Winemaker Notes
Blend: 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 46% Cabernet, 42% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc, the 2011 Dubrul Vineyard Carriage House is a forward, yet elegant and nicely balanced 2011 that gives up lots of lavender, loamy soil, leather, red currants and black cherry-like fruit. Lively, energetic and already approachable, it should still have a decade of longevity.
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Wine Enthusiast
Lighter in color, this wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The aromas are locked up tightly on first pour, opening up over time to reveal notes of herb, spice, flower and dark cherry. The palate is more giving, with abundant but still elegant cherry and herb flavors that linger on the finish. It's all about elegance.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
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.