However, he described Sagebreaker as “wines of yumminess meant to be enjoyed by anyone and everyone with food anytime. Sagebreaker helps people light up their mouths and progress on their wine journey.” Read on for details.

Sagebreaker Wines

Recently, excellent winemaker Ray McKee told us that he creates Sagebreaker wines to bring elegance without pretense to the glass, and feel approachable. He describes these three releases as “yummy and sexy, with opulent fruit and lovely good oak flavors.” So, of course, we added them – 2024 White Rhône blend, 2022 Red Rhône blend, and 2022 Bordeaux blend — to our cellar.

To experience these wines, you can join the allocation list. You can also find bottles at many of the state’s fine restaurants.

Sagebreaker Wines: 2024 White Rhône Blend

This 2024 white Rhone-style blend is chockfull of minerality and so crystal clean, it makes me think of the crisp waterfalls you can find in the northwest. We loved it – one of our favorite whites of the year. Ray combined 48% Viognier, 41% Roussanne, and 11% Marsanne into a pretty glass of sunshine, featuring delicate layers of citrus and stone fruit. This beauty is also Certified Sustainable by Sustainable WA and Sagebreaker’s first Certified Salmon Safe wine. We found it substantial enough to sip without food. However, you could pair it with scallops, other seafood dishes, or a summer salad too.

Sagebreaker 2022 Red Rhône Blend

We immediately noticed the spicy and bright aromas and flavors in this Rhône blend of Grenache (56%), Syrah (21%), and Mourvèdre (23%). Ray co-fermented the grapes and aged them in large-format French oak and concrete. First, Grenache brings the spice notes and flavors of berries. Next, Syrah adds dark fruit and black pepper to the blend. Finally, Mourvèdre creates more structure and weight. According to Ray, fermentation in Italian concrete lent itself to a fresh, vibrant wine. Meanwhile, aging in French oak “rounded out the palate and contributed layers of complex aromatics and flavors.”

Sagebreaker Wines: 2022 Red Bordeaux Blend

Ray blended 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.5% Cab Franc, and .5% Petit Verdot into their second release of a Bordeaux-style blend. What a spectacular combination. This is a stunning Bordeaux-style blend, crafted from some of the top Cabernet blocks at Andrews Family Vineyard, which are also in Trothe wines. We paired it with juicy steaks, which showed off this wine’s power and elegance. And we’re saving a bottle in the cellar to serve with a savory stew or roast in the colder months.

Summary

In conclusion, Jeff Andrews, proprietor of Andrews Family Vineyards, Sagebreaker, and Trothe told us this last year, when the brand first released: “Sagebreaker wines express our site and the Horse Heaven Hills through fruit-driven blends aged in 100% new French Oak. They are designed to be incredibly delicious and approachable at a young age, but will also evolve nicely for years to come.”

To see for yourself, join the allocation list or look for Sagebreaker wines at many of Washington’s fine restaurants.

Meanwhile, find us here at Write for Wine and on Instagram, Threads, and Facebook.

Cheers!
Margot and Dave