Woodward Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon Artist Series 2021

Tasting notes

This wine is deep ruby in color and begins with an inviting nose of black plum, slate and red cherry that integrate seamlessly with the subtle, attractive oak. In the mouth, the wine is rich, showing a nice balance of ripe dark fruit, black currant and olive. Integrated tannins enhance the texture leaving you with a complex, generous and long finish. While this wine can be enjoyed now it will benefit greatly from additional cellaring and, with proper storage, should develop for ten years or more. Pair with a ribeye steak, lamb burgers, Portobello mushrooms or cheesy polenta. Store and serve at cellar temperature.

Terroir

Weinbau Vineyard

Sagemoor Vineyard

Woodward Canyon Estate Vineyard

Vinification

Hand harvested and sorted, 48 hour cold soak

Fermented in 1.5-ton stainless steel open top fermenters

30% new French and Hungarian oak, 19 months

Spontaneous malolactic fermentation

Winery Description

Owner and winemaker Rick Small’s family has been farming the same land where Woodward Canyon’s vineyards now lie for three generations. Rick first planted vineyards here in the late 1970’s, and Woodward Canyon was the second winery to be established in the Walla Walla appellation in 1981, after Leonetti. With deep roots in the land, Rick Small is one of a handful of the Washington wine industry’s ‘elder statesmen’ that have devoted their lives to producing some of the world’s finest wines in Washington. Woodward Canyon wines express the passion and intensity of Rick Small’s devotion to his work - he personally oversees the crafting of each of his wines from vine to bottle. Painstaking effort is taken in each step of the winemaking process, from canopy and irrigation management in the vineyard to ageing oak in order to make his own barrels at the winery. Rick’s vision for his wine has always been quality over quantity, and his enduring reputation as one of Washington’s finest winemakers is testament to his success. Woodward Canyon wines are never fined nor filtered and are always expertly handcrafted. Rick Small’s intimate knowledge of the land and passion for quality can be tasted in every glass.