DaMa Wines 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $35
Dawn Kammer and Mary Tuuri Derby launched DaMa in 2007, three years after Mary’s husband Devin — founding winemaker of Spring Valley Vineyards — died in an automobile accident. Seattle barrister Judith Shulman has replaced Kammer as a proprietor, and soon after they brought in consulting winemaker Ali Mayfield. It’s been a winning combination with this bottle of Cab, a product of Sagemoor and Weinbau vineyards as well as Abeja’s Heather Hill in the Walla Walla Valley. Ripe dark plum and black cherry aromas include hints of caramel, cola, allspice, black olive and earthiness. It’s a rich mouthful of fruit flavors, leading with sweet cherries and milk chocolate, supported by sandy tannins and juicy acidity. On the judging circuit this year, this wine already has found its legs, first with a silver medal at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, followed by a gold medal at the 2015 Seattle Wine and Food Experience Wine Awards.
Rating: Outstanding!
Production: 142 cases
Alcohol: 13.9%
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