General Winery Reviews

"Tim and Kelly Hightower make small amounts of high-quality, handcrafted Cabernet Sauvignon. They focus on grapes from such fine vineyards as Boushey, Artz, Pepper Bridge, and Alder Ridge as they produce the wines from vine to the bottle. Best Bets: Cabernet Sauvignon. Hightower's first wine is a Cab with small amounts of Merlot blended in. The result is a red wine of distinction with wonderful depth, power and grace."
  -Andy Perdue, Northwest Wine Guide, A Buyer's Handbook

"About 210 miles from Seattle is the Red Mountain area...Don't leave the region without sipping the hard-to-find wines of Hightower Cellars..."
  -Time Magazine

"Service only a smaller winery can provide ... A perfect example is Hightower Cellars, located in Eastern Washington's Red Mountain growing region. Tim and Kelly Hightower literally run the entire winemaking process from start to finish. They're also wonderful hosts and you'll be hard pressed to find a nicer pair of people in the wine business."
  -Dan Radil, Bellingham Herald

2004 Merlot, Columbia Valley

"...2004 Merlot is drinking splendidly! Look for bright cherry and raspberry aromas and flavors with underlying complexity and structure from 18% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. Try it with your own harvest celebration from the grill."
  - Chuck Hill, Wines Northwest October, 2007

2003 Merlot, Columbia Valley

"Smooth, hard and glossy, with tightly wound fruits dappled with light herbs. The mix of plum, cherry, coffee and earth is perfectly balanced, and the wine shows good density and extract. Grapes are from Red Mountain, Walla Walla and Horse Heaven. Score: 92"
  -Paul Gregutt, Wine Enthusiast October, 2006

"the 2003 Merlot...a big wine loaded with dark cherry flavors"
  -Dan Radil, Bellingham Herald

2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley

"Enticing, complex nose of black/red fruit precedes mouth-filling flavors that lean toward black fruit such as currant, plum and blackberry, mingled with black cherry, vanilla and spice; nicely balanced by firm structure and soft, yet plentiful tannins. Score: 90"
  -Richard Kinssies & Howard G. Goldberg, The Wine News

"the 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon... which is drinking awfully well right now. It also displays cherry fruit with subtle tannins and a velvety finish."
  --Dan Radil, Bellingham Herald

2002 Merlot, Columbia Valley

"Floral nose of Lavendar, rose, blackberry jam and herb; clean berry and cherry flavors, mouthwatering acidity...good with food...limited production."
  -San Franscisco Chronicle Wine Selections

2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley

"I like the firm core of cassis, cherry and plum; it says cabernet loud and clear...transitions cleanly to well-managed tannins and makes a smooth landing; 88"
  -Paul Gregutt, Wine Enthusiast

"Aromas of black fruit, licorice, cedar, herbs and a distinctive olive character carries right on over to the palate, with a nice acidic backbone giving structure. Pair this one with veal shanks cooked with rosemary and kalamata olives; 89/90"
  -Randy Buckner, Wine Lover's Page

"I thought this was a beautifully structured wine with plum and black cherries in the mouth and a long finish. The grapes come from Red Mountain, and I always get a dusty, brambly cassis flavor from Red Mountain wines."
  -Spokesman Review

"This lean and angular wine shows a different side of Cabernet Sauvignon with aromas of coffee/chocolate, leather, blackberry and toasty oak. On the palate, fruity flavors of plums and cherries mingle with textural qualities that mellow into a velvety fruit-filled finish. The complexity of the palate mingles nicely with the grilled flavors of the lamb."
  -Chuck Hill, WinesNorthwest.com

2001 Merlot, Columbia Valley

"A good mix of vineyards (Artz on Red Mountain, Alder Ridge from the Horse Heaven Hills, Pepper Bridge from Walla Walla) ensures a smooth, full-bodied wine that really showcases what Washington merlot is all about. Plummy and sweet, the fleshy fruit hints at raspberry preserves, leading to a silky, chocolate and vanilla finish."
  -Wine Enthusiast

"Light ruby in color, the wine gives off aromas of sweet black fruit, leather and olives. You'll find a crisp wine that is full in the mouth with liqueur-like fruit and olive notes; 88/88"
  -Randy Buckner, Wine Lover's Page

"I recently tried their red wines and found them to be pleasantly and distinctly different. The one thing they had in common was their handcrafted attention to detail, which clearly shows in the quality of each glass...Very plummy with some black cherry flavors and supple tannins. This wine would be a beautiful complement to a pumpkin or butternut squash soup or perhaps a duck entrée."
  -Dan Radil, The Bellingham Herald

Silver Medal, 2004 NorthWest Wine Summit

Silver Medal, 2004 Finger Lakes Wine Competition

2000 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley

Gold Medal, 2004 NorthWest Wine Summit

Silver Medal, 2004 International Eastern Wine Competition

"Deep, generous cherry scents mirrored on the palate with additional flavors of plum, cassis and new oak."
  -Richard Kinssies, The Wine News

"Like a favorite piece of leather luggage. It has aromas of cedar and pipe tobacco, then bold flavors of currants and dried cherries. It's a take-anywhere red."
  -Bob Woehler, Wine Press Northwest

"This tiny winery on the slopes of Red Mountain scores with a Cab showing compelling mint notes amid aromas and flavors of black cherries, chocolate and leather. Great structure gives this length. Excellent."
  -Wine Press Northwest

2000 Merlot, Columbia Valley

"The best of the state's 2000 merlots...A tight, muscular merlot that shows off firm, plump fruit, black olive/herbal highlights and smooth tannins."
  -The Seattle Times

"Recommended. Berry fruit, cedar and light toast aroma. Bright and vibrant on the palate, with flavors of berry and toast. Well balanced, with soft tannins."
  -Northwest Palate

1999 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley

"A rich and powerful handcrafted wine, eminently age-worthy but, thanks to a hefty mixture of merlot grapes, delicious right now."
  -Seattle Weekly Hot Sheet

"Pacific Northwest Wine of the Week...This Cab is an understated and intricate wine with classic black currant and toasted oak aromas. It offers layers of subtle complexity with black fruit, spice, sweet tobacco and more and finishes smooth and satisfying."
  -Wine Press Northwest

"Tim and Kelly Hightower have done it again with a great wine for the price. They are making the big move to their own winery in eastern Washington. Grab this rising star for your cellar."
  -Arista Wine Cellar

1998 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley

"Full ruby red. Extravagant aromas of spiced plum, meat and menthol. Large scaled, layered and plump, with fruit-driven red and blackcurrant flavors. Big and soft...Finished with easy tannins and good length."
  -Stephen Tanzer's International wine Cellar

"Dark garnet color. Cassis, vanilla and barrel toast in the nose. Bright flavors of currant fruit balance chocolatey barrel toast and youthful tannins. Medium-bodied, with currant and toast on the finish."
  -Northwest Palate

1997 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley

"...this is an extremely well-made wine with pure red cherry and candied raspberry aromas, intermingled with faint touches of vanilla. Medium-bodied and satin-textured, it is refined, fruit dominated and possesses a long, well-furnished finish."
  -The Wine Advocate

"From one of Washington's newest wineries comes this complex and attractive Cabernet that shows nuances of blackberry fruit, black cherry and cedar."
  -The Seattle Times

"Hightower Cellars is one of the area's newest, and its first vintage is a great start with a blend of grapes from the Yakima Valley's Red Mountain Vineyard and the Walla Walla Valley's Pepper Bridge Vineyard. The wine freatures delicious dark fruit flavors and soft tannins laced with berries that leave a nice mouthfeel."
  -Tri-Cities Herald

"Deep garnet color. Complex and attractive style with nuances of blackberry, black cherry and cedar. Highly recommended."
  -Northwest Palate

"...Leans towards the firm side but has nice soft flavors and finish. Kinda like silk stockings on Robocop."
  -Wine X Magazine