Each vintage, Portland winemaker Robert Bailey provides a snapshot of a single vineyard with his Cabernet Sauvignon program from Washington state. In 2018, he got into prized DuBrul Vineyard in the Yakima Valley’s Rattlesnake Hills. This result of this Oct. 2 harvest of clone 8 Cab by the Shiels family’s renowned all-woman crew is a two-barrel effort of remarkable stuff by Bailey, whose winery work experiences include Mark Ryan, Owen Roe and Cakebread Cellars. One of the barrels during the 24 months of aging was new from Orion, while the other was twice-used Taransaud. Complex aromas of black plum, cassis and river rock are joined by pencil shavings and a savory earthiness of porcini mushroom. Inside, the delicious structure is layered up with more cassis and Rainier cherries as the tannins akin to a blend of bittersweet chocolate and espresso grounds are rich, expertly crafted and age-worthy.
Rating: Outstanding!
Production: 50 cases
Alcohol 14.5%
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