Portland winemaker Robert Bailey continues to focus his thoughtful gaze on Cabernet Sauvignon grown in storied sites east of the Cascades. Les Collines — a venerable site in the Blue Mountain foothills south of Walla Walla — fits that approach. This single lot of juice is both block and clone specific, Clone 8 from Block 45, and it spent two years in a neutral barrel. He creates this in a deliciously approachable style that his wife, Su, prefers, and he pays tribute to her with the subtle reference of su_m. Enticing aromas of black cherry, brown sugar, clove and bay rum lead to a suave structure with an enduring depth of cherry flavors. It’s more of a romcom than a blockbuster in terms of structure, backed by lingering brightness of raspberry juice and cinnamon with pinches of dried herbs and lilac alongside a Bing cherry finish. The two years spent in bottle have helped turn this into a beautiful wine that features artwork by the late Helene Bradley, and it’s a stellar follow-up to the 2019 vintage from Les Collines.
Rating: 92 points — Outstanding!
Production: 25 cases
Alcohol: 14.4%
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