Bright full ruby. Expressive aromas of black raspberry, blackberry, licorice, mocha, menthol and sexy, smoky oak. Big, chewy and still slightly tough, with flavors of menthol and shoe polish and a dusty impression of extract. Still, this initially ungiving bottle opened nicely to show sweet middle-palate fruit. A rather powerfully structured wine with substantial tannins.

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Washington state's premier Cabernet Sauvignon producer has fashioned a full-bodied, highly extracted, ferociously tannic, backward Cabernet that requires 3-5 years of cellaring. This winery's hallmark is great purity allied with considerable body and structure, without sacrificing any of the superb cassis fruit, all of which is gently kissed by high quality oak. It is a shame Quilceda Creek's wines are rarely seen outside of Washington, but who can blame that state's chauvinistic wine enthusiasts for keeping these heroic wines to themselves? This is a 20-year Cabernet Sauvignon.

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