Description

BLEND: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot

AGING: 40% new French oak, 60% used French oak. 18 months in barrel.

TASTING NOTES

Showcases signature aromatics consistent with its lineage – intermingling black and red fruits, cedar, and baking spice. The palate produces mouth-watering acidity supporting a tapestry of black and red fruits, black cherry, and cedar box complexity. Its elegant structure promises impressive aging potential. Undeniably delicious.

WINEMAKING NOTES

The 2023 Dissident is crafted from some of Washington State’s finest vineyards. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from Phinny Hill and Ciel du Cheval vineyards form the core of this exceptional blend. The Dissident is specifically designed to complement our flagship wines, Dead Horse and Long Haul. While Dead Horse and Long Haul are crafted for long-term aging, the Dissident is made to be more approachable, offering a wine that shines in its youth. The fermentation process takes place in a mix of 1.5, 2, and 5-ton open-top fermenters for 7-10 days. After a gentle press, the wine is transferred to barrel where it completes both primary and secondary fermentation. It is then aged for 18 months in 40% new French oak. The wine was racked three times and is lightly fined before being bottled.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM

92 points Wine Enthusiast

The wine’s black fruit aromas are almost outshone by its candied lavender and loamy soil notes. However, its blackberry and black cherry flavors dominate the palate, joined by traces of cedar and espresso. The medium-bodied wine’s acidity is juicy, but its black tea tannins are formidable. The Dissident, 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, spent 18 months in French oak that was 40% new and 60% used. — Michael Alberty, 10/2025