The 2014 Doubleback Cabernet was sourced from several vineyards on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley, including McQueen, the warmer Bob Healy site and Lefore on the eastern side of The Rocks AVA. At 10 years on, it's showing spice-driven aromas of frankincense, church candles and smoky singed violets. The palate frames spicy cocoa nibs with hints of brown sugar and roast cinnamon stick. Black fruits are generous: plums, figs and dark chocolate-covered cherries with whisps of black tea, delightful savoury dried herbs and ample structure and freshness to keep this wine going for another five to eight years. (CP)

Full ruby-red. Very dark scents of blackberry, cassis, bitter chocolate and black licorice. At once sweet, pliant and concentrated; a very ripe, deep, densely packed Cabernet given shape by harmonious acidity. Cassis and dark chocolate flavors display a youthfully medicinal aspect, but there's also terrific sweetness lurking. Really spreads out horizontally to saturate the palate, finishing with major ripe, building, tongue-coating tannins and superb length. Perhaps a bit less refined than the 2013 but this is still a baby. This serious, very concentrated wine should evolve slowly and gracefully and may ultimately merit an even higher rating. (ST)

Well-built but tightly wound, with expressive boysenberry, licorice and coffee flavors that lead to firm tannins. (TF)