Canon De Sol Successfully Blends Culture
By Bob Woehler
Canon De Sol winery in Benton City has parlayed its Mexican
heritage and outstanding winemaking into an international
reputation.
Victor Cruz, owner of the small 3,500-case winery, has seen a
meteoric rise in recognition of his distinctive label with an
Aztec-type symbol of the sun peeking into Badger Canyon.
The winery was launched in 1999 by Cruz, who had no winemaking
experience. However, the former Westinghouse engineer was aided by
his boyhood chum Charlie Hoppes, one of the Pacific Northwest's most
esteemed winemakers.
Awards earned with the first bottlings brought quick recognition
for Canon De Sol within the Northwest. But it is very difficult for
such a tiny operation to be noticed outside the region unless it has
a difference from other similar wineries -- no matter how good the
wines.
Cruz, a Western Washington University graduate, grew up in Wapato
where his father was a migrant farmworker. His grandparents were
born in Mexico, and he taps into that heritage for Canon De Sol.
Earlier this year he spoke in Washington, D.C., to a gathering of
400 lawyers at the National Association of Hispanic Lawyers. Cruz
talked about his wines and the Washington wine industry, and the
audience included Carlos de Icaza, the Mexican ambassador to the
U.S., who became an immediate fan of Cruz's wines.
Cruz, who now is doing much of the winemaking but still with the
consultation of Hoppes, recognizes that the fast-growing Hispanic
community in the U.S. is a huge potential market for his wines,
especially with a Hispanic name on the label. He also hopes to
capture some of the Mexican market.
He has been interviewed by national Hispanic radio and TV
networks and has been featured in Colors, a Pacific Northwest
magazine focused on minority businesses.
What his heritage has done is open up new markets for Canon De
Sol Merlot, Syrah, Meritage red blend and Viognier, which often sell
out soon after release. It also opened up potential markets in
Washington, D.C., and Texas.
All the interest is causing Cruz to consider increasing
production to 5,000 cases and crafting a second line exclusively for
sales in Mexico.
It was a real treat last week to sit down with the Wine Press
Northwest tasting panel and review a five-year vertical offering of
Canon De Sol Merlot and Syrah.
1999 Merlot -- It still is showing well with lots of chocolate
and leather aromas along with dark cherry flavors. It's aging well
for a merlot.
2000 Merlot -- This has wonderful toffee candy bar aromas with
some appealing berry fruit flavors. A long savory finish is the
hallmark of this vintage.
2001 Merlot -- Here you'll find complex aromas and flavors with
opulent spice and dark chocolates. It's smooth and so easy to drink.
2002 Merlot -- Extremely concentrated cedar and oak aromas lead
into rich berry fruit along with some black olives. And there's
plenty of life left for the cellar.
2003 Merlot -- This is still on the market for $24. Toffee,
coffee and oak aromas yield to wonderful chocolate and sweet cherry
flavors with bright acidity.
1999 Syrah -- Among the features in this is a great mouth appeal
with opulent fruit including raspberries, along with some nice
mineral beginnings and juicy jam finish.
2000 Syrah -- It is showing its age a bit with caramel and smoky
oak qualities, but there's still full-bodied fruit flavors.
2001 Syrah -- You'll find a typical hedonist Aussie style. It's
very jammy, loaded with blackberries, great balance, big bold aromas
and flavors.
2002 Syrah -- A year later, and it's a spin of the globe to
experience a classic Rhone style with leather, bacon and oak aromas
and huge chocolate flavors. Dark blueberries abound with plenty of
tannins and a big finish.
2003 Syrah -- This is still on the market, if you can find it for
$30. Think of Bloody Mary spice qualities in the aromas. Its texture
is very rich and elegant, loaded with rich blackberry juice flavors.
Cruz said he might package his remaining inventory into a special
wooden box of five Merlots and Syrahs in time for the holidays at a
price of about $200 to $300.
If the reception is similar to his annual releases, these boxes
will go quickly. For more information, visit www.canondesol.com or
contact the winery at 509-588-6311.
Bob Woehler
has been writing about grapes and wines of the Pacific Northwest
since 1978. His columns appear twice monthly in the Tri-City
Herald in Tri-Cities, Wash. and in Wine
Press Northwest.
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