Winemaker Notes
Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Phinny Hill (60%) and Bacchus (20%) fruit make up the backbone of this wine. Aromas of plum, black licorice, baking spice and black fruit are followed by a full-bodied, well-balanced, layered palate that shows depth and intensity but with a fine sense of balance. There’s no question about the warmth of the year, but it delivers and will have a very long life in front of it.
Cellar Selection
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.