Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Red 2018

Since the founding in 1978, Quilceda Creek has dedicated itself to one thing: producing world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. Director of Winemaking Paul Golitzin believes that the winery’s greatest assets are the vineyards of the Columbia Valley. Through vineyard ownership and control, and through precision farming, they are able to grow and produce the highest caliber Cabernet Sauvignon. In award of their relentless pursuit of producing perfect Cabernet Sauvignon, Quilceda Creek has received seven 100 Point ratings from Wine Advocate, three 100 Point ratings from Owen Bargreen, two 100 Point ratings from Decanter and three Top Ten Wines of the Year from Wine Spectator.
 

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Galitzine Vineyard Clone 8 is entirely composed of clone 8 selection from this site on Red Mountain. It’s quite simply one of the finest wines that I have tasted this year. On the nose, it takes on beautiful red florals, dark currants, huckleberry cordial and Turkish coffee with shades of creosote and sandalwood. The palate is opulent, polished and beautifully textured, delivering seamless length and amazing persistence. Cassis, espresso bean, sagebrush and Black Forest cake flavors all come together wonderfully on the palate. Glorious now, this has another 20 years ahead of it.

-Vinous 99 Points

Flirting with perfection, instantly impressive and marked with impeccable shine and polish, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is made entirely from Cabernet Sauvignon from Champoux vineyard (90%) and Mach One vineyard (10%). The Cabernet explodes out of a glass with exuberance and power, prancing with layers of juicy black fruit, plum compote, black raspberry jus and hints of cinnamon-spiced black cherries. Full-bodied and with a ripe attack, velvety tannins sway with a glossy mouthfeel that is seductive and hedonistic, and the wine displays a balanced structure with a generous frame. It somersaults to an ever-evolving finish that bursts with layers of complexity, finesse and richness. What a stunning bottle! Bravo! Two thumbs up! Only 4,125 cases were made for the world

-Wine Advocate 99 Points

All Cabernet Sauvignon that's 90% from Champoux and 10% from Mach One (both in Horse Heaven Hills), the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley spent 20-22 months in all new French oak. Gorgeous cassis, flowery incense, lead pencil shavings, camphor, and spicy oak all soar from the glass, and it's

full-bodied, has a deep, layered, incredibly layered mouthfeel, gorgeous tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. It's another sensationally complex, layered, textured beauty from this team that's world class in every way. It shows the elegant, seamless style of the vintage and is perfectly balanced. It should evolve for 30-40 years.
-Jeb Dunnuck 99 Points

"The flagship 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley is all Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in new barrels (mostly Taransaud and Darnajou). Beautiful crème de cassis, graphite, spice box, and lead pencil notes all flow to a full-bodied, soft, elegant wine that has beautiful tannins, no hard edges, and a seamless texture. It shows the more upfront, charming style of the vintage and is already hard to resist. Nevertheless, it should easily evolve for 20+ years."
- Jeb Dunnuck (April 2020), 97 pts, #29 TOP 100

Mascot is a small-production label founded by Will Harlan in Napa Valley. The wines under this label are made from the younger vines of Harlan Estate, BOND, and Promontory, but The Mascot bottles share an exclusive preview at the development of their estates. Founded as an initial experiment to see what the young vines were capable of producing, the wines were initially only shared with close friends and family. By 2008, Will officially released the first vintage to the public since production had increased significantly. They create just one wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon, and the bottle is aged for five years before release. Assembled into a single, youthful expression, this wine shares a glimpse into the evolution and pedigree of its parent estates.

Tasting Notes:

Following a vintage full of changing conditions and demanding decision points, the steady and pleasant progress of the 2018 vintage left our team, at times, in limbo. Contradictory as it may seem, the dramas that sometimes punctuate the definitive months for the growing season help to frame the winegrowing team’s course of action; yet the tranquil succession of weeks that emerged between spring and fall in 2018 left almost entirely open the question of when to harvest. Healthy rainfall in March and April preceded a benevolent summer, whose mildness was interrupted only briefly by a few warming periods. The fruit of the young vines maintained a measured balance that gave the team little indication that harvest was imminent. Fog and temperate days followed in September, when—relying more on instinct than empirical cues—we began to pick. This judgment—as well as the gentle nature of the season—is confirmed in the subtle, ethereal power of the vintage, which reveals itself first in the deep, brooding aromas of dark fruit, black tea, and herbal notes. The texture expands around a lifted structure, as powdery tannins gently resolve. This diffused, enigmatic softness is anchored on the mid-palate by a gratifying density, which prepares the senses for a flourish of hidden energy and vivid detail that illuminates the finish.

When the founding fathers of the Napa Valley carved out new sub-AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) in the 1980s, Soda Canyon Ranch was not yet on anyone’s map. The vineyard is neighbored to the northwest and west by the winegrowing districts of Stags Leap District and Oak Knoll District, respectively, which were among the early pioneers of California Cabernet Sauvignon to attain global fame. To the northeast and southeast—and further off the beaten path—were Atlas Peak and Coombsville, thought to be the next frontiers for the emerging wine-producing region.

With richness and depth of flavor, the 2018 Timeless Napa Valley is the embodiment of patience and attention to detail. Decades of experience at Soda Canyon Ranch allow winemaker Nate Weis and team to highlight the individual merits of each block. Combining the strongest lots from each resulted in a refined and harmonious bottling.

In 2018, the diurnal shift at Soda Canyon Ranch produced a darker, lusher fruit profile of Cabernet Sauvignon. Simultaneously, the overnight recovery periods resulted in expressive and refined Merlot, giving the wine a pleasant profile of bright, red fruit. With an extended harvest window, the signature, plush density and structure of Petit Verdot is also prevalent in the final blend. Cabernet Franc thrived in 2018 with its predilection for the cooler soils and the climate of blocks 5, 6, 16, 20 and 21—areas we call the Transition Zone and Hardpan Alley. The variety’s floral and tobacco-like aromatics are accentuated, and its more aggressive nature for back-end tannins tamed.

Once blended, the 2018 vintage rested in French oak barrels for 16 months, developing flavors of vanilla and baking spice. Velvety tannins dance across the palate of bright and lingering cassis. With a smooth finish, this is a comforting wine of elegance and depth—a sophisticated expression of the sedate summer.

Review:

This is a little old-school and shows lots of dark berry, chocolate and dried fruit. It’s full, dense and layered with fleshly sensibility. Velvety texture.

-James Suckling 93 Points

Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley is made from 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot.

This is the grape that the winery believes will increasingly be recognized as the icon varietal of Washington State and comprises the majority of their production. This Cabernet is stylish, elegant, and impeccably balanced. Abeja accomplishes this by meticulous viticultural management, utilization of a rare sorting system, gentle handling of the fruit and the wine, customized practices for every lot no matter how small, and carefully selected French oak.

This Cabernet Sauvignon is a wonderful combination of sturdy structure and polished finesse. Balanced tannins and acidity provide the structure needed for excellent aging and will reward those who tuck it away for a bit.

The nose leads off with plum, bright blackberry, and dark bing cherries. A touch of dried blueberry rounds out the fruit profile. Floral notes and cocoa, with nuances of cedar and spice, are sprinkled throughout. All of these characters follow through on the palate and, with a pleasant minerality and continuity, weave a tapestry of complexity and youthful exuberance.

Review:

Aromas of fresh black cherry, barrel spice, dark chocolate and blackberry are followed by lush, ripe black cherry flavors. The tannins are polished to a fine sheen, and it shows a compelling texture. The finish carries. This is an outright delicious offering of the variety, with lots of pure hedonism but no shortage of class. Sean P. Sullivan

-Wine Enthusiast 93 Points

Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley is made from 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot.