2018 Père de Famille

Another stellar bottling, the 2018 Pere de Famille is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with 10% Petit Verdot and 2% Merlot. Displaying a deep ruby color at the core and firm red ruby rim, the nose opens to the mineral tension expected of Red Mountain with a dark red-fruited essence, black cherry, dark plum and dusty raspberry with an elegant oak richness and dusty red flower petals. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is rich and mineral on the palate, showing a spicy cinnamon tone that builds with a firm tannic grip. As the wine sits on the palate, it unpacks more of its complexities, showing precision and finesse. A brilliant wine, it ends with a long, lingering finish that will show beautifully for more than a decade. Absolutely delicious.

Robert Parkers Wine Advocate: 94+ Points

Jeb Dunnuck: 95 Points 

Quintessential Washington Cabernet Sauvignon. That was the quest that we embarked upon over twenty years ago, when the first vintage of Père de Famille, the Father of the Family, was resting in the cellar. The journey to find it has had us crisscrossing the state ever since, exploring vineyards from the Western Yakima Valley to Walla Walla, searching for superlative, expressive parcels. After two decades of stained hands, purple teeth and dusty shoes, we think we’re on to something: a wine that expresses the powerful and penetrating soul of Columbia Valley Cabernet.

The 2018 Père de Famille is stunning in the glass with a dense, dark ruby core extending completely to the rim. The aromas are rich and varied: black raspberry and currant, fresh green herbs, violets and graphite each compete for attention. On the palate the wine is powerful and intense while retaining freshness and balance, showing concentrated black fruits, baking spice and perhaps the most pronounced mineral streak of any Père de Famille to date. The finish is mouthwatering and long, permeated by salinity, dusty earth and a lovely sense of dried spice. Full of lithe muscle, this is amazingly approachable now, but promises substantial return with medium to long-term cellaring.