Owen Roe Dubrul Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 09

Review:

Huge and powerful. The Dubrul Cab is the more "classic Washington Cab" of the two. Creamy cassis and blackberry are woven with violet and mocha. The lush black fruit is accented by hints of caramel and sweet sage, all of which conceals a nice amount of grip that elongates the finish. Like every vintage of Dubrul Cab, the 09 will age beautifully. - Marcus

2008 Vintage Tasting Notes

Enormous and concentrated. It should be noted that my tasting notes were written on day 2, meaning the Dubrul needs 24 hours to open up (or a minimum of a couple of years in your cellar). Once it opens the expressive blackberry liqueur, notes of black cherry, earth, baking chocolate and creamy oak make for a stunning impact. This has a little more tannin on the finish, a little more overt power overall than the Red Willow Cab. - Avalon

2007 Vintage Tasting Notes

Owen Roe Dubrul Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is Owen Roe's flagship wine. It exhibits an expressive, rich nose of clove, licorice, cedar incense, vanilla, and sweet black fruit. Mouth-coating, velvety, and plush, huge, sweet blackberry, black cherry, and plum flavors are elevated by layers of sweet tobacco, dried fruit, pencil lead, and cassis liqueur. Ripe, integrated tannins are structured for 5+ years of cellaring. - Jean

2006 Vintage Tasting Notes

Opens with aromas of caramel-inflected rich, dark cherries, ground cinnamon, and barrel toast that usher in a concentrated palate of plush, dark currants, black cherries, and blackberries. Savory notes of vanilla bean, barrel spice, dried sage leaf and mint come together with sappy fruit, fine tannin, and Dubrul Vineyard earthiness on the finish, exuding power. Best to cellar this for another couple years, then drink over the next decade.

2005 Vintage Tasting Notes

A colossal Cab! Creamy aromas of black cherry, cassis, graphite, and signature Owen Roe barrel toast. Beautifully plush and juicy black cherry, black currant, and black plum flavors are at once hefty and svelte, providing a silk suit coat to the integrated tannins. Loads of sweet fruit--with a blueberry note coming out-- mingles with a sappy, dark caramel spice note on the powerful finish.

2005 Wine Spectator - 95 points - Rich, ripe, supple and distinctive for the green olive and savory, tarry notes swirling around the generous core of black cherry, black currant, and licorice flavors. A big wine that caresses. Drink now through 2017. - H.S.

2004 Vintage Tasting Notes

2004 Wine Spectator - 93 points - An aristocratic red that's upright but supple, dense but refined. A complex mouthful of savory, meaty and peppery notes around a generous core of black cherry, currant and smoky spices. Gets a bit hot on the finish, but the style and range of flavors are mightily impressive. Best from 2009 through 2020. 457 cases made. - H.S.

2003 Vintage Tasting Notes

The 2003 Dubrul Cabernet Sauvignon was a Selection of Avalon's Big Reds Club.

2003 Wine Spectator - 94 points - Big, broad-shouldered style has gobs of ripe plum cherry and currant fruit mingling with subtle, sweet spices and hints of tomato and barbecue smoke as the finish sails on and on. Despite its undeniable size, this has tremendous grace, finishing with delectable harmony. Best from 2008 through 2015. 630 cases made. - H.S.