Novelty Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Columbia Valley, Washington

“An expressive, handsome wine, this full-bodied, concentrated Cab displays generous dark fruit and cedar aromas in the glass. Layered notes of black cherry, wild blackberry, and fresh plum come into focus across the palate, complemented by a refined, silky texture and a long, satisfying finish. Vintage: Growers and winemakers will remember the 2021 vintage for outstanding quality grapes that produced age-worthy wines with concentration and balance. In a year marked by low yields, grapes were deeply colored, flavorful, and intensely textured despite extreme summer weather. The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon blends dark fruit aromas and flavors from Novelty Hill’s Stillwater Creek Estate on the Royal Slope of the Frenchman Hills with select grapes from top Red Mountain, Wahluke Slope, and White Bluff vineyards to build layered complexity and mouthfeel in the finished wine. Winemaking: Gentle pump overs during the early stages of fermentation extract color and flavors without imparting harsh tannins. Gravity racked every five months to soften and clarify the wine. Aged 20 months in 25% new French oak barrels; 40% used; 15% new American oak barrels; 20% used. Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 1% Malbec.