2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Bacchus Vineyard

The vintage of 2018 is one of the best of the decade. While the weather was a bit of a roller coaster, it did work out in the end. The spring started fairly normal, but then got warm early, which was followed by some heat spikes in the summer. But the fall evened out, and an early rain slowed things down. As warm and dry as our region is, a little rain in the fall is welcome. It rinses the dust from the fruit and slows sugar development down allowing for the development of complexity and flavor. Usually the wind follows a rain, and so mildew isn’t an issue. In this vintage, the fruit was able to hang and develop, and, though the vintage ended with frost as it always does, we had our fruit in the door well before.

The vines in this block are incredible! Physically, they are stretching, reaching, big, gnarled, beautiful pieces of mother nature’s art. Because of their proximity to the Columbia River, they have never frozen back to the ground, and that is something, given the winters we can have–not often–but every now and again. When we first came to Washington State, it was said that these killing freezes happened every seven years. Knock on wood, the last really bad one was in 1996, and the last somewhat bad one was in 2011. Still, in each winter, the extended period of deep dormancy that Eastern Washington winters provide is very important to our region and the uniqueness of Washington wines.

What these old vines deliver is consistent quality and expressiveness from start to finish, and this is a particularly special vintage of quality and expressiveness. Plush dark briar, black currant, and plum fruits create the essence of the wine. Dates and preserved fig combine with a hint of black olive and dried thistle to make a delightful and complete sensory experience with a long lush finish. The complexity, combined with the balance, acidity, and tannin, will offer excellent aging and longevity.