INTRINSIC™ Wine Co.’s Inaugural 2014 Vintage Makes Two Top 100 in the World Lists

Winemaker Juan Muñoz-Oca Named “Winemaker to Watch”

Paterson, Wash., December 13, 2016 – The inaugural release of the INTRINSIC 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, a raw yet elegant wine from the famed Columbia Valley in Washington State produced using “extreme” extended maceration, has cemented its place among Washington’s most acclaimed wines in 2016 with not one, but TWO coveted top 100 designations from the country’s leading wine publications: #97 in Wine Enthusiast’s “THE ENTHUSIAST 100 OF 2016” list, and #32 in Wine Spectator’s “Top 100 Wines” in the world list for 2016.

The accolades don’t end there. Both wine publications, Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast, gave INTRINSIC 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon a 92 point score in blind-tastings conducted earlier this year, and Seattle Met named winemaker Juan Muñoz-Oca one of “6 Winemakers to Watch.” All of the excitement and buzz have made INTRINSIC the sixth best-selling Cabernet Sauvignon over $15 in Washington State, according to AC Nielsen*.

For INTRINSIC, of which the 2014 vintage launched in May of 2016, winemaker Juan Muñoz-Oca felt there was more that could be extracted from the grape skins and more layers and depth that could be created. After much experimentation and trial and error, the resulting wine has tremendous complexity because the core of the wine stayed in contact with the skins for approximately nine months, whereas a typical red wine from Washington State spends less than one month on the skins.

The demand for the 2014 INTRINSIC Cabernet Sauvignon has been so intensified with the recent accolades that the number of cases nationwide are dwindling and has completely sold out online The good news is the 2015 vintage released just this month and will be available online and in retailers nationwide soon.

Similar to the 2014 vintage, the 2015 was crafted with the same extended skin contact techniques, however the 2015 vintage actually has a higher percentage of wine that underwent the extreme maceration (50%) than the 2014 vintage (45%), despite more of the wine being produced overall due to demand. In addition, 10% of wine was fermented in concrete tanks, highlighting the mineral character of the wine. Also similar to the 2014 vintage, no new oak was used in the aging of the 2015 wine. The flavors and tannins are a result of the extended skin contact.

INTRINSIC Cabernet Sauvignon is available in select restaurants and retailers nationwide, and online, at the suggested price of $22. For more information, visit IntrinsicWineCo.com or follow @intrinsicwineco on Instagram.

About INTRINSIC ™ Wine Co. INTRINSIC Wine Co. was created to help bridge the gap between the agricultural setting where wine grapes are grown and the urban setting where wine is enjoyed. The inspiration behind the INTRINSIC label came from urban culture and the similarities between street art and winemaking. Both are reflective of the environment around them and are collaborations between artist and landscape. Winemaker Juan Muñoz-Oca used this insight and married it with the incredible quality of tannins in Washington State grapes to push the traditional boundaries of Cabernet Sauvignon in the same way street art pushes boundaries of urban aesthetics. By extracting more from the grape skins, our winemaker believed he could impart more layers and depth to the wine. After years of experimentation and trial and error involving extreme extended maceration, INTRINSIC was born. For more information visit IntrinsicWineCo.com or follow us at Instagram.com/Intrinsicwineco.

*Report pulled from a 13-week period ending in November 5, 2016.

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For further information:
Renae Kochel
Renae.Kochel@smwe.com