Today’s multi-award-winning Double Canyon Winery 2014 Horse Heaven Hills Double Canyon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, like its name, is a mouthful. A dark, flavor-packed, aroma-infused, deliciously elegant mouthful. This wine was a hit with our tasting panel. We often pass on Washington state wines, but this one rocks!

Today’s Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon hails from the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, from which nearly 25% of the state’s grapes are grown. This sub-appellation is part of the larger Columbia Valley AVA. Located between Yakima Valley on the north and the Columbia River on the south, Horse Heaven Hills spans about 50 miles long and 20 miles wide. It is widely hailed as growing the finest Cabernet fruit in the state.

This is an inky dark wine that lets no light pass through its garnet core. A ruby red lip encircles this heart of darkness. The nose is extremely pleasant and alluring with perfumed fragrance of lavender, honeysuckle, milled pine, sandalwood and lime zest. Wow! Taking a sip launches you on a journey, first through fields of violets with splashes of hibiscus, into orchards of plums and cherries and finally to a limestone seashore. It’s really a very tasty Cabernet. This wine’s got it all, with gorgeously soft tannin, peppy acidity and perfectly balanced sugar and alcohol. Just a really well rounded structure to support all that nuance. It’s so yummy, you’ll want to enjoy it all by itself. Try it with a dry-rubbed beer-can roasted chicken if you must!

If you’re in the mood for something different, something with a ton of character, complexity and style, you’ll love this fabulous Cab. Grab some for yourself!

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Here’s what the wine press has to say.

91 Points - Wine Spectator - “Supple, focused and expressive, with a plush texture supporting blueberry, dark plum and spice flavors, which transition seamlessly into the long finish. The tannins are well-buffed. Drink now through 2023.”

90 Points Wine Enthusiast - “This wine still appears to be in its shell, with aromas of plum, black fruit, spearmint and herb, along with a distinct green tinge that becomes more prominent over time. There’s plushness to the fruit and herb flavors while it retains well-balanced acidity.”