1998 L'Ecole #41 Cabernet Sauvignon

[dananne]

When I was mostly still in the dabbling phase, I bought this wine solely based on the label -- I was starting my school at the time, and the little schoolhouse screamed, "Buy me!" I found out later that it was a WS 91, #97 top 100 (FWIW).

Decanted 30 minutes before pouring and throughout evening. Early on, the nose was all vanilla oak, reminding me of the nose of an old school Rioja. In time, other elements crept into the nose, including blackberry. Color was blood red along the edges, darker inside. The flavor profile is all about black currants. Blackberry slips in, too. The finish is pretty juicy and long, the currants still dominant and joined by the vanilla, which comes back at this point. More juicy-fruity than earthy, but I enjoyed it. Paid about $30. 13.8% alc.

[Innkeeper]

Very reliable producer. Good stuff.

[quijote]

"old school Rioja"-- a good pun, Dan!

[dananne]

Thanks. Just trying to find a way to put that English Master's to use [img]http://wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

[Zinner]

Was it the Columbia Valley or the Walla Walla Cab?

I like L'Ecole 41 a lot. They make a lovely blended red called Apogee(Pepper Bridge vineyard) and in December they'll have a new release blend from a different vineyard that will be called Perigee(Seven Hills vineyard).

Have high hopes for it. A Wine and Spirits special issue 2004 names the Seven Hills as one of 10 great vineyards in the world.

[dananne]

It was the Columbia Valley one. Thanks for the heads up on the new one coming out.

[Bucko]

L'Ecole is a very solid producer of interesting wines. They can be a little heavy on the oak for my taste at times, but they are never boring.

[stevebody]

Bucko may take issue with this but, for my bux, L'Ecole is the best all-around winery in WA state. Marty makes gorgeous reds (well, yeah, too much oak...) including his bargain blend, Schoolhouse Red, which goes for about $16 and frequently carries this amazing flavor of fresh dill(!). His Chard, again IMHO, is as good and consistent as anybody's up here, and his Semillion is to die for, every vintage. He's had a Syrah for two or three vintages, now, and it's killer, too. He planted Sangiovese a couple of years ago and told me that he was planning to hold down the oak in favor of a Chianti-styled flavor profile. Can't wait.

[This message has been edited by stevebody (edited 10-11-2004).]

[chittychattykathy]

WA STATE OFFLINE group-
We can go here if we want to....
[img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]
And its been two months since the NW has had a post! Guess I should get to some reviews-- get you all excited to come up this way.
Kat

[winoweenie]

That would be keen CCK. Thot there for awhilst that Foodie had hurt your feelings with one of his vicious barbs. WW [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]