One of the all-time greats in Washington State Wine, Doubleback is the famed winery founded by NFL legend, Drew Bledsoe and his wife, Maura. The story completes itself as Drew circled back following his brilliant NFL career. Originally from Walla Walla, he was a star at Walla Walla High School before his illustrious tenure at Washington State University. For many years Drew had visions of starting his own winery for many years and going back to Walla Walla was the perfect choice for him. During his years in the NFL he continued to expand his palate, trying various wines of the world. But there was something special about wines from his home state, as he grew to love the balance of the wines of this region that weren’t old world but also weren’t Napa.
It was back in 2007 that Drew returned to Walla Walla to plant his estate vineyard, McQueen on the southern end of the Walla Walla Valley AVA. Doubleback was born in 2008 which would focus on estate fruit to create world class Cabernet Sauvignon from Walla Walla. Drew knew he needed a top class winemaker and connected with childhood friend and superstar winemaker, Chris Figgins, of Leonetti Cellar, who served as consulting winemaker until Josh McDaniels assumed the role in 2015. Josh is one of the finest talents in the state. The wines that he has made are consistently great, year after year.
I am enamored by the 2018 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 95) which is a marvelous effort from this challenging vintage. Even better is the sensational 2021 Doubleback Merlot (OB, 96) which is the finest Merlot I have tasted from this property. Heady and deep, with serious concentration, this beauty will go on for decades to come. Learn more about these beautiful wines at http://www.doubleback.com/ and here are my reviews of the gorgeous new 2023 spring release wines by Doubleback.
2021 Doubleback Merlot- It is such a pleasure to enjoy this outstanding Walla Walla Merlot by Doubleback that blends in 6% Cabernet Franc. The wine spent 18 months in 2,000L Stockinger ovals and new and neutral French oak barrels prior to bottling. It is very sappy and rich on the mouth with a silky mouthfeel and glorious length. Seamless red and dark fruit flavors march on with tobacco leaf, tilled loamy soils and suggestions of chocolate cake. A total home-run from this 2021 vintage, this warm and generous Merlot is shockingly good to consume now — and will hold steadily for at least another fifteen years to come. Drink 2023-2038- 96
2020 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon- This is my first soiree into this wine since I tasted out of barrel with winemaker Josh McDaniels. The 2020 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon is a dense and highly-structured blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 3% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot. It really needs a 1-2 hour decant to show its full range of flavors and aromatics. Violets with espresso bean aromas combine with shades of black tea and blackberry jam on the nose. The palate is very soft and refined with serious elegant and a weightless texture. Very clean throughout the drinking experience, with no smoke influence, enjoy this beauty now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2023-2033- 95
2020 Doubleback ‘Estate Reserve’ Red Wine- A very different blend than the 2018 bottling, the 2020 ‘Estate Reserve’ combines 87% Cabernet Sauvignon (rather than 75% in the ‘18), with 10% Petit Verdot (2% in the ’18) and the remainder Merlot that was sourced from the McQueen and Lefore vineyards. Stored for 22 months in 81% new French oak barrels, this shows of an extremely inky core with green bell pepper notes from the PV, alongside black licorice, dark chocolate shavings and huckleberry pie. The heady aromas bring you back to the glass for more indulgence. The palate comes off very weightless, and very clean with no rough edges. Sensational to savor now, with its powerful core of black and blue fruits, this hedonistic gem of a wine will cellar well for at least another fifteen years. Give this at least an hour in the decanter if savoring right now. Drink 2023-2040- 97
LAST YEARS RELEASES:
2020 Doubleback Chardonnay- Sourced from the McQueen, Flying B and Kenny Hill Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley, this was stored for eighteen months in a combination of new and used French oak prior to bottling in January 2022. This is a layered, nearly impossible to put down Chardonnay with no smoke influence and no rough edges. Once poured it shows off its brilliant, golden hue in the glass. Seamless on the mouth, this delivers lovely salted Macadamia nut tones alongside buttered brioche, banana and roasted pineapple, with underlying tension. As stated before, Josh McDaniels is making quite possibly the finest Chardonnay in Washington. Try to get your hands on this incredible, very Kongsgaard vs. Washington Chardonnay if you can. Only 91 cases produced. Drink 2022-2030- 95
2019 Bledsoe Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon- The really good 2019 Bledsoe Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon is very inky once in the glass. Aged for 22 months in 57% new French oak, this Cabernet Sauvignon has 15% Merlot blended in with a dash of Malbec and Cabernet Fanc. Shades of sandalwood and allspice surround a core of ripe dark fruits, chocolate and sagebrush accents on the nose. The palate is very herbal but comes off with plenty of mouthfeel and texture. Showing good verve and concentration, enjoy over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2022-2030- 92
2020 Doubleback Merlot- The 100% varietal 2019 Doubleback Merlot comes from the Figgins, McQueen, LeFore and Flying B vineyards. Stored in new and neural oak barrels for seventeen months before batting in January 2022, this offers Earl Grey tea, cocoa powder dusted black cherry and roasted dates on the nose. The palate is soft and inviting, as this effortlessly glides across the mid-palate. Rich red and dark fruits collide with copious minerals and suggestions of chocolate cake. With no smoke influence, this shows bright acidity and refined tannins that hold everything brilliantly in place. This is quite simply a masterpiece in a vintage that was hard for many. Already beautifully evolved, give this an hour of air prior to consuming and enjoy over the next decade. Drink 2022-2032- 95
2019 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon- The beautiful new 2019 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from the McQueen, LaFore, Bob Healy and Figgins vineyards. Stored for 23 months in a combination of new and neural French oak barrels before batting in August 2021, this Cabernet Sauvignon has small portions of Malbec, Petit Verdot and Malbec blended in. Needing some air to be fully aroused, this delivers sagebrush, mocha and scorched earth notes with heady dark fruits that sing in unison on the nose. The beautiful range of aromas brings you back to the glass for more. Very refined on the mouth, this comes off more herbal than other vintages, but has plenty of dense dark fruits to gratify. Arabica bean notes and creme de cassis notes meld well with firm tannins and good freshness that hold things in place. Finishing long, this is very refined and nuanced Cabernet Sauvignon that will surely hold well for another fifteen plus years. Give this at least an hour in the decanter if enjoying now. Drink 2022-2038- 95
2019 Doubleback ‘Reserve’ Red Wine- The 2019 ‘Reserve’ Red Wine has a very large portion of Petit Verdot (25%) added to 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and a touch of Merlot. Stored in a combination of Italian concrete vessels and new French oak for 23 months, this limited production red blend really needs an hour of air prior to enjoying. It comes off very dense and hedonistic with graphite, green bell pepper, anise, tobacco leaf and intense dark fruit flavors. The expression of Petit Verdot here is gorgeous. This shows really good weight and tension with beautiful length. Intense and very gratifying, this heady, red blend will hold well for another twenty years to come. Drink 2023-2040- 96