It seems like every month I am writing about the wines by Avennia — one of the Pacific Northwest’s consistently great wineries. This time I am the first to present the wines from their Estate Vineyard on Red Mountain. Of course it was nearly three years ago that Avennia made some big waves by acquiring the Tapteil Vineyard on Red Mountain. The 45-acre site was one of the first vineyards planted on Red Mountain, by longtime owners Larry and Jane Pearson. This has become the Avennia Estate Vineyard where Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are the dominant plantings, with some vines dating back to 1985. There is also a small amount of Cabernet Franc planted here which is the oldest of its kind on Red Mountain. The site is managed by Dick Boushey.
Avennia’s Chris Peterson is one of the region’s great winemakers. Formerly at DeLille Cellars, he partnered with Marty Taucher to form Avennia more than a decade ago. These are the inaugural wines from their estate vineyard and are the finest set of overall wines that I have ever tasted from them. I am enamored by the 2021 Avennia ‘Estate Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc (OB, 98) which is one of the great Cabernet Franc wines that you will taste in Washington and really in North America. Heady, deep and concentrated with a silky texture, this will easily last 20 years. Learn more about Avennia at https://avennia.com and here are my reviews of the fantastic new ‘Estate Vineyard’ wines by Avennia.
2021 Avennia ‘Estate Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc- This is the first edition of this wine that comes form the Avennia Estate Vineyard on Red Mountain. At this site only a small amount of Cabernet Franc was planted back in 1988. The nose is wonderfully herbal with sagebrush and thyme alongside dark cherry and boysenberry notes, with dusty soils. The palate is fresh and refined with a silky texture and beautiful sense of freshness, weight and length. A total stunner, this is truly one of the great wines of its kind in Washington State. Keep in mind that this really needs a two hour in the decanter if savoring in its heady youth. Drink 2024-2044- 98
2021 Avennia ‘Estate Vineyard’ Red Wine- The phenomenal 2021 ‘Estate Vineyard’ Red Wine is an incredible release by winemaker Chris Peterson. Mainly Cabernet Franc (59%) with 37% Merlot and a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon, this offers violets, tar and tobacco leaf on the nose with scorched earth notes. The palate is plush and seamless with good concentration and great underlying finesse. This is seamless stuff throughout the drinking experience. Very savory and delivering fantastic flavor and aromatic range, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next twenty years to come. Give this an hour or two in the decanter of enjoying now. Drink 2024-2044- 98
2021 Avennia ‘Estate Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- A marvelous wine from a great vintage for red wines, the 2021 Avennia ‘Estate Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon is up there with the finest wines that this house has ever produced. On the nose this exudes class with black rose petals that mingle well with fresh sage, dark chocolate shavings, graphite, black plum and shades of loamy soils. The palate is plush and neatly textured with good flavor density and weight. Delicious and bright, showing excellent verve, enjoy this beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon over the next twenty years to come. Drink 2024-2044- 98