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Figgins Walla Walla Valley Estate Red 2011

Figgins Walla Walla Valley Estate Red 2011

While the exquisite 2010 Figgins Estate Red merited points well above 95, and the 2012 showed off its pedigree and sumptuous velvety elegance, the 2011 vintage is a good effort in one of the more difficult recent vintages in Walla Walla Valley. As expected, the profile is lighter and leaner on the nose and palate. […]

Canvasback Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Canvasback Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Canvasback is Duckhorn Vineyards latest project in Washington State. The winery has partnered with legendary Washington vineyard manager Dick Boushey in sourcing some of Red Mountain’s best fruit, certainly, the results speak for themselves. Seductive aromas of blackcurrant, cassis, blueberry pie, and anise slowly unfurl. In the mouth, even distribution of fine tannins and sweet […]

Aberrant Cellars Philtrum Pinot Noir Blanc 2015

Aberrant Cellars Philtrum Pinot Noir Blanc 2015

Pearlescent and ethereal, Aberrant Cellars 2015 Philtrum Pinot Noir Blanc is a delicate shade of honey alabaster and imbued with peach pit, golden raspberries, white flowers, and a breezy top note of line-dried linen. In the mouth it’s fine boned and linear, there is much to be said about the texture—fruit at the core is […]

Cave Dog Albariño 2016

Cave Dog Albariño 2016

Yet another unexpected find from acclaimed winemaker, Michael Havens. The 2016 Cave Dog Albariño, like his Godello is a complete surprise—pure sunlight streaming through a glazed window pane—the interplay of lightness and texture here is just beautiful. Equally nuanced on the palate with plenty of lemony acidic lift and mineral nuance. It’s not an overtly […]

Cave Dog Godello 2016

Cave Dog Godello 2016

From acclaimed winemaker, Michael Havens—Cave Dog is his latest project and this micro-lot of Godello proved surprising for many reasons. The nose is nuanced, almost hard to pin down with notes of pear, lemon sorbet, buttercup, honeycomb, malt and a delicate savory edge. It’s equally nuanced in the mouth, with unbelievable, glorious texture offset by […]

DeLille Cellars D2 2014

DeLille Cellars D2 2014

In the high church of classic Washington State wine, DeLille’s 2014 D2 is an exceptional vintage, but one should to point out, it’s always a consistent performer thanks to the efforts of talented winemaker, Chris Upchurch. The nose is a pure array of red and black fruit—black cherries, crushed raspberries, plums, vanilla bean, and spice […]

Walla Walla Vintners Vottavo 2012

Walla Walla Vintners Vottavo 2012

Walla Walla Vintners shows of svelte new packaging with the release of this wine—the 2012 Vottavo is a blend of 47% Sangiovese, 32% Merlot, and 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, all from Walla Walla’s Cut Bank Estate Vineyard. Intensely perfumed and infused with sandalwood, exotic spices, black cherries, and plums. The palate is plush, yet elegant, thanks […]

Brooks Rastaban Pinot Noir 2014

Brooks Rastaban Pinot Noir 2014

Showing beautifully, Brooks’ 2014 Rastaban is named after one of the stars in the Draco constellation, derived from an Arabic phrase “Rās al-Thu`bān, or head of the serpent. 2014 is a riper, lusher vintage than the 2011, the last I sampled under this label—this striking estate-grown Pinot Noir presents a broad sensory arc of ripe […]

Va Piano Les Collines Vineyard Syrah 2014

Va Piano Les Collines Vineyard Syrah 2014

Another epic wine Jay shared at a recent Vivino meetup in Seattle. Va Piano’s 2014 Les Collines Vineyard Syrah is the proverbial iron fist in the velvet glove. It’s classic for Les Collines fruit, offering up caliginous tones of steeped blackberries, espresso, char, tilth and bay leaf. The palate is as earth-bound as the nose, […]

Le Vieux Pin Sauvignon Blanc 2015

Le Vieux Pin Sauvignon Blanc 2015

One of the wineries our firm, Cascadia Fine Wines markets in Asia—the 2015 Le Vieux Pin Sauvignon Blanc is elegant and restrained. It’s not as lush as it’s New Zealand or Bordeaux counterparts. Classic aromas of lime pith, gooseberry, pine, d’Anjou pear, and a dusting of minerality. It’s medium-bodied, yet marvelously intense in character. Barrel […]

CHRISTINE HAVENS
McMinnville, OR

christine@christine-havens.com