2005 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Red (CVR)

The 2005 Red Wine is the winery’s second label for declassified lots. It consists of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Merlot. Purple-colored, it reveals an expressive bouquet of cedar, pencil lead, spice box, black currant, and blackberry. This is followed by a full-bodied, plush wine with ample ripe tannins and layers of sweet fruit. The wine has serious weight, excellent length, and will profit from several years of additional cellaring. It should be at its best from 2011 through 2020. The wine is true to the house style and is a superb value. Quilceda Creek Vintners remains a model of consistency. In the outstanding 2005 vintage, Quilceda Creek’s Cabernet Sauvignon remains the benchmark for what can be achieved in Washington and the United States. Some good news from the winery is that beginning with the 2006 vintage, there will be a new vineyard designate, a Cabernet Sauvignon from the Palengat Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. The vines are only 7 years old but the potential is enormous as a taste from barrel attests. Tel.(360) 568-2389; www.quilcedacreek.com

(84% cabernet sauvignon, 9% cabernet franc and 7% merlot) Good deep red-ruby; this seemed to gain in color in the glass. Much less open on the nose than the 2004, hinting at currant, minerals, graphite and nutty oak. Densely packed and rather powerful, with blacker fruit flavors than the 2004. This finishes with a firmer tannic spine. Paul Golitzin noted that the family's 2005s are more powerful wines than their comparatively lush 2004s due in large part to smaller berry size. They'll need longer aging, he said-"maybe the longest ever!"