Long Shadows Feather Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Washington State Cabernet.
Acclaimed Napa Valley vintner Randy Dunn has a reputation for producing world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. He brings more than four decades of winemaking experience to the Columbia Valley to produce Feather, his only wine made outside of California.
Tasting Notes: Deep crimson colored with pure and expressive Cabernet Sauvignon character. Generous aromas and flavors of dark fruits, violets, coffee and toasted herbs combine with a textured mid-palate to deliver a big, yet focused, wine with polished tannins and persistent finish.
Winemaking: Grapes were hand-harvested at the peak of ripeness, then lightly crushed and fermented in small stainless steel tanks. Once fermentation was underway, the cap was pumped over aggressively to extract color and structure. As fermentation neared completion, pump overs were handled more gently to further extract color and flavors without imparting harsh tannins. The finished wine was aged 22 months in 90% new Vicard French oak barrels (Randy's cooper of choice at Dunn Vineyards as well).
Alcohol: 14.4%
pH: 3.86
TA: 0.58 grams / 100ml
Review:
All Cabernet Sauvignon and a blend put together by Randy Dunn, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Feather is inky purple-hued and offers a brilliant nose of cassis, new leather, graphite, and truffly earth. This rich, spicy, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon has terrific purity, a deep, layered mid-palate, and a broad, layered, expansive mouthfeel that keeps you coming back to the glass. Drink this remarkable Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon over the coming two decades.
-Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points
Nicolas-Jay 'l'Ensemble' Pinot Noir Willamette Valley is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Winemaker Tasting Notes | A bright, magenta color with pinkish red edges shows intensity, youthfulness and concentration. Aroma sequences immediately leap from the glass with freshness and vigor. There are red berries, freshly cut straw, rhubarb and elegantly perfumed red flowers. A blood orange zest intermixes with Herbes de Provence, cranberries and tight-grained French barrique. The structure of the wine is medium + at first, but as the wine unfolds in the mid-palate it begins to tighten and constrict. Acid levels are earnest in this wine, but there is a broad density that seems to take a combative stance to its brightness as the finish expands into chalky minerality, tangerine spice and an underlayment of crushed river rock. It's silky, pretty and elegant, but with a grit and willpower that suggests an exquisite vintage made by an experience and sensitive winemaking approach.
Vintage | The beautiful 2021 vintage began with a warm dry winter followed by a wet and cool late Spring. Despite rain during bloom, yields were high and the vines soaked up the nourishing moisture early in the season. June also brought a heat dome with temperatures breaking 115 degrees in the Willamette Valley. Luckily, this unprecedented heat came at a time before the grapes were susceptible to damage and the growing season continued warm but without issue. A cooler August was a sigh of relief as we neared harvest. Grape ripening slowed down and the very healthy and abundant fruit began showing signs of ripeness in early September. We began picking on September 4th with 2 separate chardonnay vineyards and finished on September 27th with our latest and highest elevation chardonnay site – Spirit Hill. Harvest was beautiful and dry with only one small rain event toward the end, ideal for a successful vintage. The fruit was pristine and yields comfortable, leading to moderate alcohol levels and bright acidity. Our first vintage made entirely here at the Nicolas-Jay estate, the wines are showing purity of fruit, beautiful texture and tension and are sure to continue to evolve for years in bottle.
Review:
A jeweled ruby hue, the 2021 Pinot Noir L'Ensemble needs a little time to open in the glass before revealing aromas of fresh pine, ripe cherry liqueur, and toasted spice. Supple and medium to full-bodied, with ripe tannins, it delivers elegant freshness and wonderful purity through its long, mouthwatering, seamless finish. Drink 2025-2037.
-Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points