Bottle Notes, Cabernet Sauvignon

2011 Force Majeure CS V Cabernet Sauvignon – Bottle Notes

Force Majeure was founded in 2004 by Paul McBride and made its name pairing some of Washington’s highly acclaimed winemakers with fruit from one of Washington’s highly acclaimed vineyards, Ciel du Cheval. In recent years the winery transitioned from Collaboration wines to Estate wines. Todd Alexander, formerly of Bryant Family Vineyards, is the winemaker for the Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Tempranillo. Force Majeure recently opened a new winery in Milton Freewater, Oregon.

The CS V was made by Chris Gorman of Gorman Winery.

Purple in color with some bricking at the edge of the glass. 15.3% ABV. Stunning nose of red fruits, leather, cedar and creosote. Full bodied with ample fruits and big tannins. On release this wine was big and voluptuous. It now has some really intriguing secondary notes as the fruit has become less prominent. Currants, cassis, plums and tobacco on the palate. Medium length on the finish with gritty tannins. This wine has stood the test of time despite the challenging vintage. Best over the next 2-3 years.

My rating: 91 points.

Force Majeure is one of the most exciting wineries in the state. The winery is still accepting names for the mailing list.

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