Hugh O'Riordan

9.8

Letting wine breath. This is an excellent wine. Buy it!! — 2 days ago

Tobin Trevarthen

9.7

Heaven. As in Horse Heaven and Red Mountain. Always a cut above the rest. — 3 months ago

Aaron Rankin

9.4

Almost black in color, matching the bramble nose. Roses. I get a little campfire and some vegetal notes. Palette is smooth and silky with nice acid. More energy than most QC. Feels properly right bank at the tail end of primary. — 8 months ago

Shay A

9.4

Another fun comparison against the Quilceda Creek, and totally open for business. Classic Howell Mtn cab. Aromatics of baked mixed berry pie, fig, Mexican vanilla, graphite, and a delicate floral note. Fairly integrated on the palate with boysenberries, blueberry compote, dark chocolate, nutmeg and espresso. Delicious right now. — a year ago

with Mark

Richard Sohn

9.3

At its peak. Great value — a month ago

Francois Franzl

9.3

Excellent wine. Still very juicy and fruity. Toasted notes, coffee, overripe forest fruits, cherries notes after an hour in the glass. Very complex. — 2 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

This CVR, Columbia Valley Red, is a blend of 87% Cab Sauv, 7% Merlot and 3% each of Cab Franc and Petit Verdot. Deep Ruby with aromas of black and ripe red fruits with notes of smoky cedar and earthy herb notes. On the palate flavors of blackberry and black cherry with sweet spice, black pepper and mineral notes. Long finish ending with smoky cedar, earthy notes and stewed fruit. Good balance, great now! Tried twice! — 3 months ago

Wulf Losee

9.8

2018 vintage tasted June 2021. If I were to blind-taste this wine, I would have never guessed it’s a Cab! I think I’d say it was some sort of weird blend of Pinotage and Merlot. But if the tasting judge pulled off the wrapper, I would smack my forehead in embarrassment and exclaim, “of course it’s a Cab, but it’s soooo unique!” The tannic structure is not what you get from a Cab from its optimal growing regions (Napa, Sonoma, Coonawarra). The body is lighter, and its medium tannic structure lets a lot of spice through. I don’t think it’s quite as good as the 2016 vintage, but I have to give it same 9.8 rating which I gave the 2016. Maybe I should edit my 2016 rating and push it up to 9.9? (I’ve never given a wine a 10 or even a 9.9, but maybe I’m being too much of a wine snob?) Anyway, I taste so few wines at this level of sophistication that I worry I am underrating it and that I’m not damning it with faint 9.8 praise.

This wine is young, but I’m sure it will be fully drinkable in 20 years (long after I’m gone!). But I’m not sure it will get any better with age—rather it will only change from great to a different great.

Tasting notes: cinnamon and blackberries on the nose. Dry red fruit on the front. Medium tannic structure—not silky, but not puckery. It has a long finish with all sorts of spicy post-orgasmic pleasures.

All I can say is, if it you can get yourself on the Quilceda Creek mailing list, you will be blessed, and you will be one of the coolest wine drinkers around. — 2 months ago

Jordyn Peck

10

Just love. Had with beef ragu and steak tips. A bit dry, smooth, no headache. Let breathe for 30-40 minutes — 4 months ago

Makoto Someya

9.0

Good!!! Black fruits matured flavor. Black currant concentration. 2012@2238, Xiaduo, 201120-210129 — 8 months ago