Winemaker Notes
The 2021 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is deep ruby in the glass with purple hues. The rich bouquet of spiced black plum and cocoa nib are balanced with aromas of fresh earth and crushed flint. Intense and opulent flavors of ripe blackberry, cedar, mocha, and black currant coat the broad and balanced palate and the ripe tannin creates a perfect frame for the lush fruit expression. Cherry cordial and cola linger on the long, quenching finish.
Blend: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15%Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is based on 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec. A rocking wine offering ample red and black plum-like fruit, chocolate, tobacco, and subtle violet-like aromas and flavors, I t's full-bodied and has a terrific mid-palate, velvety tannins, and a great finish.
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Vinous
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley is spicy, showing off a gentle peppery tinge and dusty rose tones that give way to dried black cherries. This is wonderfully crisp and refined, with silky textures and depths of dark red fruit propelled by juicy acidity. It tapers off long and structured, yet the tannins are quite sweet. The 2021 finishes with a pleasant crunch and a lingering licorice tinge.
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Wine Spectator
Precise and expressive, with handsome flavors of blackberry, bay leaf and espresso that build richness and structure toward refined tannins.
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James Suckling
Ripe blue and black fruit on the nose, from dark plums, baked blueberries and mint to wet earth. It’s full-bodied, rich and deep, with excellent concentration and focus. Firm yet ripe, berry-soaked tannins. 76% cabernet sauvignon with merlot, cabernet franc and a dash of petit verdot.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley, blended with 15% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec, displays a clean and fresh profile with balanced acidity. It unfolds on the palate with layers of complexity, featuring notes of pencil lead, juicy plum skin and blackberry flavors. The wine balances ripeness and freshness with broad shoulders and a fresh expression that leads to a spicy finish. Rating:91+
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Wine Enthusiast
A very spring-like cherry blossom and raspberry aroma combination is counter pointed by notes of leather and bone broth. Cherries are again on the palate, where they are joined by dark chocolate and balsa wood flavors. The tannins are currently a bit grippy, with a medium amount of acidity.
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.