A wine that is approachable now for those full flavored meals and a wine with enough structure to age beautifully for the next decade, though you may have difficulty saving it for that long.
The 03 finds a deep cherry note, not overwhelmingly fruit forward but pleasantly balanced with fruit and acidity. Definately drinkable now to be paired with game or beef to match the depth on the palate.
Detailed Info, Previous Vintage Notes, Reviews:
Previous vintage tasting notes
From the winery: "Cabernet Sauvignon is a favorite at our winery and the 1999 is one of our best. With 11% Merlot to soften meaty, but soft tannins, grapes are from Fred Artz' vineyard on Red Mountain and Paul Champoux' vineyard at Mercer Ranch. Both are small vineyards, in Washington State's dry east side, and are near legend in Washington for varietal character and superior management. Sort of like us at Camaraderie, we're a small winery of characters, or so folks have said. Drink this wine and you can tell us if we have done Fred and Paul's grapes proud. We think we have.
This wine has earned multiple medals including a Gold in the Pacific Rim International Competition and a Gold at the San Francisco Internatiojnal. The Wine Enthusiast has also rated it a "91", placing it among the best wines Washington State has to offer.
Winemaking techniques included both small lot punch down and larger vessel pump-overs. Three specialty yeasts were used to accent underlying characteristics of each vineyard. After vinification, the wines were aged for nearly two years in both American and French oak from four coopers. This combination of wine-making techniques coupled with the classic character of Artz' and Champoux' vineyards contributes to a wine of complexity, depth and classic balanced proportion. Unlike the winemaker who is also complex but a touch unbalanced in the midst of vintage.
Red wine lovers will drink a "cab" with anything and thumb their noses at traditional wine and food pairings. Experience validates the marriage of Cabernet Sauvignon with full-flavored meat dishes and plates of the pasta of your choice. But, in our household, we drink Cabernet Sauvigon with nearly anything because that's the way we are and we have found enough new friends visiting at the winery who tell us we aren't all that alone. Most Cabernet Sauvignon fans have a hard time leaving some wine to go with dessert, but those who do, smile with the combination of their favorite "cab" and chocolate anything. In a pinch, an Oreo will do.
We hope you will smile too with your tasting of our latest and current favorite Cabernet Sauvignon. Have it with friends who share, or should share, your love of this noble hearty red wine. We will be complimented to be there too, if only in spirit.
