Don Carlo Vineyard 2009 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $34
Tim Kennedy of Tim’s Cascade-Style Potato Chips fame and his wife, Lori, chose to move to Milton-Freewater, Ore., and subsequently joined the Walla Walla Valley wine industry. It’s certainly not retirement. In 2007, they planted and now farm an estate vineyard in The Rocks District that includes Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Lori’s roots go back to the Calabria region of Italy, and her grandfather Carlo landed in Seattle where he became a hobby winemaker. He’d be proud of Lori’s quick success making wine. It starts with aromas of black cherry, blackberry, plum, vanilla, horehound and saddle leather surrounded by alder smoke. There’s less oak influence on the entry palate, which features rich and bold flavors of black cherry and plum. A light hand with the tannins and pomegranate acidity provide a nice frame that’s capped with more vanilla and oak toast reminiscent of some famous Cabs from veteran Walla Walla Valley producers.
Rating: Excellent
Production: 400 cases
Alcohol: 14%
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