Winemaker Notes
The 2022 D2 is elegant and plush, showcasing the high quality of this stellar vintage. The initial aromas of black currant, wild strawberry, cherry cola, and hints of mocha leap from the glass, lingering with each sip. On the palate, the tannins are refined and broad, creating a luscious mouthfeel lifted by the mouthwatering acidity and warm oak flavors. There is a savory throughline that brilliantly compliments the bright red and dark fruit medley. The transition from the juicy mid-palate to the lengthy finish is seamless.
Blend: 56% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 D2 is a blend of 56% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, matured for 20 months in 47% new French oak plus eight months in bottle prior to release. It has alluring scents of Luxardo cherries, milk chocolate, lilac, garrigue and holiday spices. The full-bodied palate is elegantly styled with floral flavors, approachable, supple tannins, bright acidity and a long, perfumed finish.
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Vinous
The 2022 D2 is youthfully coy. It slowly emerges from the glass with blackberry, sweet sage, chalk dust and dried flowers. This is a soft-textured and pliant effort, with soothing roundness and mineral-inflected wild berry tones lifted by cooling acidity. Dusty tannins linger as the 2022 leaves a hint of violet candies and an air of lavender and citrus through the long, gently tannic finale.
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Wine Spectator
Precise and handsomely structured, this red features refined flavors of black cherry and currant laced with espresso, clove and dusty herb tones while persisting toward fine-grained tannins. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2022 D2 is a slatey, herbal, Merlot-dominant Bordeaux blend with 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. One of the producer’s original reds, made in larger case productions, it is full-bodied, densely black-fruited, and well-integrated in terms of oak, spending 20 months aging in French oak, 25% new.
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.
A large and geographically diverse AVA capable of producing a wide variety of wine styles, the Columbia Valley AVA is home to 99% of Washington state’s total vineyard area. A small section of the AVA even extends into northern Oregon!
Because of its size, it is necessarily divided into several distinctive sub-AVAs, including Walla Walla Valley and Yakima Valley—which are both further split into smaller, noteworthy appellations. A region this size will of course have varied microclimates, but on the whole it experiences extreme winters and long, hot, dry summers. Frost is a common risk during winter and spring. The towering Cascade mountain range creates a rain shadow, keeping the valley relatively rain-free throughout the entire year, necessitating irrigation from the Columbia River. The lack of humidity combined with sandy soils allows for vines to be grown on their own rootstock, as phylloxera is not a serious concern.
Red wines make up the majority of production in the Columbia Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant variety here, where it produces wines with a pleasant balance of dark fruit and herbs. Wines made from Merlot are typically supple, with sweet red fruit and sometimes a hint of chocolate or mint. Syrah tends to be savory and Old-World-leaning, with a wide range of possible fruit flavors and plenty of spice. The most planted white varieties are Chardonnay and Riesling. These range in style from citrus and green apple dominant in cooler sites, to riper, fleshier wines with stone fruit flavors coming from the warmer vineyards.