2013 Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker Notes

The 2013 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon displays aromatics of dried fig, saddle leather, shaved truffle and red fruit. McQueen Vineyard adds a flirtatious, almost pomegranate-like aroma, to this dense and powerful wine. Generous notes of perfume and berry reduction sauce are entrancing. An enormously lavish mouthfeel of tannin richness and density without being overbearing – perfectly balanced. A larger than typical Doubleback, but still approachable now. Will age with ease due to the combined acidity from the base of McQueen Cabernet and lush tannin of Bob Healy and LeFore Vineyards. I am tremendously proud to have made this wine alongside my longtime mentor and then Consulting Winemaker Chris Figgins.

Vintage Notes

2013 was a fabulous vintage in Walla Walla. The season started with early bud break, and a warm wet spring. Fortunately, we had no rain at bloom time and set a beautiful crop. We thought harvest was going to be ultra-condensed due to the consistently warm summer, but the last two weeks of September and the first week of October brought a cool front with an unusual amount of moisture. We began by bringing in Bob Healy Cabernet Sauvignon on September 16th and proceeded picking other ripe lots throughout the month as they slowly matured. The cooler weather extended hang-time, softened tannins, and gave us time to give each lot the absolute attention it deserves. We finished harvesting on October 16th with McQueen Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s fascinating to me that these two sites, only 1.6 miles apart, have such unique microclimates that they ripened a month apart! The vintage overall reminds me of 2008 and will absolutely be a winner and crowd-pleaser.

Join Wine Allocation

The 2013 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon is everything we strive to achieve with our world-class fruit from the Walla Walla Valley. The aromatics jump out of the glass after being open for a few hours. The mouthfeel is big and round with nicely integrated tannins. The 2013 is soft on the approach, but has excellent complexity. We always make balance our #1 goal and the 2013 achieves this with both precision and power. The wine has a delicious finish that lasts for over a minute. I know this wine will reward with some years in the cellar, but it’s going to be hard to stay away from a wine that drinks this well in its youth!
– Note from Drew

Technical Notes