Winemaker Notes
The 2003 vintage of this wine was ranked #2 on the Wine Spectator's Top 10 Wines of 2006
The 2005 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot) is loaded with blackberry, blueberry, plum and cassis with nuances of dark chocolate and violets. Classically structured, this complex wine has remarkable elegance and persistence on the long, pure finish. Approachable now, it should reach maturity around 2012 and age for 25 or more years. While we are particularly proud of the last three vintages of our flagship wine, the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon easily rivals them as one of the best wines our estate has ever produced.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Generous on the nose, the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon opens with stewed fruit and lavish French oak tones. The wine is beginning to peak, as soft wilted plum flavors sway on the palate before moving to plum reduction, cooked fruits, baked cherry skin and reduced blackberry jus, showing the evolution of the bottle. I've had the pleasure of sampling this bottle many times before, but now, the wine is coming to the end of its life and should be consumed in the next couple of years. If this is in your cellar, start thinking about that special occasion to open it. What better way to honor this wonderful wine.
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Wine Enthusiast
Still young, chewy and textural, this stands as a classic Washington 2005 red—lusciously laden with mixed red and black berries, generous and deep; dense and jammy. The mixed berries, red licorice, cherries, layers of butterscotch, toffee and caramel are beautifully integrated and linger seductively into the finish. It has some initial alcoholic heat, but the flavors compensate and go on and on. This is a wine that must be cellared another five or more years before it even begins to pull itself together. If you must pop the cork before then, decant it for at least six hours and more if possible before drinking.
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Wine Spectator
Richly aromatic, this brims with dark berry and currant aromas and flavors, shaded with espresso and dark chocolate overtones set against somewhat gritty tannins. A meaty note adds extra depth as the finish lingers on and on against the tannins.
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.