Happy National Championship day Dawg fans! Today we share one of the jewels of Washington State. Passing Time was founded by NFL legends Dan Marino and Damon Huard, utilizing the talents of famed winemaker Chris Peterson. The wines have been amazing since their first 2012 vintage. Chris Peterson was the first graduate of the Walla Walla Community College’s Enology and Viticulture program and working at DeLille for eight years under legendary winemaker Chris Upchurch. He makes wines that are very well-structured and are built for aging. These are big and bold wines that age so well.
2021 has been as consistent as it comes for red wines in Washington. It is a hot vintage but one that not only has very good concentrated fruit and non-fruit flavors but one that has impressive underlying finesse —certainly better acidity than the extremely hot 2015 vintage. In some ways this year is reminiscent of 2018 in its overall consistency.
The best wine that I tasted is a very special bottling from the Wallula Vineyard. The 2021 Passing Time ‘Block 1311’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 99) flirts with perfection. Dense and chewy with a pillowy mouthfeel, this is a must-buy for any serious lover of Washington Cabernet. Learn more about this fantastic boutique winery at http://www.passingtime.com Here is my reviews of the new Passing Time wines. And GO DAWGS!
2022 Passing Time ‘Columbia Valley’ Chardonnay- The 2022 ‘Columbia Valley’ by Passing Time comes from some pretty esteemed sites including Connor Lee and Celilo Vineyards. The wine is seamless and soft on the mouth with incredible elegance and great underlying verve. Brioche and creme brûlée notes combine with marzipan and shades of Meyer lemon curd. Showing a fabulous combination of finesse and texture, with outstanding length, this full-bodied beauty is one of the great Chardonnays made in Washington State. Enjoy now and at least for another eight to ten years. Drink 2023-2031-95
2021 Passing Time ‘Champoux Vineyard’ Merlot- 100% varietal and coming from this famed site in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, the outstanding 2021 Passing Time ‘Champoux Vineyard’ Merlot offers steak tartare, black cherry compote and mocha tones on the nose with freshly tilled soils. The palate is soft and seamless with a generous mouthfeel and glorious sense of length. Finishing long with dense black and red fruits alongside stony minerals and loamy soils, this stunning new Merlot is already drinking beautifully at the three year mark. Enjoy now and over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2024-2040- 95
2021 Passing Time ‘Columbia Valley’ Red Wine- The 2021 Passing Time ‘Columbia Valley’ Red Wine is mainly Cabernet Sauvignon (76%, mostly from Andrews Vineyard) with 14% Merlot and the remainder Cabernet Franc both sourced from the Champoux Vineyard. The palate is soft and refined with a silky texture and beautiful elegance. Rich dark fruits parade with chocolate cake, Asian spices and shades of nutmeg with coffee grounds on the palate. Rich and bold, with a smooth texture, enjoy now and over the next eight plus years to come. Drink 2024-2032- 93
2021 Passing Time ‘Horse Heaven Hills’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This 2021 ‘Horse Heaven Hills’ bottling mainly comes from the Discovery and Wallula Vineyards. Nearly all Cabernet Sauvignon (88%), the total heavyhitter of a wine opens with dense black floral tones that parade with espresso grounds, tar, tobacco leaf and shades of sagebrush that all take shape in the glass. The palate is seamless and very inviting with a smooth texture and fantastic flavor density. Black and blue fruits greet you alongside creme de violette, cassis and Turkish coffee notes, with underbrush accents. A joy to consume now, enjoy now and over the next twenty years to come. Drink 2024-2044- 97
2021 Passing Time ‘Red Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 ‘Red Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon has a small portion of Cabernet Franc blended in, as this mainly comes from the Klipsun, Heart of the Hill and Red Mountain Vineyards. Stored in 80% new French oak, the wine opens with a beautiful bouquet of violets, scorched earth, smoked brisket and suggestions of black olive tapenade. The palate is plush and round with a generous mouthfeel. The combination of viscosity and underlying verve really makes this tick, as this beautiful wine is already singing at the three year mark. Drink 2024-2044- 96
2021 Passing Time ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 Passing Time ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon was mostly sourced from the Pepper Bridge and Seven Hills Vineyard. Stored in 60% new French oak, this offers beautiful dried herbs on the nose with black rose petals, graphite and anise notes alongside blackberry pie. The palate is smooth and viscous with a seamless texture. Dense and chewy, this is both hedonistic in its dark fruit profile yet walks the tightrope with fantastic verve and elegance. This borders perfection in a bottle. Drink 2024-2044- 98
2021 Passing Time ‘Block 1311’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The ‘Block 1311’ is named after Dan Marino and Damon Huard’s jersey numbers, as this wine was entirely sourced for the Wallula Vineyard which neighbors the Columbia River. Pillowy and soft, this is seamless stunning wine that is meant to be enjoyed with friends and family. Creme de violette, asphalt, cassis, Arabica bean and blueberry compote flavors all magically combine with stony and salty soil components. Texturally downright ethereal, this beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon will deliver drinking enjoyment for another twenty years. But why wait? Drink 2024-2048- 99