Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Red
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 5–15 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, roasted rosemary lamb chops, aged Gouda cheese
✨ Technical Specifications
The Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon represents the pinnacle of the winery's craft, showcasing the power and elegance of Washington State's Columbia Valley. This wine holds a legendary place in American viticultural history; its 2005 vintage was named the Number One Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator in 2009, a historic milestone that permanently elevated Washington Cabernet on the world stage. Sourced from premier vineyard blocks in the Horse Heaven Hills and broader Columbia Valley, the grapes benefit from the intense sun, sandy-loam soils, and the dramatic diurnal temperature shifts of the region. Crafted using traditional small-lot fermentation and extended aging in premium French oak barrels, this reserve bottling is celebrated for its deep complexity, structural integrity, and velvety tannins.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1982 by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Columbia Crest was the pioneer winery founded within what is now the acclaimed Horse Heaven Hills AVA of eastern Washington. Situated along the benchlands above the Columbia River, the estate takes full advantage of a semi-arid, rain-shadowed microclimate marked by intense summer sunshine, constant river breezes that deter frost and pests, and fast-draining, wind-blown Warden silt loam soils. Initial plantings in 1978 and early winemaking under founding cellar master Doug Gore established the winery's benchmark status for reliable varietal purity and commercial scale. The production regimen bridges large-scale precision with small-lot barrel fermentation and French and American oak aging. Columbia Crest cemented its reputation when its 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon won Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year. Today, the estate produces tiered selections ranging from the everyday Two Vines and Grand Estates labels to vineyard-driven Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay expressions.
🍇 Grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon