Speechless

There are two moments in my career of tasting unknown New World Cabernet that stopped me in my tracks. The first was in 2007 when a dear friend brought me a 2005 Napa Cabernet that I had never heard of, and he swore I would flip out. I tasted the wine, and immediately my senses went into overdrive. My mind started racing, and I couldn’t help blurting out, “This tastes like 1997 Harlan. I should know, I had it last week.” That wine was 2005 Bevan Showket Vineyard Cabernet, and Russell has gone on to have an illustrious career, crafting numerous 100-point wines and becoming the head winemaker for many great brands.

The second time this happened was late last year. I was on a Zoom call with proprietor Jeff Andrews of Trothe in Horse Heaven Hills, Washington, a fourth-generation grower with historic roots in the state. While tasting the 2019 Cabernet that we have below. I started talking to him and had to stop. There was a long pause, longer than I had ever imagined. I forgot for a few seconds that I was even on a call with anyone else, let alone the owner, and got lost in the moment of the wine I was tasting. My excitement was evident. I had to regroup and continue hearing the history of the winery, but the wine was so good that I had to go back for a second sip!

Once I composed myself and listened on, I found out the key to their success: carefully selecting plots among some 1,300 acres of planted vines. How select? There are fewer than 300 cases produced among the two wines that we are offering today. There is hallowed ground among vineyards, but to produce so few cases is something altogether different. No wonder the wines were so captivating! Unlike the Bevan, I had sadly not beaten the critics on this one. Both of these wines had already received huge scores, which I staunchly agree with. The Sauvignon Blanc is best kept back for another year or two, while the Cabernet is something I strongly encourage you to have as soon as you get it, simply to experience the same moment that I did. Like any great wine it will evolve and mature over the next ten years or more, but you will need your own discipline to keep your hands off.

Be sure to sign up for their member list to secure an allocation of future Trothe releases (starting with the 2021 Cabernet this fall).