Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Superb sculpture and definition in this compact and lightly funky evocation of pure Cabernet Sauvignon. The deep, dense, super ripe berry flavors are framed within a bouquet of dried herbs, pepper, mineral, astringent tannins, and a crisp mix of earth, wood and plant flavors. Superb length and ageability. Cellar Selection.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Cayuse En Chamberlain 2008 Widowmaker is an essence of cassis laced with sloe berry as well as floral distillates that would seem remarkable for any wine from Cabernet Sauvignon, let alone when subjected – as was the bottle in question this March – to side-by-side comparison with Baron’s Bionic Frog of the same vintage. There is a remarkable creaminess of texture and sheer melted fondue of tannins here that I wouldn’t have believed possible. Is this seductive Cabernet Sauvignon as complex as the greatest examples of its variety? Hardly, I think. But it finishes with extraordinary length and there are stony and bittersweet herbal nuances as well as a hint of chocolate to parallel its persistent florality and intensely luscious fruit. Look for at least a decade of delight.
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Wine Spectator
Black olive, tar and deep currant and spice flavors make up the flavor profile of this polished, generous, mouthfilling Cabernet. Distinctive and harmonious.
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.
Responsible for some of Washington’s most highly acclaimed wines, the Walla Walla Valley has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years and is home to both historic wineries and younger, up-and-coming producers.
The Walla Walla Valley, a Native American name meaning “many waters,” is located in southeastern Washington; part of the appellation actually extends into Oregon. Soils here are well-drained, sandy loess over Missoula Flood deposits and fractured basalt.
It is a region perfectly suited to Rhône-inspired Syrahs, distinguished by savory notes of red berry, black olive, smoke and fresh earth. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot create a range of styles from smooth and supple to robust and well-structured. White varieties are rare but some producers blend Sauvignon Blanc with Sémillon, resulting in a rich and round style, and plantings of Viognier, while minimal, are often quite successful.
Of note within Walla Walla, is one new and very peculiar appellation, called the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater. This is the only AVA in the U.S. whose boundaries are totally defined by the soil type. Soils here look a bit like those in the acclaimed Rhône region of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but are large, ancient, basalt cobblestones. These stones work in the same way as they do in Chateauneuf, absorbing and then radiating the sun's heat up to enhance the ripening of grape clusters. The Rocks District is within the part of Walla Walla that spills over into Oregon and naturally excels in the production of Rhône varieties like Syrah, as well as the Bordeaux varieties.