Skip to main content

Wine Review: Mackey Vineyards 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley

photo

 Great things develop with time. 

The Mackey brothers, Philip and Roger launched Mackey Vineyards in 2010. Expect great things from this winery.

 Tasting Notes:

Color: Garnet
Nose: Opened with a caress of cherry, rose petal, pencil shavings, and vanilla, joined by chocolate wrapper, caramel taffy, crushed conifer needles and tobacco leaf.
Palate: Medium bright, currant, tart edges, cherry tart, vanilla. Bright at opening.
After 30 minutes bakers chocolate with orange notes on the finish - fresh.
At 60 minutes the wine began to open up, drier and fuller on the palate.
At two hours held steady. Magic window was three hours. Smooth, integrated, earthy read fruit, violets, cigar box, cumin, cherry, anise, very tasty accompaniment to dinner.

Thoughts: At opening a subtle tart wine. Suitable for food, especially Beef Carpaccio, Beef Tartar or an extremely rare bloody steak. For more enjoyment I would decant for at least an hour; interesting aromatics developed while the palate broadened, becoming drier and less tart. Suitable for Filet Mignon, rib roast, leg of lamb and especially Osso Bucco. After three hours dinner and wine were ready - sautéed mushrooms, red wine reduction sauce and tender steaks. The Mackey 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon was a beautiful match. My suggestion is to open and decant for three hours and then enjoy. Plenty of life in this bottle of wine to cellar for at least 5 years. Recommended.


Blend: 80.4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.7% Merlot, 4.9% Petit Verdot.
Vineyards: Mackey, Heather Hills, Gamache.
Closure: Natural cork
ABV: 14.2%
SRP: $32
Review sample

Mackey Vineyards
4122 Powerline Road
Walla Walla, WA  99362
Phone:  509.526.5160
www.mackeyvineyards.com

Related Posts:



Cheers!
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Spirit Review: Ole Smokey Tennessee Moonshine White Lightnin' @OleSmoky

Today I have crossed the line from wine to spirits. At 100 proof the Ole Smokey Tennessee Moonshine is definitely turning up the volume (ABV 50%). "Moonshine, white lightning, mountain dew, hooch, and Tennessee white whiskey are terms used to describe high-proof distilled spirits, generally produced illicitly...The word "moonshine" is believed to derive from the term "moonrakers" used for early English smugglers and the clandestine (i.e., by the light of the moon) nature of the operations of illegal Appalachian distillers who produced and distributed whiskey." Source Wikipedia My family is no stranger to Moonshine.  That is, my great-grandfather and grandfather were not strangers. Evidently the family occasionally produced their own spirits on their Oregon ranch. My grandfather told me about his younger brother getting into his dads stash with predictable results. Grandmother also told me stories about midnight runs and secretive deliveries d...
Read more

Review: Sho Chiku Bai, Unfiltered Sake

Last month in Seattle, I purchased a bottle of Nigori sake at Uwajimaya. Uwajimaya is one of the largest Asian grocery retailers in the Pacific Northwest. I’ve been visiting Uwajimaya for almost 40 years. When I was much younger, I’d buy model ship and plane kits, Japanese comic books (manga) and I never left without at least one steaming Humbow in hand. Today I buy the manga for my son; while I still enjoy the tasty steamed Humbows, now I never leave without at least one bottle of Sake in hand. Uwajimaya has a terrific selection of imported sake. This most recent visit, I left with a bottle of Sho Chiku Bai Nigori sake. Nigori sake is generally the sweetest of all sakes, with a fruity nose and a mild flavor, making a great drink to complement spicy foods or as a dessert wine. Typical sake is usually filtered to remove grain solids left behind after the fermentation process; however Nigori sake remains unfiltered, resulting in a cloudier beverage. Before serving, the bottle ...
Read more

Col Solare Cabernet Sauvignon. The style has changed.

“There is something special going on at Col Solare." In mid-June 2022, I began working for Col Solare winery on the Red Mountain AVA in Washington state. The Red Mountain AVA and Col Solare are famous for stunning Cabernet Sauvignon. That I knew going in.  We are not here to make more wine... We are here to showcase place. At the end of June 2022, Col Solare winemaker Darel Allwine retired. Darel had been winemaker since 2013. Prior, he had been Col Solare assistant winemaker for Marcus Notaro. Marcus had been Col Solare winemaker when the Red Mountain facility opened and was winemaker before we had our Red Mountain facility.  On July 1, 2022, Col Solare assistant winemaker, Stephanie Cohen, was promoted to Col Solare winemaker. I was present for this change. It was the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new one. Col Solare is the third winery I have worked for. I chose well.  Often, I am asked by Col Solare guests, as I was last week, “Tell me about Col Solare. Wh...
Read more