WASHINGTON - BHighest Rated 2004 WA Big Reds Case
winery: Avalon Wine
Avalon's 2004 Highest Rated Big Reds Case
contains the following:
3 Cadence Taptiel '04 (93 points Wine Spectator
and Highly Recommended)
3 Spring Valley Uriah '04 (93 Wine Spectator)
1 Fielding Hills Cab '04 (#3 wine behind Quilceda
and Cayuse--Seattle Times)
1 Va Piano Cab '04 (hot new Walla Walla winery)
1 Betz Pere de Famille Cab '04 (Tanzer 93+)
1 Buty Redivia of the Stones '04 (super limited)
1 Betz Clos de Betz '04 (Tanzer 92+ rating)
1 Abeja Cab 04 (sold out, classic John Abbott Cab)
Cadence
Tapteil Vineyard Red Mountain 04 $41.95
Wine Spectator rating 93 points (3-26-07):
"Polished, open-textured and refined, this is generous
with red currant, raspberry, black cherry and dusky
spice aromas and flavors. Supple texture and graceful
structure make it a winner. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2014." -H.S.
Spring
Valley Uriah 04 $49.95
Wine Spectator 93 points:
" Lithe, refined and deftly balanced to show off
its smoky blueberry compote and cherry flavors, which
last on the long, expressive finish. The tannins
are refined, but tightly packed. Needs time in the
cellar to flower. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet
Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Best from 2008 through
2012. 2,095 cases made". -HS
60% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Franc 4.5% Cabernet Sauvignon
and 3.5% Petit Verdot
A full-bodied behemoth of a wine, this is Spring
Valley's flagship red and has been in the Wine Spectator
Top 100 Wines of the Year twice.
Fielding
Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 04 $29.95
95 points, Wine Enthusiast 11-06 --
A blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot,
18% Syrah, & 1% Cabernet Franc, all from
Fielding's Estate vineyard, Riverbend Vineyard.
Aged 19 months in a combination of American
and French barrels, 76% new oak. 366 cases
made.
Va
Piano Cabernet Sauvignon 04 $43.00
Paul Gregutt of the Seattle Times had this to say
about the wine and the winery: "Justin Wylie was
nurturing a new vineyard, planted in 2000, at his
Va Piano winery adjacent to Pepper Bridge. He lost
his whole crop in 2004, but calls it a "blessing
in disguise" as the vines had a full year to rest.
Wylie had already contracted for other grapes as
insurance and put them to good use. His 2004 Va Piano
Cabernet Sauvignon from Lewis and Cold Creek vineyard
fruit, is a fresh, clean wine with sappy berry flavors
accented with toasted coconut and mocha."
Betz
Pere de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon 04 $51.95
93+ points, Tanzer: "Bright,
deep ruby-red. Musky, minerally, spicy aromas
of blackberry, blueberry, leather and tree
bark. Quite penetrating on the palate, with
terrific intensity and cut to the black cherry
and currant flavors. Denser and larger-scaled
than the Clos de Betz. This, too, finishes
with excellent cut, growing sweeter and longer
as it opens in the glass. There's firm tannic
spine here but no impression of dryness."
Betz
Clos du Betz 04 $37.70
92+ points Tanzer: "92(+?) Bright,
deep red. Musky, sweet aromas of dark cherry,
roasted red berries, graphite, leather, roast
coffee, herbs and treebark. Sweet, concentrated,
very ripe and floral but showing less early
opulence and more structure than recent vintages
of this bottling. With aeration, though,
this showed compelling sweetness and noteworthy
depth. This builds impressively toward the
back finishing with strong, juicy fruit;
firm, fine-grained tannins; and excellent
lift."
Buty
Rediviva of the Stones 04 $48.95
From the winery: "Rediviva of the Stones is
entirely grown in the ancestral cobble-filled riverbed
of the Walla Walla River in the southern Walla Walla
Valley appellation. We blend the syrah and cabernet
sauvignon for complexity and balance.
Abeja
Cabernet Sauvignon 04 $39.95
Abeja just cancelled out of the Taste Washington-
they're entirely sold out!
Intense aromas of black fruit and fresh ground coffee,
with notes of ancho chili. Flavors of black plum
and cassis, with bits of black raspberry that give
way to dark and milk chocolate, graphite, tobacco
leaf, and barrel spice on the finish. With super-fine
tannins, great concentration, and balancing acidity,
the Abeja Cab '04 should evolve excellently over
the next decade. - Marcus
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