Winemaker Notes
Saturated crimson color. Alluring aromatics of blackberry, blueberry, crème brûlée, violet, and hints of freshly ground coffee beans. The palate is so dense, with perfect ripeness of fruit. Precise, laser-like focus is followed by velvety fruit and a contemplative, robust, and delicious finish.
Blend: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Malbec and 6% Petit Verdot.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Black fruit on the nose, such as black plums and blackberries, together with olives, cloves and licorice. It’s full-bodied, fragrant and compact, with firm, creamy tannins. Lovely depth and purity. Great wine. 75% cabernet sauvignon, 19% malbec and 6% petit verdot. Try from 2027.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Made from a barrel selection of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Malbec, and 6% Petit Verdot, the 2022 Reserve is the producer’s best expression from the appellation every year. Age-worthy, smooth, and seductive, with velvety tannins, it offers nuanced baking spice and earthy, wooden notes amidst a rich, full-bodied core of blackberry coffee cake and distinguished oak.
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Wine Spectator
Broad-shouldered and taut, showing tension, but retains a sense of style and polish, with blackberry highlighted by licorice, black olive and clove tones as this moves toward full-bodied tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Best from 2027 through 2035.
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.
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.