One of the state’s great winemakers, Gilles Nicault knows what to do during tough vintages. Already been through 2011 and 2019 as well as 2015, Nicault has produced a range of standout wines from the 2020 vintage. There is little doubt that the 2020s by Long Shadows completes one of the finest overall lineups of the vintage. Visionary and Washington wine pioneer Allen Shoup founded Long Shadows after spending 20 years building Château Ste. Michelle and its affiliate wineries into a world wine power. All Long Shadows wines are now made by Nicault.
I adored the new 2023 Long Shadows ‘Cymbal’ Sauvignon Blanc (OB, 94) which is arguably the finest Sauvignon Blanc made in the Pacific Northwest. Even better is the sinfully good 2021 Long Shadows ‘Feather’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 96) — a heroic effort from a warm. vintage. Cheers to Nicault and his hard work. Learn more about these famed wines at longshadows.com and here are my reviews of the beautiful new Long Shadows and Nine Hats wines.
2023 Long Shadows ‘Cymbal’ Sauvignon Blanc- The 2023 Long Shadows ‘Cymbal’ Sauvignon Blanc was stored in 25% new French oak and is sourced from four separate sites— the McNary, Gamache, Boushey and Bacchus Vineyards. This has a magical push-pull in terms of weight and vibrancy. Beautifully-textured, this offers kumquat rind and Japanese pear flavors that mingle well with green papaya, freshly cut grass and cloves. A joy to consume, don’t serve this beauty too cold. The best yet of this edition by winemaker Gilles Nicault. Drink 2024-2034- 94
2022 Long Shadows ‘Dance’ Chardonnay- The 2022 ‘Dance’ is another stunning rendition of this wine that is becoming one of the great Chardonnay bottlings made in Washington. This is also one to serve on the warmer side, as this was stored on the lees for 17 months before bottling. Coming from the French Creek and Boushey Vineyards, this delivers a smooth mouthfeel, with great underlying verve. Buttered brioche and banana notes combine with suggestions of Meyer lemon cream, cardamom and almond paste. Very complex in its nutty, tropical and citrus notes, enjoy now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2024-2032- 94
2020 Long Shadows ‘Sequel’ Syrah- The gorgeous 2020 ‘Sequel’ was stored in mainly new French oak barrels (65% new) for 18 months before bottling. Sourced from three separate vineyards in the Columba Valley this is a really nice edition of this wine despite the obvious challenges at harvest. Asphalt and bacon fat mark the nose alongside shades of black olive tapenade and rich figs, as this offers really good aromatic complexity. The palate is plush and dense as silky tannins frame a brilliant core of dark fruits, alongside cocoa nib and espresso ground accents. Complex and delicious, this is a resounding success in 2020. No reason to cellar this beauty. Drink 2024-2030-95
2020 Long Shadows ‘Pedestal’ Merlot- The 2020 ‘Pedestal’ combines 84% Merlot with 14% Cabernet Sauvignon and the remainder Petit Verdot. Stored for 22 months in nearly all new French oak, this Merlot opens with beautiful dark florals on the nose alongside Turkish coffee grounds, with shades of wild blackberry compote. The palate is soft and refined with a smooth mouthfeel and good sense of weight. Enjoy this outstanding wine now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 95
2020 Long Shadows ‘Pirouette’ Red Wine- Consistently one of the great red blends in Washington State, the 2020 ‘Pirouette’ combines 66% Cabernet Sauvignon with 30% Merlot and small portions Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Aged in mainly new French oak barrels, this offers alluring Asian spices on the nose alongside suggestions of tar, cuban cigar and shades of black licorice. The palate is elegant and generous, showing soft tannins that frame a glorious core of black fruits, with shades of Black Forest Cake. A great wine to consume now, enjoy over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 95
2021 Long Shadows ‘Feather’ Cabernet Sauvignon- A standout wine from a tough vintage, the 2021 ‘Feather’ comes from primarily the Weinbau and Dionysus Vineyards in the White Bluffs AVA, as well as a handful of sites in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. Pencil lead and cedar wood mark the nose alongside hints of white pepper dusted chocolate and creme de cassis. This comes off exceedingly elegant and seamless throughput the drinking experience, as the oak treatment caresses the mid-palate. Like all great wines from this vintage, enjoy now in its heady youth. Drink 2024-2030- 96