2010 Januik Cabernet Sauvignon

The Januik Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is made from a short list of vineyards considered to be among the best in the state. The diversity of these vineyards which represents many of the most mature, carefully managed sites in Washington provide for a full range of fruit expression that allows for a well crafted, complex, multi-layered wine true to Columbia Valley terroir as well as the varietal character of the grapes. The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon includes grapes from Champoux, Klipsun, Red Mountain, Weinbau and Lady Hawk vineyards.  92% Cabernet Sauvignon; 5% Merlot; 2% Cabernet Franc; 1% Malbec.

On the nose I get generous aromas of blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate, melted black licorice, all spice, and lovely cedar box aromas. This wine is very young and already has such a wonderfully complex and multi-layered bouquet.......will be interesting to see how this wine shows with a few years of age.

On the palate the wine is ripe and intense, showing beautiful black fruit flavors such as blackberry, boysenberry, and cassis. There are also really nice secondary flavors of dark chocolate, licorice, spice, and cedar. The wine is luxuriously textured and has a wonderful balance of fruit, oak, tannin, and acidity. Januik wines continue to be amongst the best wine made in Washington, and probably hold the best price to quality ratio out of any domestic wines on the market. Outstanding stuff.... 94 points