Born From A Leg, Thriving
TASTING NOTES: “Old vines produce this supple and sensual Cabernet. Classic in its elegance, this wine is approachable now but built to age. Our Cabernet Sauvignon is always lush, rich and complex. While sometimes a blend, often times a single varietal, it is always the optimal expression of that vintage and always from the most sought-after and reputable vineyards in Washington State. Cabernet Sauvignon from Dionysus Vineyard is exquisite; from the dominant black cherry profile with hints of oak and blueberry in the background to the hint of structured brightness from the Petit Verdot. The full mouth-feel that is big and thick, with candied blackberry notes that slowly evolve into the soft, velvety finish built on layers of complexity. This vintage will age gracefully through the years.” (AbV 14.60%, pH 3.80, TA 5.9g/L)
VARIETALS: 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot
BARRELS: 26 months aging in French oak 26 months in French oak
PAIRS WITH: N/A
THAT REMINDS ME OF: Dionysus — the name of the vineyard these grapes come from, and also, not coincidentally, the Greek god of wine.
Here’s the detail that gets skipped in the “cheers, Dionysus” toast version of the story: the guy was born twice. His mother, Semele, was a mortal pregnant by Zeus who made the classic mistake of demanding to see her divine boyfriend’s true, un-disguised form — lightning bolts and all — and was incinerated on the spot. Zeus, mid-catastrophe, grabbed the not-yet-viable fetus and sewed it into his own thigh to finish gestating. A few months later, Dionysus emerged from his father’s leg, fully formed, which earned him the epithet Dimetor — “twice-born.” No other Olympian needed a backup birth method.
The aftermath wasn’t much calmer. To hide the baby from a predictably furious Hera, he was reportedly raised for a while disguised as a girl, tucked away with nymphs on a mountain. So the god who ends up presiding over wine, ecstatic ritual, and the entire concept of letting loose spent his infancy in a leg and his toddler years in a dress. Rough draft of a résumé.
