Winemaker Notes
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Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon "Galitzine Vineyard" comes from the fourth leaf of this estate vineyard and is the first release of the wine, made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak. Opaque purple-colored, it has a superb bouquet of pain grille, scorched earth, truffle, walnuts, black cherry, and blackberry liqueur which leaps from the glass. On the palate it is sweet and rich with layers of spicy black fruit flavors, terrific balance, and a 45+ second finish. It does not have quite the weight and depth of the flagship Cabernet but keep in mind that this is the product of a young vineyard only beginning to express its enormous potential.
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a spectacular effort. Cascading flavors of black cherry, plum and cassis are drenched in caramel, mocha and buttery barrel flavors. Although the wine lists at a hefty 14.9% alcohol, it does not sacrifice elegance, nor does it substitute power for polish. The rush of blueberry, blackberry, black cherry and currant fruit, the layers of smoke and graphite, and the immense barrel flavors just keep on rolling through the palate. It will probably age quite well, but why wait?
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.
As the first recognized wine-growing region in the Pacific Northwest, Yakima Valley is centrally located within Washington’s vast Columbia Valley. The region also includes Washington’s oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines, Otis Vineyard, planted in 1957, and Harrison Hill Vineyard, planted in 1963. Yakima Valley contains three smaller sub-regions: Rattlesnake Hills, Red Mountain, and Snipes Mountain and is ideal for both red and white wine production. In fact, Yakima Valley is Washington’s most diverse region, boasting more than 40 different grape varieties over about one hundred miles.
The cooler parts of the valley are home to almost half of the Chardonnay and Riesling produced in the state! Both are made in a wide range of styles depending on the conditions of the vineyard site.
But its warmer locations yield a large proportion of Washington’s best Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. The finest Yakima Valley reds are jam-packed full of red cherry, currant, raspberry or blackberry fruit, as well as cocoa, herb, spice and savory notes, and exhibit a supple texture, great body, focus and length.