2020 Woodward Canyon, Artist Series #29, $60

Winery info: When Woodward Canyon was founded in 1982 by Rick Small and his wife Darcey Fugman-Small, it was the second winery in the Walla Walla Valley.     

It has continued to be one of the most highly regarded wineries in the state with many awards and accolades to attest to that. They began producing their “Artist Series” Cab in 1992 to showcase the finest Cabernet Sauvignon in Washington, sourcing fruit from some of the state’s oldest and most respected vineyards. The label changes every year, featuring work from a different West Coast artist.

Winemaker: Kevin Mott

Grapes: 76% Cab Sauv, 12% Petit Verdot, 5% Cab Franc, 4% Merlot, and 1% each, Syrah, Barbera, and Dolcetto, aged in 39% new French and Hungarian oak for 22 months.

Vineyard: Woodward Canyon Estate, the westernmost vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley, planted in 1977; Weinbau, a warm site with excellent drainage, and Sagemoor, founded in 1968 with some of the oldest plantings in the state (both in the Wahluke Slope); and Wallula, along the Columbia River.

Flavor profile: Rich, elegant, and robust, with balanced notes of ripe, dark fruit, black currants, and a touch of herbs. It is complex and textured, with dusty tannins and a nice lingering finish.

Availability: 1,576 cases produced. This vintage should be available for a while.

Drinking Window: Lay this one down for about three years, then enjoy anytime up to around 2030

Food pairing: The winery suggests rib eye steak or Wagyu burger, leg of lamb, or Portobello mushrooms.

2020 Côte Bonneville, Train Station Cabernet Franc, $33

Winery info: Hugh and Kathy Shiels bought land in the Yakima Valley in 1991 and soon began planting vineyards. They founded Côte Bonneville in 2001 to produce classically-styled wines that express the unique terroir and microclimates of what is now their highly acclaimed DuBrul Vineyard. Their daughter Kerry has been involved in the winery since its inception and, after receiving her masters in viticulture and enology and training both here and abroad, she is winemaker at Côte Bonneville, highly regarded for creating world class wines from their fruit. While their Côte Bonneville wines are built to age, wines under their Train Station label are ready to drink upon release and allow them to innovate and experiment.

Winemaker: Kerry Shiels

Grapes: 100% Cabernet Franc

Vineyard: Their estate DuBrul Vineyard, one of the top vineyard sites in Washington. It towers 1,375 feet over the Yakima Valley, with a blend of exposed basalt rock mixed with sedimentary soils and volcanic ash. DuBrul tends to produce intense, powerful wines. With just 26 rows of Cab Franc, this is only the second stand-alone Cab Franc they’ve produced from the vineyard (the first was 2018).

Flavor profile: Velvety, smooth, and aromatic, with notes of red fruit, exotic spice, and a hint of oak. The winery notes that they prize their DuBrul Cab Franc fruit for the complexity, spice and brightness it adds to their Carriage House Red. It’s a treat to be able to taste that fruit as a varietal wine.

Availability: There is very little of this vintage left.

Drinking Window: Enjoy now or over the next few years.

Food Pairing: Try it with complex vegetable dishes, perhaps with eggplant, or with grilled meat.