2018 Doubleback Estate Reserve Red
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Tasting notes
A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 10% Malbec, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve displays an almost opaque purple core and offers a dense and chewy expression in the glass. Full-bodied, dusty and ripe, flavors of blackberry skin, dark cherry and dusty plum coat the palate with elements of cinnamon and baking spices. As the wine sits in the mouth, firm and unyielding tannins grip the gumline and palate, drying out the mouth and leaving the sensation of a rocky granitic expression that will take the better part of a decade to settle. The wine concludes with a tight, gripping tannic edge that will be a persistent expression of this bottle. You'll want to put this new release next to your brand-new Barolo and Bordeaux and forget about them for 10 years. I do believe this is a beautiful wine, but I feel the tannins could be better managed here. The wine rested for 23 months in French oak. 5,856 bottles were made.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
Blackberry, cassis, chocolate, cedar and toffee on the nose. Itâs full-bodied with firm, chewy tannins framing a plush core of dark fruit. Generous oak spice, but in balance, with a fresh finish. Drink from 2022.
The 2018 Estate Reserve is based on 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Malbec aged 23 months in new French and Italian oak. Blackcurrants, cassis, graphite, scorched earth, toasted spice, and floral notes define this thriller, and it has tons of chalky minerality on the palate, full-bodied richness, no hard edges, and a blockbuster of a finish. It needs 4-5 years of bottle age, if not more, but will keep for 2-3 decades. It's a stunning rich, powerful, yet elegant and age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon from this team. Owned by NFL star Drew Bledsoe, these wines are made by Josh McDaniel, who was previously at Figgins Family before moving into the head winemaking role at Doubleback. This small family-run operation has four estate vineyards, all in Walla Walla, and they produce gorgeous, complex, classically styled Bordeaux blends.
Saturated bright ruby to the rim. Less inky and more inviting than the flagship Cabernet, even if it's still very youthful. Aroma of blackberry, cassis, licorice, bitter chocolate and minerals are lifted by notes of fruity Tellicherry peppercorn and violet (from the addition of Cabernet Franc?). Very tightly wound but sweeter and glossier--and less herbal--than the varietal Cabernet Sauvignon, with highly concentrated black fruit, spice, violet and mineral flavors dominating in the early going. There's a savory quality here that gives this wine early sexy appeal even if it's built for a long evolution in bottle. Suaver and more sophisticated than the flagship Cabernet and longer and sweeter on the aftertaste, with the salinity and stuffing to support its powerful tannins. A knockout.