Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Maybe the finest wine from here (that I’ve tasted anyway), the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Champoux Vineyard is a thrilling blend of almost all Cabernet (there’s 2% Malbec) that exhibits, fresh, lively and pure notes of cassis, black raspberry, violets, toasted bread and spring flowers. Coming from one of the top terroirs in Washington, this full-bodied, elegant and layered Cabernet has no hard edges, impeccable balance and a great finish. Probably the most complete wine in the lineup, it will be better with a few years of cellaring, and have two decades of evolution.
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Wine Enthusiast
Almost all varietal (with 2% Malbec) from one of the state’s premier sites, this wine draws you into the glass with aromas of coffee, scorched earth, herb, spice and dark fruit. The palate shows a beguiling sense of restraint and detail, with the tannins combed to a fine sheen, perfectly framed acidity and a lengthy finish. It’s an exquisite example of the variety that should have a long life ahead of it. It will be best after 2020.
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.