Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Beginning with aromas of espresso bean and chocolate-covered cherries, the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Père de Famille is marked with a firm oaky essence that initially dominates the nose. The wine is medium to full-bodied, with layers of juicy black and dark red fruit, and it is broad and dense on the palate before showcasing its oaky frame with firm, juicy tannins with hints of sweet herbal essences. The wine concludes with a gripping tannic edge and lingering esophageal burn from elevated alcohol. Time is running out on this one, so drink over the next few years and chill it down a few degrees colder.
Washington produces so many exciting wines, and that definitely includes Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. With over 10,000 acres under vine, Cabernet Sauvignon is now the most widely-grown varietal in the state. Terrific examples hail from sub-appellations like Red Mountain, Wahluke Slope, Horse Heaven Hills and Walla Walla Valley. One of the fascinations of these Columbia Valley Cabs is that they so often seem to have one foot in the New World and one in the Old. Representing the former are characteristics like the ripe, forward fruit that results from long sunny days during the growing season (up to two hours longer than in much of California). Old World similarities include an undeniable brightness from acidity, as well as notes of herbs, graphite and a dusty, sometimes gravelly minerality.
Whether you’re looking for a budget bottle for everyday enjoyment, or a stellar, world-class wine with tremendous aging potential, Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wines can deliver the goods! Among the many fine options are bottles from Columbia Crest, Chateau Ste. Michelle, L’ecole #41, Quilceda Creek and Leonetti.