2011 Figgins Estate Red Wine
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Tasting notes
(53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 2% petit verdot; from vines planted 1,500 to 1,750 feet above sea level; the petit verdot was harvested on November 8 in 2011): Bright, dark ruby-red. Pure, complex aromas of cassis, black cherry, bitter chocolate, mint, minerals, licorice and spicy oak. Sweeter and lusher than the Leonetti Reserve blend I tasted before it but less complex today--and at the same time tight, backward and dominated today by its structure. The tannins are huge but still a bit less tough than those of the Leonetti Reserve, and the wine’s inherent sweetness shows through on the very long aftertaste. From a cool site in a very cool year: Chris Figgins currently prefers the 2010 version.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Merlot, the 2011 Figgins Estate Red is excellent in the vintage, with classic creme de cassis, lead pencil shavings, tobacco, bay leaf and toast giving way to a medium to full-bodied, elegant and seamless 2011 that has good concentration, plenty of sweet fruit and building tannin that emerges with more time in the glass. Classy, elegant and streamlined, it’s already approachable, but will be better in another couple years and drink nicely through 2026. These superb wines are made by Chris Figgins and come from his estate vineyard that’s located on the eastern edge of Walla Walla. Tel. (509) 526-8040; www.figginsfamily.com
(from vines planted at 1,500 to 1,750 feet; the first vintage made at Chris Figgins' new facility; roughly 45% each cabernet sauvignon and merlot and the rest petit verdot): Good bright ruby. Cassis, black cherry and licorice aromas are lifted by a floral topnote. A juicy, intense wine of outstanding clarity and penetration, with superb harmonious acidity giving it an element of inner-mouth tension rare in Washington red wine. Really builds and echoes on the slowly mounting finish, where the noble tannins are hidden by fruit. This beauty should enjoy a slow and spectacular evolution in the bottle.