2015 Avennia Cabernet Sauvignon Sestina

JebDunnuck.com

• By Jeb Dunnuck
  Latest Releases from Washington State, 4/5/2018, (See more on JebDunnuck.com...)

  (Avennia Sestina) Login and sign up and see review text.

• By Stephen Tanzer
  Washington: Various Shades of Hot (Oct 2017), 10/1/2017, (See more on Vinous...)

  (Avennia Red Wine Sestina Washington Red) Login and sign up and see review text.

Full Pull

• By Paul Zitarelli
  Full Pull Avennia, 8/1/2018

  (Avennia Sestina) Hello friends. Avennia feels like a staple in Washington wine—a top dog that helped build this industry from the ground up. The winery’s focused and sophisticated vibe plays a big part in this perception, but the reality is that Avennia only debuted its first set of releases in 2012. Granted, that release was met with with loads of buzz and and subsequent vintages have only helped their star to rise. You may remember some of the praise during their initial set of releases back in 2012: From Stephen Tanzer (Tanzer’s IWC): This was the best set of new wines I tasted in Washington in July, but given their pedigree this should not come as a surprise. Then from David Schildknecht (Wine Advocate): …one ought to sign up for some [Avennia wine] immediately if they have not all already been spoken for, because this is one auspicious debut! Paul even wrote about Avennia for Seattle Magazine, and since they’ve launched, we’ve offered the vast majority of Avennia wines presented to us. Chris Peterson’s winemaking is deeply compelling. The wines of Avennia retain the character of Washington’s terroir and yet present this sense of ribald, euro-styled earthiness that is a bit more unusual in these climes. These are beautiful, ageworthy wines, year in and year out. We’re well aware that there’s always pushback when we call a wine in the $60s a great value, but compared to its peer group of Washington elites, Sestina is very very fairly priced. The vine age is ridiculous, with fruit from Dionysus 1973, Red Willow 1985, and Bacchus 1972 making up a vast majority of the blend. In 2015 that blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 10% Cab Franc. Sestina spent 21 months in 65% new French oak, and its case production is about half that of Gravura, so this one tends to disappear quickly. It clocks in at 14.6% listed alcohol. Wine Advocate: Copyrighted material withheld.