Cabernet Sauvignon

Wahluke Slope AVA- Doc Stewart Vineyard 

Winemaker’s Reserve 2012

$48

This particularly rich vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon received 40 months of barrel aging. Each vintage is a slightly different blend, crafted to bring out a full bodied dry red wine that will exhibit the depth of Cabernet.

The Wahluke Slope in Eastern Washington is known for producing big red wines.  This region’s gravelly soils, laid down by the epic glacial era floods, keep the vine’s canopy open and sparse.  This allows the sun to penetrate the canopy, which helps build wonderful fruit complexity for its wines.  The old Doc Stewart Vineyard has been historically farmed organically- while no longer certified, the current stewards have stayed close to these farming methods through their tenure.  We honor these efforts, so close to our own ideals for farming.

Think Big Complex Red!  This is a wine of depth and complexity with flavors and aromas of blackberry, cherry, tobacco, oak, cedar and smoke; a full-bodied wine, ideal for chasing away the winter’s dark edges.  Coming from 40 months of barrel aging and a few months of bottle aging, it is ready for your enjoyment. Or lay this one down, it will reward you!

2012 Vintage Notes:  We blended in 7% Malbec and 5% Merlot to add some nice spiciness and bright fruit that are qualities of these two grapes.  Complexity was our goal, which we feel we have achieved nicely.  Food Friendly and available only from a few locations- order now to insure you are able to try this ideal vintage’s wine.

Doc Stewart Vineyard, Wahluke Slope AVA

2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope
“Excellent” –By Great Northwest Wine on February 27, 2016

There’s a natural fit with Brent Charnley’s approach to winemaking and Doc Stewart Vineyard, a planting urged by Walter Clore on Washington’s Wahluke Slope and one with a history of organic farming. There’s a spicy rustic theme running all through this bottling, which spent 32 months in the womb of French and American barrels, a third of them new oak. Contributions of Malbec (7%) and Merlot (5%) help create aromas and flavors of dusty red currant, raspberry, orange peel and herbs de Provence. Juicy acidity, rambunctious tannins and crushed green peppercorns in the finish add to its Old World charm. Enjoy with pot roast, ribs and hearty tomato-based comfort food.

Sip Northwest Awards 2016- SILVER MEDAL, Seattle Wine Awards 2016- BRONZE MEDAL