2004 Forgeron Cabernet Sauvignon Champoux Vineyard Horse Heaven Hills

Happy springtime!  It's the first Saturday of May, which means it's Cellar Saturday, and on top of that it's an absolutely beautiful day here, sunny and in the mid-70s so what more could you want other than a nice mature glass of wine?  Tonight's selection is a lovely 2004 Forgeron Cabernet Sauvignon from the Champoux Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA of Washington State.  This is a bottle I picked up a few years ago in a three-year vertical, this being the youngest with a limited production of just 175 cases.

The wine is a beautiful deep purple color in the glass, leading to a bright garnet along the edges with nice clarity.  The nose is quite interesting, with some jammy fruit notes, strawberry, blackberry and prune, overlaying some lovely floral notes of violet and sandalwood.  The taste is just delightful, with some cherry cola and blackberry notes up front leading to some earthy notes of dusty limestone and smoke midpalate.  The tannins are very well integrated making for a velvelty mouthfeel and a long, smooth, captivating finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's marvelous right now and showing the full potential of a great Washington Cabernet, and although I don't recall what I paid for it, Forgeron in general offers some of the best values of all the producers in the Columbia Valley.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic spaghetti dinner, but it would go well with a nice steak or a hearty beef stew, or just sipping on the patio with some firm cheeses.  Cheers!