2017 Avennia - Cabernet Sauvignon Red Willow Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Medium red-ruby. Deep, musky scents of currant, tobacco leaf, mocha and chocolate; the wildest of these reds from Bordeaux varieties. Fat, sweet and almost unctuous in the mouth, with a hint of beefsteak tomato to the very ripe flavors of currant, mocha and wild herbs. In spite of its fullness, this wine is neither heavy nor lacking in acidity, and it has the stuffing to buffer its substantial dusty, fine-grained tannins. A major mouthful of Cabernet Sauvignon that should offer considerable early appeal; I should note that Chris Peterson held this wine back for an extra year before releasing it. (made entirely from vines planted in 1990 or earlier)
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
With a dark ruby core and purple highlights, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Willow Vineyard is expressive in the glass with rich and elegant oak spices, blackberry essence, spiced plum reduction and notes of chocolate and roasted espresso beans. Medium to full-bodied, the wine displays luxurious oak expressions that seamlessly integrate with the fruit profile, while offering a balanced structure with energetic acidity and lifting tannins that firm up on the mid-palate. The wine ends on a spicy note, with mocha and dark cherry flavors on the long, expressive finish.
Lastly, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Willow Vineyard is all Cabernet sourced from Mike Sauer’s vineyard in the Yakima Valley. Wonderful cassis, red and blackcurrants, tobacco, dried violets, and loamy earth notes all define the bouquet, and it's medium to full-bodied and balanced, with a seamless texture and a great, great finish. This powerful, nicely concentrated wine stays light and weightless on the palate. It's approachable today, but the smart money is on giving bottles 2-4 years of bottle age. It should evolve for 20-25 years.