Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Coming from a terrific site on the Wahluke Slope, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Stoneridge is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon raised all in French oak. Classic Cabernet notes of plum, cassis, hoisin sauce and graphite all give way to a full-bodied, concentrated red that has an undeniable chalky minerality on the finish. It's impressive today, but it will keep for at least a decade.
Rating:92+ -
Wine Enthusiast
Listed at a low alcohol level for a hot vintage and vineyard, this is still and 100% varietal. Its black licorice, sugared plum and exotic spice aromas show a penetrating purity. The palate is all about delicacy and elegance, which it brings in abundance. It’s a very pretty expression of this variety, maybe too much so for some tastes, without the variety’s typical tannic heft. But for those looking for a sophisticated style of Cabernet, look no further.
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.