Wautoma Springs 'El Prat' Red Blend, Columbia Valley, Washington

Black cherry and blueberry lead with generous dark fruit, while sage brings a savory lift to a rich, smooth palate framed by balanced tannins. The 2022 Wautoma Springs El Prat Red combines 63% Malbec, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 16% Cabernet Franc, with a layered élevage spanning neutral oak, new American oak, and new French oak. Produced in a limited 460-case lot, El Prat holds a special place in Wautoma Springs' history as the first wine the team gave its own name, remaining a dark-fruited, approachable expression of the partnership between winemaker Jessica Munnell and grape grower Tom Merkle.

Product Details:

• Winemaker & Co-Owner: Jessica Munnell
• Grape Grower & Co-Owner: Tom Merkle
• Grape Varieties: 63% Malbec, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc
• Oak Aging: 68% neutral oak, 21% new American oak, 11% new French oak
• ABV: 14%
• pH: 3.8
• Case Production: 460 cases

Sensory Description:

Black cherry and blueberry form the core of the wine, delivering ripe, concentrated fruit without obscuring its savory dimension. Sage adds an herbal counterpoint, while the combination of neutral, American, and French oak contributes breadth and structure around the fruit. The palate is rich and smooth, with balanced tannins providing shape through a generous, composed finish.

Winemaker’s Background:

Wautoma Springs grew from the partnership between winemaker Jessica Munnell and second-generation grape grower Tom Merkle, who combined their respective experience in Washington winemaking and viticulture to establish a small-production project built around close relationships with vineyards and growers. Munnell brings a career spanning both vineyard work and winemaking to the cellar, while Merkle contributes decades of experience farming and managing vineyards throughout Washington, creating a partnership in which grape growing and winemaking remain closely connected. El Prat occupies an important place in that history as the first Wautoma Springs wine to receive its own name, created by blending the Malbec and Cabernet wines that formed the young winery's portfolio. The name means “the prairie” in Spanish, chosen as a reference to the broad, open landscape of eastern Washington, and the wine remains one of the producer's original expressions: rich, dark-fruited, approachable, and designed with the table in mind.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve at approximately 16 to 18 degrees Celsius in a medium to large red wine glass. A brief 20 to 30 minutes of air before serving can help the dark fruit, sage, and oak-derived complexity open further. Pair with grilled steak, braised beef, lamb, roasted pork, burgers, mushroom dishes, aged cheddar, or herb-roasted vegetables. Its combination of ripe Malbec fruit, Cabernet structure, and smooth tannins makes it particularly adaptable to grilled and slow-cooked dishes with savory herbs.