2017 Passing Time Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Passing Time is a name that makes plenty of sense once you understand that the two men who dreamed up the idea of this winery are both former NFL quarterbacks. Dan Marino and Damon Huard liked to talk about opening a winery back in the days when both were passing the football for the Miami Dolphins, among other pro teams. Along with two other business partners, Marino and Huard hired Washington winemaker Chris Peterson to craft their Cabernet Sauvignons. Passing Time focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon and sources grapes from some of Washington’s most prestigious vineyards. The wine is generally available only by allocation.

Walla Walla Valley AVA likes to call itself the Napa Valley of Washington, and given the concentration of well-reviewed wineries in the appellation, the comparison is understandable. The Walla Walla appellation is comprised of 340,000 acres, of which 1,200 acres are vineyards. Walla Walla is located in the southeastern corner of Washington and it extends slightly into northeastern Oregon. It is named after the Walla Walla River Valley, and the city of Walla Walla is the commercial center of Washington’s wine industry. The city was founded in the 1840s by the Hudson’s Bay Company as a trading post, but as early as the 1850s farmers were planting grapes for winemaking. Prohibition shuttered winemaking in the early 20th century, but a winemaking renaissance started in the 1970s when Leonetti Cellars, still one of the state’s most acclaimed wineries, started producing acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon. Walla Walla’s AVA status was awarded in 1984 and today there are more than 100 wineries. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most frequently planted grape, followed by Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese Chardonnay and Viognier.

One of the most widely grown grape varieties, it can be found in nearly every wine growing region. A cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. It’s a hardy vine that produces a full-bodied wine with high tannins and great aging potential.