Winemaker Notes
Luke Cabernet Sauvignon offers aromas dominated by Marionberry and dark chocolate, accented by hints of mint and molasses. Supple, focused and expressive, layering coffee-accented blackberry and currant flavors with polished tannins and hints of cedar and smoke.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Mostly old block Weinbau Vineyard fruit, this is immediately identifiable as Cabernet Sauvignon, with aromas of black currant, pink peppercorn and herb, with spice notes in the background. On the palate it’s a big, bold wine, with a punch of dark fruit. The tannins give a light squeeze. Editors’ Choice.
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James Suckling
A lovely nose of blackcurrants, black licorice, woody spice and dried violets. Full-bodied with fine, silky tannins. Ripe fruit is supported by berry acidity. Suede and tobacco leaf at the finish.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2019 Luke Cabernet Sauvignon is tight-knit and persistent on the palate. TASTING NOTES: This wine offers aromas and flavors of mineral notes, savory spices, and blackberries. Try it with a grilled, well-marbled ribeye. (Tasted: June 24, 2023, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Spectator
A zesty, well-built red, with straightforward blackberry, savory herb and pepper flavors that finish with medium-grained tannins.
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.
Distinguished by a broad, south-exposed, uniform slope and landlocked by the Columbia River to its south and Saddle Mountains to its north, the Wahluke Slope AVA of Washington holds 15% of the total vine acreage of the state and takes its name from the Native American word for “watering place.”
Incidentally the Wahluke Slope AVA has one of the hottest and driest climates of the state so irrigation is not only essential, but also allows complete grower control of vine vigor. On top of its arid and warm environment, strong summer winds blow across this broad slope and ensure both smaller leaf size and grape clusters. The result is top quality wines with great concentration, phenolic ripeness, body and depth of flavor.
Vineyards cover the AVA from 425 to 1,480 feet along the slope. Its deep soils of wind-blown alluvium and sand with a depth, on average, of more than 5 feet along the continuous grade allow optimal drainage for the vines.
Thriving varieties include Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc.
Merlots are rich in sweet, ripe cherry, red currant, raspberry and cocoa. Syrahs tend to express black and blue fruit along with savory notes. Wahluke Cabernets are rich in stewed red and black berries.