Each vintage, Portland vintner Robert Bailey selects one or two vineyards to focus on, and while 2019 was a problematic growing season for some, that doesn’t appear to have been the case for this site with historic ties to famed Walla Walla Valley grower Norm McKibben. No new oak was involved during the 25-month barrel program for this clone 8 Cab, which offers aromas of cherry compote, Marionberry and vanilla cream, backed by cocoa powder and a scrap of light toast. On the palate, it’s rich, luscious and filled with Bing cherry juice on the entry. Fine-grained cranberry-skin tannins flit highly across the gum, leading to an injection of cherry/pomegranate juice for a food-friendly finish. A number of consumer also look for wines that are unfixed and unfiltered, and those aspects add to its appeal. Suggested pairings include this provided recipe for Pot Roast Made Perfect. This marks the fourth straight bottling of Cab by Bailey to receive our top rating, and he also earned an Outstanding! for his 2018 Chardonnay.
Rating: 91 points — Outstanding!
Production: 60 cases
Alcohol: 14.5%
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