Winemaker Notes
The 2017 vintage started out with a cool spring which was an extension of the preceding cool, wet winter throughout Eastern Washington. This meant that both bud break and bloom took place behind some of the more recent warm vintages. July and August warmed up with temperatures higher than average leading to a typical harvest time of mid-September for the first grapes. By the end of September, the temperatures
started to cool down allowing for extra hang time and a more extending harvest window. The 2017 Vintage is already shaping up to be vintage with a focus on elegance and freshness.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Two Blondes Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon has ripe, layered fruit aromas of dusty blackberry, dark plums and cherries on the nose. The palate is complex, showing energetic cassis fruit with red and black cherry skin. The mid-palate is firm with structuring tannins and lively acidity, gliding to a long finish with subtle oak tones. This bottling will age gracefully but is accessible now for those who want instant gratification.
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Jeb Dunnuck
A great value, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Two Blondes Vineyard displays classic Yakima Valley Cabernet herbal and cedary notes as well as ample dark, meaty fruits, medium-bodied richness and depth, a silky texture and a good finish. It’s a forward, already approachable 2017 to enjoy over the coming decade.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
As the first recognized wine-growing region in the Pacific Northwest, Yakima Valley is centrally located within Washington’s vast Columbia Valley. The region also includes Washington’s oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines, Otis Vineyard, planted in 1957, and Harrison Hill Vineyard, planted in 1963. Yakima Valley contains three smaller sub-regions: Rattlesnake Hills, Red Mountain, and Snipes Mountain and is ideal for both red and white wine production. In fact, Yakima Valley is Washington’s most diverse region, boasting more than 40 different grape varieties over about one hundred miles.
The cooler parts of the valley are home to almost half of the Chardonnay and Riesling produced in the state! Both are made in a wide range of styles depending on the conditions of the vineyard site.
But its warmer locations yield a large proportion of Washington’s best Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. The finest Yakima Valley reds are jam-packed full of red cherry, currant, raspberry or blackberry fruit, as well as cocoa, herb, spice and savory notes, and exhibit a supple texture, great body, focus and length.