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Cedar River Cellars 2012 Ava’s Crush Cabernet Sauvignon, Rattlesnake Hills, $30

By on December 20, 2015

cedar-river-cellars-avas-crush-cabernet-sauvignon-2012-label1Oregon State grad Micah Nasarow has turned the Seattle suburb of Renton into Washington wine country, and his work with hand-picked old vines Cab from historic Portteus Vineyard is stunning. French barrels from Gamba and Taranasaud cooperages were filled twice prior to the former Starbucks sensory scientist using them for this Yakima Valley juice over 18 months. There’s still much for oak lovers to appreciate in the aromas of dark toast, coffee, tar and black pepper, yet they don’t overwhelm the notes of dark plum and cherry. On the attack, that two-barrel program merely refines the sweet tannin structure as it settles in behind the substantial profile of black currant and black cherry. The round and fruity entry leads to a perfectly balanced midpalate, which transitions into a delicious finish of plums and plum skin. These wines are available in Renton at Top of the Hill Market, The Wine Alley, All Things Wine, Melrose Grill and via the winery.

Rating: Outstanding!

Production: 41 cases

Alcohol: 14.2%

Winery website

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Articles credited to Great Northwest Wine are authored by Eric Degerman and other contributors. In most cases, these are wine reviews that are judged blind by the Great Northwest Wine tasting panel.

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