2003 Forgeron Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Hooray!  It's the first Saturday of May, which means the weather must be beautiful, they are racing horses somewhere in Kentucky and it's "Cellar Saturday," that special day where I crack open a bottle that's been aging in my cellar for a while and share it with all of you!  So for tonight we go back over a decade to the year 2003, a time when I actually lived in Seattle and was spoiled with all the wonderful Washington red wines I could find all around me.  Though at the time, I hadn't yet discovered the great folks and delicious wines at Forgeron so this is a special treat, opening up a bottle of 2003 Forgeron Cellars Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

The color of the wine is classic Cabernet, a deep, brooding purple at the center with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is beautiful with rich aromas of leather, anise, baking powder and ripe black fruit.  The taste is decidedly fruit forward, with ripe blueberries, blackberries and plum washing over your palate from the first sip.  The dark fruit transitions effortlessly to some mineral notes of dusty limestone and wonderful spice notes of black pepper and espresso midpalate.  The finish is divine, with nicely structured tannins supporting a velvety mouthfeel and a long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a real treat to drink and a stellar example of what a Columbia Valley Cabernet should be.  Tonight I will eventually be enjoying this wine with a rare grilled porterhouse and some haricots vert, but for now I am just loving sipping this wine on my deck, enjoying the sun and birds after a long day of yard work!  Cheers!