2017 Walla Walla Vintners Cut Bank Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Walla Walla Vintners was one of Washington State’s early, artisanal wineries. It was founded in 1995 by Gordy Venneri and Myles Anderson, two friends who had been making wine together as a hobby since the early 1980s. Venneri and Anderson still own and operate Walla Walla Vintners, which is based in the city of Walla Walla, and they still source their grapes from vineyards throughout Washington State. The estate makes red wines, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese, Dolcetto and blends.

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.