J Bookwalter Protagonist Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, Columbia Valley, Washington

2020 vintage: 89% Cabernet Sauvigtnon, 6% Syrah, 5% Petit Verdot. 78% Conner-Lee Vineyard, 20% Dionysus Vineyard, 2% Elephant Mountain Vineyard. At first glance, this wine appears a dense ruby with violet hues. The aromatics are layered and complex. Notes of dark cherry, cassis, rosepedal, and sandalwood welcome you before taking the first sip. On the palate, you taste dark cherry, blackberry, vanilla, tamarind, driftwood, and baking spice. Savory nuances add to the taste and compliment the fruit character. Very balanced structure, suave mid-palate and velvet powdery tannins on the finish. The Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested at the optimal balance of sugar and acid. Fermentation was done whole berry on the skins for 10-14 days. Once the desired structural balance was reached, the wine was drained off skins, placed in a mixture of both new and neutral oakfor secondary fermentation. After malolactic fermentation, the wine was aged on the lees until blended. Sterile filtered prior to bottling.