Expect black currant, dark cherry, cedar, dried herb, graphite, and refined oak spice with full body and structured tannins. The 2012 Washington vintage was excellent. At 13 years from vintage, the wine should be drinking well with secondary notes emerging.
- Varietal
- Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant Bordeaux blend (Estate Reserve composition varies by vintage)
- Region
- USA / Washington / Walla Walla Valley
- Body
- Full
- Style
- dry red, structured, age-worthy, oak-aged
The producer
Woodward Canyon Winery was founded in 1981 by Rick and Darcey Small in Lowden, Washington, and is one of Walla Walla's foundational wineries — the second bonded winery in the AVA after Leonetti Cellar. The estate is family-owned and known for traditional, structured Bordeaux-style wines built for long aging.
What critics say
Woodward Canyon's flagship bottlings consistently receive strong reviews and are widely regarded as benchmark Walla Walla wines, with the Estate Reserve drawing particular acclaim for its age-worthiness.
Pairing
Grilled ribeye, herb-crusted rack of lamb, beef short rib