Winemaker Notes
Bright Cabernet Franc notes meet you right up front. Ripe red raspberry and cassis are followed closely by hints of sage brush, cocoa powder, and rose petal. Light notes of strawberry, leather, and pencil shavings also make an appearance on the finish. Upon first sip, beautifully full red fruit mingles with savory edges to create a round yet complex palate. Velvety smooth tannins roll into a full finish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Attractive blueberry and blackberry character with chocolate and hazelnut undertones. Medium body, integrated tannins and a very drink-me finish. A blend of 35% cabernet franc, 30% cabernet sauvignon, 27% merlot, 5% petit verdot and 3% malbec. Why wait? Drink now.
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Wine & Spirits
About equal parts cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon and merlot, this is warm and spicy, like dark cherry jam infused with licorice and mocha. The flavors are more concentrated than the herbal aromas would suggest, with fine, cedary tannins adding structure and spice to the wine’s figgy ripeness. For rosemaryroasted lamb.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 35% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec, the 2016 Trine opens to a delightful nose, showing precision and finesse, with aromas of dried tobacco, graphite, plum skin, dark cherry and blackberry essence and hints of dusty florals and French baking spices. Medium to full-bodied, the wine shows balance with lifting tannins that are currently tight but will loosen with some bottle aging. The wine ends with a tannic edge that is currently food-friendly. The wine spent 17 months in French oak, 41% new. I would give this at least one more year in bottle before opening.
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.