Cabernet Sauvignon
2018
A family-owned business, L'Ecole Nº 41 was founded by Jean and Baker Ferguson. Today, the winery is owned and operated by their daughter and son-in-law, Megan and Martin Clubb. Built in 1915, the schoolhouse is located in historic Frenchtown, a small community just west of Walla Walla, Washington. Frenchtown derived its name from the many French-Canadians who settled the valley during the early 1800s. Legend has it, these men of French descent were raising grapes and producing wine. By the...
See the L'ECOLE NO. 41 detail page for more information on this brand
Perfectly dry harvest weather extended hang-time resulting in rich color and vibrant fruit flavours, another great vintage for Washington State. A late bud-break in mid-April was followed by a warm May with rapid canopy growth. A quick, even bloom set a uniform crop. A cool June contributed to healthy berry growth. July and early August were warm, with occasional heat spikes. Canopies were managed to avoid sunburn and irrigation was micromanaged. Intense cluster thinning was required to control yields. Veraison tracked 2017 in Walla Walla and was slightly ahead in other regions of the state. A brief rainfall shifted early September into cooler weather leading to two months of near-perfect weather conditions for final fruit maturity. Higher sugars were balanced against higher acid levels and wonderfully intense color and tannin extraction, big fruit flavours, and overall balanced structure. Another strong Washington vintage.
Over 35 years of meticulous vineyard management and winemaking experience are fundamental to the quality of the L'Ecole no. 41 wines and their reputation for excellence. The winery is engaged in growing and making 100% of their wines. Each lot was hand-harvested ripe and gently crushed into 1.5 and 5 ton stainless steel fermenters. Gentle handling of the fruit through hand punch downs and gravity-assisted movements were utilized throughout the entire winemaking process. The wine was cleanly racked to small oak barrels, 25% new, with four rackings over 22 months.
With its classic Cabernet profile, this expressive wine shows layers of dark fruit and espresso, accented by an array of floral notes, including violet, lavender, and crushed roses. With blackberry, cherry, roasted coffee beans, and cassis on the palate, it’s framed with fine tannins which carry through to a flavourful finish.
A glorious 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, you are immediately struck by the rich sagebrush and anise tones on the nose, with a great wall of dark fruits holding everything in place. The palate is very smooth with refined tannins that mingle with black raspberry cordial, cigar box, blackcurrants and chocolate covered espresso bean flavours. The long finish lingers.
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The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley is a delicious wine to consume even at the three-year mark. On the nose, it takes on heady cassis, anise, dark chocolate shaving and underbrush undertones. Nicely textured, with plenty of mouthwatering acidity, this beautiful wine is already singing in high octave right now.
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Barrel aromas are at the fore initially, with notes of roasted coffee bean, vanilla, chocolate and char in front of plum and cherry. Plump, juicy fruit and barrel flavors follow, with the tannins providing a pleasing squeeze. Give it additional time in the bottle or decant to see it at its best.
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All varietal and brought up in 25% new oak, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley offers lots of typicity in its ripe blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, chocolate, and violet-tinged aromas and flavors. With medium-bodied richness, wonderful purity of fruit, no hard edges, and a clean, classy, elegant style, it’s well worth seeking out and I suspect will keep for 10-12 years.
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The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from a mix of seven different vineyards and it's always a good value. Its deep purple color is followed by a ripe, opulent, full-bodied Cabernet with lots of plum and darker berry fruits, notes of chocolate, roasted herbs, and oak, ripe yet mouthcoating tannins, and a great finish. While it doesn't have the elegance of the top cuvées, it brings ample fruit and texture, and should keep for 10-12 years.
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A more fruit-forward Cabernet bottling in comparison to the Walla Walla designate, this Cabernet is approachable and juicy. Aromas of violet are followed on by blackberry and mint. The palate is lively and fresh fruited with juicy blackberries, ripe tay berries and notes of roasted coffee bean. The finish is met by a touch of smoked cedar plank and streaks of graphite.
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Svelte and well-defined, with currant, black olive and stony mineral accents that build toward fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2028.
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