2017 Cayuse "The Widowmaker" Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

“The 2017 The Widowmaker En Chamberlin is another Bordeaux look-alike (it reminds me of a wine from the Graves region) that has loads of blackcurrant and cassis as well as leafy tobacco, cedar pencil, chocolate, cold fireplace and Asian spices on both the nose and palate. Rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, it has a wonderfully seamless texture, ultra-fine tannins, and a great, great finish. This beautiful, elegant yet powerful Cabernet Sauvignon will drink well for 20-30 years or more. 97+” (04/2020)

“The 2017 The Widowmaker en Chamberlin Vineyard begins with boisterous black fruits on the nose with subtleties of graphite, blackcurrant and dried violets before expressing hints of crème de cassis and smoked earth. Full-bodied, the wine is rich and round, offering a generous yet balanced structure to last about two decades. Accessible in youth, the wine ends with a silky, supple finish that continues to evolve with complexity for moments after the wine has left the palate and will surely deliver pleasure. 232 cases produced. Good luck finding some. (AM)” (08/2020)

“The aromas offer beguiling, complex notes of funk, cedar, plum, moist earth and black currant. Intensely pure, ripe, dense, palate-coating flavors follow, showing impressive staying power. It's an outrageously pleasurable wine—a textbook example of what Cabernet can achieve in this sub-appellation of the valley. *Cellar Selection* (SS)” (10/2020)

“A very pretty, pure cabernet with currant and plum character and some peaches. It’s full-bodied and round-textured, yet polished and caressing. Why wait on this?” (06/2020)

“Bright, dark red with ruby tones. Aromas of dark raspberry, chimney soot, smoked meat and dark chocolate, plus a hint of black olive; I would have guessed this wine included some Syrah. Rich, smooth and savory on entry, then opulent but not heavy in the middle palate, offering a thicker texture than the foregoing samples but also good subtle energy and firmness. Sweet dark fruits came up nicely with aeration. There's a sexy sweetness here but this rather savory style of Cabernet Sauvignon delivers a remarkably seamless texture to its flavors of currant, spices, minerals and game. Finishes firm and alive, with smooth palate-saturating tannins and lovely horizontality. This wine may not be as complex as the 2016 was at the same stage, but it's more pliant in the middle and should be accessible earlier. (ST)” (12/2020)

“Combines refinement with muscle, featuring blackberry, black olive and crushed stone accents that build tension toward dense tannins. (TF)” (07/2020)