2011 Four Flags Cabernet Sauvignon
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Tasting notes
(100% Cabernet Sauvignon): Bright ruby-red. Cassis and blueberry aromas are complemented by wild herbs and toasty oak. Deeper than the D2, showing outstanding density and focus to its dark fruit, olive tapenade, Asian spice and iron flavors. Wonderfully pliant and vibrant wine, with extremely suave tannins spreading out to saturate the palate on the very long finish. A classically structured, outstanding wine in the making, this will be better for five years in the cellar.
Critic scores
Jancis Robinson MW
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Complete and very fine. Sweet and with a suggestion of umami but very confident and savoury. Sophisticated. Needs food. (JR)
Even better, the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Four Flags is 100% Cabernet that comes from Red Mountain and is a mix from the Upchurch, Grand Ciel, Ciel du Cheval and Klipsun vineyards. Aged 20 to 22 months in French oak, it offers a full-bodied, elegant, yet classically styled profile to go with notions of cassis, black raspberry, lead pencil shavings and dried spices that show on both the nose and palate. Concentrated and rich, with excellent mid-palate density and building tannin, it nevertheless stays seamless, elegant and perfectly balanced. Give it 2-3 years in the cellar and drink it over the following 10 to 15 years. Tel. (425) 489-0544; www.delillecellars.com
As with the 2010, the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 1 Four Flags is a mailing-list-only offering and is a blend 100% Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. A big, structured and tannic wine, with plenty of spice box, cedar and tobacco leaf on the nose, it fleshes out nicely on the palate with full-bodied richness, serious tannin levels and brilliant purity of fruit. A wine for patient consumers, it will reward 3-5 years of cellaring and have 15-20 years of longevity. Drink 2017-2030. Making their wines in a Woodinville facility and pulling grapes from a number of eastern Washington AVAs, DeLille Cellars was founded in the early nineties and is a reference point estate. The wines are made by Chris Upchurch, with help from Jason Gorski and Louis Skinner in the cellar. They’ve split up the brand into two different labels: Doyenne for all Rhone-styled blends, and Chaleur Estate for their Bordeaux blends and straight Cabernet Sauvignon releases. Both 2010 and 2011 are incredibly strong here, and with regards to the Doyenne releases, represent some of the best wines I’ve tasted from them. Tel. (425) 489-0544; www.delillecellars.com