Winery - Soos Creek
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Sappy and tart, with raspberry and cassis fruit concentrated within a shell of astringent tannins. Coffee and licorice highlights from the barrel aging bring added interest to the finish. Give this one plenty of breathing time.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
The first Merlot in the winery’s 15-year history is restrained, aromatic and lightly leafy, showing hints of tobacco under the pretty, soft, plum and berry fruit. Just the right amount of smooth, chocolaty tannins follow through; the wine is ripe, yet not too ripe. A pleasing spiciness comes out as it breathes.
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Soos Creek Merlot - 2001
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A bit more austere (for the moment) than the Champoux bottling, this has the vineyard’s characteristically tight streak of mineral running through its core. Mixed scents suggest hay and pie cherries. There is plenty of substantial viscosity, but nothing heavy about the mouthfeel. This is sleek, deceptively light, tasting of stones, with soft hints of berry, good acids and nothing sharp or bitter.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
The wine opens with dense, fragrant, supple scents of slate, cassis and mulberry. Slightly reductive, it’s a wine that needs decanting. This is consistent with past vintages, nicely detailed with mineral and fine grained tannins resolving into flavors of lightly roasted coffee.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Again winemaker Dave Larsen has made a classic Ciel du Cheval Cabernet, an austere mix of mineral and green tea flavors, hard and tight and densely compacted. The opening aromas hint at dried grass and wild berries, with a bracing minerality. This is a vintage (and a vineyard) that will certainly reward cellaring, for up to 20 years. The alcohol is a moderate 14.1%.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A full-on Bordeaux blend, with 61% Cab Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 11% Cab Franc and 9% Petit Verdot. Tight and slatey, it’s got firm, hard—but certainly ripe—tannins wrapped around concentrated cassis and mulberry fruit. It’s very well made but can use some softening up; a few more years will add to its complexity and develop its bouquet.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This 95% Cabernet Sauvignon perfectly captures the vineyard’s strengths: lush, ripe, fleshy fruit that shows perfectly ripened flavors of cherry and cassis, bolstered by ripe, chewy tannins. It’s substantial but not tiring; the balance of fruit, acid and tannins holds it together through a spicy, lingering finish. It’s just a delicious wine, and one that should cellar well also.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This is the first reserve for this unassuming, low-profile winery whose wines clearly belong in the first rank of Washington’s boutiques. It shows classic Cabernet fruit from three top vineyards, long and persistent, yet never over extracted or alcoholic. True Bordeaux style in an elegant, ageworthy wine. Editors’ Choice.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This Bordeaux blend has some good, firm, juicy red fruits, well-managed tannins, some sweaty scents in the nose, and a tannic, tarry, earthy finish. Needs more time to smooth out the rough edges and tone down the volatile scents.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Here is an inviting, almost exotic nose-mixing ripe fruit and sexy oak in a rich, textured, seamlessly deep wine. This easily compares with top of the line Washington efforts costing far more. Just 150 cases made.
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