2018 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon Washington Red

2018 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon

96 DEC

Featured Review

Winemaker Josh McDaniels has crafted a masterpiece that manifests a beautiful aromatic range from sagebrush, violets and dark chocolate covered espresso bean to exotic spices and tar tones. The palate is silky and elegant, with an incredible texture and soft mouthfeel. This seamless wine delivers decadent rich boysenberry cordial flavours with mocha, anise and crème de cassis tones alongside shades of charcoal and graphite. Drinking Window 2022 - 2040. Decanter

Decanter | 96 DEC

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon (90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% each of Malbec and Merlot) comes from a handful of sites in the Walla Walla Valley and spent 23 months in 67% new French oak. Classic, old-school notes of blackcurrants, leafy tobacco, earth, saddle leather, and spicy herbs gives way to full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with notable balance, a great mid-palate, ripe yet building tannins, and a great finish. This pure, clean, classic Cabernet will benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and keep for 20 years or more. It's beautifully done.

Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JD

Saturated bright ruby to the rim. Inky, medicinal aromas of blackberry, boysenberry, licorice, bitter chocolate, menthol and minerals. Suave, fine-grained and intense on entry, then tight and dark in the middle palate, with blackberry, cassis, boysenberry, tropical bitter chocolate, licorice and spice flavors conveying a very primary character. Even today this firmly structured, rather brooding wine shows suave tannins and a modicum of pliancy but there's much to be gained by holding it for four or five years. Perhaps a little less savory than the 2017 and equally bound-up. Substantial dusty tannins are a bit dried in the early going by the wine's peppery herbal element. Lay this one down.

Vinous Media | 92+ VM

Aromas of blackcurrants, dried violets, walnuts and sweet tobacco. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm tannins. Firm and structured with fresh acidity and a gently leafy undertone. Try from 2023.

James Suckling | 92 JS

Displaying a deep ruby core and purple highlights at the rim, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon opens with fresh, ripe and juicy fruit tones of Chambord, crème de cassis and plum reduction before offering elements of lavender and violet in the glass. Full-bodied and juicy, the palate is generous, showing dusty tannins that will take some time to subside. It ends with persistent flavors of crème de violette, stewed blackberries and clove. The wine rested for about two years in two-thirds new French oak barrels before being bottled. Almost 37,000 bottles were made.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

Type of Wine	Washington Red
Varietal	Cabernet Sauvignon : It is recognized worldwide, referred to as “king of grapes” and has easily become the most popular grape variety in the world. Cabernet Sauvignon has seemingly taken the world by storm. It has seen exponential growth and popularity in American and around the world over the past thirty years. The phrase “Cabernet is king,” is a common maxim in the world of wine. Cabernet Sauvignon wine has become so popular that when being referred to can be recognized by simple slang, such as “Cab” or “Cabernet. It might appear simple, straightforward and easily understood; yet, interestingly remains an enigma, which has both baffled and excited oenologists since its discovery. The exact origin and circumstances of this world-altering event are still enigmatic; however, at the end of the 20th century, UC Davis Scientists (John Bowers and Carole Meredith) were able to solve part of the mystery using DNA fingerprinting technology that proved Cabernet Sauvignon to be the offspring of a surprising spontaneous crossing of Bordeaux varietals, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. By the 18th century there were already records of Cabernet Sauvignon being well-established on the west side of the Gironde Estuary (Left Bank) in the Medoc and Graves. Although tremendously popular in California and what seems to have become the identity of Napa Valley winemaking, Cabernet Sauvignon’s birth took place in the Bordeaux region of southwest France by fortuitous unification. Whereas Napa Valley experienced a winemaking renaissance during the 1970’s and 1980s (greatly due to the 1976 Judgement of Paris) quality wine from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape has been produced in the Medoc, on the Left Bank of Bordeaux for over 400 years. Cabernet Sauvignon’s first recorded plantings in California can be traced back to the 1850’s when Antoine Delmas, a French nurseryman, brought French vines (including one called ‘Cabrunet’) to the Santa Clara Valley. Early cultivation suffered due to obscurity of the varietal and improper planting in inhospitable soil. It wasn’t until pioneers such as Robert Mondavi, Randy Dunn and Warren Winiarski with their amazing foresight and understanding of terroir, would the grape variety finally find its niche in California winemaking. Cabernet Sauvignon thrives in warm climates moderated by a cooling marine influence. It is perfectly attuned to gravel-based soils with good drainage. Whether on flat land or a hillside, the Cabernet Sauvignon grape flourishes in proper climates and terroir, producing incredible yields. The thick grapevine is extremely vigorous allowing it to exploit its natural host. Its distinctive small, black berries (reminiscent of blueberries) adhere firmly to the stalk and are capable of a very long “hang time.” These berries are extremely concentrated, producing intensely flavored fruit. The thick skins of the grape are characterized as having highly astringent flavor, high tannin, acidity and dark color. Coincidentally, the variety has a special affinity for oak, which helps soften the bitterness. Today, the Noble Bordeaux varietal of Cabernet Sauvignon is planted on 340,000 hectares (741,300 acres) of vineyards across the earth’s surface. From Sicily to Sonoma, Chile to Bordeaux, South Africa to Napa. It has found symbiosis in terroir hotspots that mimic that of the Medoc and Napa Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon’s globetrotting has allowed the grape variety to take root all over the world, captivating its inhabitants and influencing winemaking. This serendipitous marriage between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc centuries ago, which offered to the world its progeny, has changed the landscape of winegrowing, winemaking and the face of the entire wine market forever. It has influenced blending, changed civilization and has cultivated a place for itself in today’s world… the very pinnacle.
Country	US : As one of the most prolific and innovative wine regions in the world, America is a joy to explore. Most wine connoisseurs will agree that the nation's finest and most compelling wines are being produced today, which means that we have front-row seats to one of the most inspirational stories in wine history. While other regions tend to focus on specific wine styles and have somewhat strict rules as to which varietals you could grow, areas like California have few such restrictions in place. As a result, creative visionaries behind America's most reputable estates have been able to develop compelling, unique, and innovative styles, with a level of terroir expression that rivals even France's largest giants.
Region	Washington : While California definitely owns the spotlight when it comes to excellent American wines, Washington winemakers should certainly not be underestimated. While their traditional focus was set firmly on refreshing, illustrious white wines, they've adopted French red varietals like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Since then, they've been achieving excellence in both categories and can compete with the world's most prestigious viticultural titans. Flavor-wise, you can expect a healthy amount of variety when it comes to Washington's finest wines. From acidic and fruity bottles that can shake you up from even the deepest slumber or sadness to rich and ripe powerhouses that command the respect of everyone in the room after as much as a single whiff. Juicy raspberries that gently tickle your tongue, deep and noble blackberries, intense cherries and earthen oak - these are the flavors that characterize this region, despite the presence of an entire orchestral symphony of other aromatic notes. A sampling of fine wine from Washington is a lot like being seduced, so why not uncork one of these bottles for a potential or existing partner? With a drink of this quality, those romantic sparks will turn into a fireworks display, as your emotions are laid bare and intensified, and you make a connection that can last a lifetime.