Winery: Pamplin Family Winery

Vintage: 2010

Wine Name/Vineyard: Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine Category: Cabernet Sauvignon

Grape blend: 98% Cab Sauv, 2% Petit Verdot

Bottle size: 750 ml

Region: Columbia Valley

State or country: WA

Price: $50.00

ABV: 14.7%

Cases produced: 137

The Barrel Cellar Score:  91 points

Review date: February 24, 2020

About the Winemaker:   Pamplin Family Winery’s focus is on Cabernet based wines.  Pamplin sources its grapes from some of the most respected vineyards in the Columbia Valley and limits their production to have a focus on quality.  They make two wines, a Cabernet Sauvignon, which I am reviewing today, and J|R|G a Cabernet heavy red blend.  Their focused approach is resulting in some fantastic Columbia Valley wines.  Wines that seem to hit a home run vintage after vintage.

Color:  Deep Purple

Nose:  Blackberry, cedar, tea leaves, and tobacco.

Taste: Bright cherry, watermelon rind, earth, dried herbs, and plenty of oak. Finish: Sustained and plentiful flavor notes of blackberry, black pepper, and oak.

Assessment:  This wine has layers, after spending a couple of hours with the bottle, I still feel there is more to unwrap.  First, it’s nicely balanced; it is quite tannic, with bright yet rounded acidity.  It’s full bodied, it walks up to the line of “inky” almost like a Petite Sirah, but it doesn’t quite make it there.  The Pacific Northwest earthy aspect of this wine is also really well incorporated.  Best of all, Pamplin’s Cabernet Sauvignon is really well priced, especially considering the price of similar quality Cabernets from other wine AVAs.

After 10 years in the bottle this wine was fantastic and full of life. Ok to drink now or to cellar for another 5 years.

Pamplin Family Winery’s 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon is a very good wine.  91 points.

Pairing recommendation:  A grilled ribeye, or a rich chocolate mousse.