2016 Passing Time Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Washington

2016 CABERNET SAUVIGNON HORSE HEAVEN HILLS

(98 Points) The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills is a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, hitting 14.8% natural alcohol, that comes mostly from the Discovery and Champoux vineyards, with the Merlot coming from Klipsun Vineyard on Red Mountain. Its deep purple color is followed by a textbook Cabernet Sauvignon nose of crème de cassis, smoke tobacco, pencil lead, damp earth and spice-driven aromas. Developing beautifully with time in the glass, it’s full-bodied, incredibly pure, balanced, and multi-dimensional on the palate, with sweet tannins and an awesome finish. As with all these wines from Chris, it’s seamless, silky, and beautifully balanced, and a fabulous wine. It needs 5-7 years of bottle age to hit prime time and is going to evolve gracefully over the following 2-3 decades. Tasted three times. Trust me on this one, it’s a magical wine.

Chris Peterson Tasting Note - Showing all the dark color and extremely complex nose this wine is known for. Creme de cassis, mulled black cherries, licorice, asphalt, graphite, and bittersweet chocolate lead the hedonistic nose. The wine is rich and palate-coating, with incredible depth and concentration. Black and blue fruits lead into a toothsome structure, highlighted by notes of graphite, black rose, raw honey, and espresso powder that go on and on. Another extremely compelling wine from this famous area. easily a 20 year wine