Winemaker Notes
Deep dark bing cherry, herbs de Provence, red currant, tobacco leaf, smoke, cedar-lined cigar box, vanilla. Firm acidity and tannin. Classic old school Cabernet Sauvignon.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Bright, fresh savory herb, graphite and flower aromas capture the attention. The plum and cherry flavors show impeccable balance, elegance and length. It has a compelling sense of freshness. Put it on the dinner table with grilled steak with chimichurri to get the most out of it.
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Wine Spectator
Sleek and sinewy, with black currant, tobacco and pencil lead tones that build structure and tannins on a handsome finish. Drink now.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Made with the addition of 10% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Lower East Cabernet Sauvignon opens to aromas of blackberry, hints of herbs and a soft vegetal note. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers notes of sage, thyme and roasted red bell pepper, while elements of dusty plum and dark red cherry skin lift the mid-palate. Showcasing a soft tannic edge, the wine is marked with an uptick of brown baking spices from 32% new French oak, and it ends with a quick finish built for speed, not distance. But you can't argue with the price. Rating:89+
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.