Cayuse Widowmaker Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
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The vineyards are located in the ancient riverbed of the Walla Walla River on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. The topsoil consists of 12-18” inches of a mix of silty loam and basalt cobblestones. Beneath is a layer of pure compacted cobblestones, hundreds of feet deep in places.
100% Cabernet-Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Starting out reticent and closed, the 2019 The Widowmaker En Chamberlin Vineyard opens up nicely with air, yielding a great, classy bouquet of red and black currants, damp earth, tobacco leaf, graphite, and smoked herbs. Straight-up gorgeous on the palate, it has the purity, finesse, and elegance of this cooler vintage yet has a great mid-palate, just about perfect tannins, and a great finish. It needs 3-4 years or so of bottle age but will have two decades or more of longevity. Best After 2025 Rating : 98+
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Generously layered in the glass with aromas of turned earth, blackberry jus and dusty purple flowers, the 2019 The Widowmaker en Chamberlin Vineyard is delightfully rustic yet also possesses a new-world shine. Medium to full-bodied, the 14.1% alcohol wine saddles the line between earthy and fruity flavors before showing a balanced structure with succulent acidity and fine-grained tannins.
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Wine Spectator
An impressive wine, finely structured and dynamic, with blackberry and red currant flavors accented by river stone, black olive and savory meat. Builds richness toward medium-grained tannins. Drink now.
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An adventure in the new world
Christophe Baron grew up among the vineyards and cellars of his family's centuries-old Champagne house, Baron Albert. His sense of adventure, however, led him to become the first Frenchman to establish a winery in Washington State.
While visiting the Walla Walla Valley in 1996, Christophe spotted a plot of land that had been plowed up to reveal acres of softball-sized stones. This stony soil, this terroir, was just like that of some of the most prestigious French appellations. The difficult ground would stress the grapevines, making them produce more mature, concentrated fruit.
He named his vineyard after the Cayuse, a Native American tribe whose name was taken from the French cailloux--which means, rocks. Hours of back-breaking work later, Cayuse Vineyards has become five vineyards encompassing 41 acres.
The majority is planted with Syrah, and the rest dedicated to Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Merlot, Mourvèdre, Roussanne, Tempranillo and Viognier. All of the vineyards are planted in rocky earth within the Walla Walla Valley appellation. Cayuse was the first winery in Washington State to use biodynamic farming methods.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Responsible for some of Washington’s most highly acclaimed wines, the Walla Walla Valley has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years and is home to both historic wineries and younger, up-and-coming producers.
The Walla Walla Valley, a Native American name meaning “many waters,” is located in southeastern Washington; part of the appellation actually extends into Oregon. Soils here are well-drained, sandy loess over Missoula Flood deposits and fractured basalt.
It is a region perfectly suited to Rhône-inspired Syrahs, distinguished by savory notes of red berry, black olive, smoke and fresh earth. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot create a range of styles from smooth and supple to robust and well-structured. White varieties are rare but some producers blend Sauvignon Blanc with Sémillon, resulting in a rich and round style, and plantings of Viognier, while minimal, are often quite successful.
Of note within Walla Walla, is one new and very peculiar appellation, called the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater. This is the only AVA in the U.S. whose boundaries are totally defined by the soil type. Soils here look a bit like those in the acclaimed Rhône region of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but are large, ancient, basalt cobblestones. These stones work in the same way as they do in Chateauneuf, absorbing and then radiating the sun's heat up to enhance the ripening of grape clusters. The Rocks District is within the part of Walla Walla that spills over into Oregon and naturally excels in the production of Rhône varieties like Syrah, as well as the Bordeaux varieties.