2019 Gård Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon, Lawrence Estate Wines
92pts - International Wine Report / Jeremy Young 90pts - Owen Bargreen 90pts - Wine Spectator
Tasting Notes
Lots of dark and red fruit on the nose, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon begins with blackberry compote, raspberry jam, mocha, sandalwood, and potpourri. Swirling brings riper fruit and spices, with figs, dark cherry, oak spice, cardamom, and eucalyptus. The mouthfeel has great sweetness and concentration, with remarkable structure and a beautiful acid lift. The oak presentation here is elegant, and the tannins are very fine. Wine finishes long, with the perfect amount of grip. Drink now or in the next 8 years.
The Vineyard
Gård Vintners wines are 100% estate-grown sustainably at Lawrence Vineyards, featuring 14 distinct vineyard sites. With elevations that range 870 feet to 1,675 feet and primarily south-facing slopes, Lawrence Vineyards provide a great framework for grape production, while the diversity of each of the locations delivers a high level of complexity to Gård wines. Lawrence Vineyards is certified sustainable.
Specs
Vintage: 2019
Appellation: Royal Slope, Columbia Valley
Blend: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol: 14.5%
Release Date: December 2022
Cases Produced: 620
What’s Included
4-bottles:
4x 2019 Gård Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon, Lawrence Estate Wines Case:
12x 2019 Gård Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon, Lawrence Estate Wines
Gård, meaning “farm” in many of the Scandinavian languages, is a tribute to our family’s Scandinavian heritage and farming tradition.
Our mission at Gård is to capture and bottle the unique characteristics of the land we farm. We humbly craft value-driven, award-winning wines from our sustainable estate vineyards to create lasting memories for our customers. Gård Vintners is dedicated to crafting world-class wines from its sustainably-farmed estate vineyard on the Royal Slope of Washington’s Columbia Valley AVA. We produce 6,000 cases a year for our wine club, three tasting rooms and select distribution in the northwest and across the country.
Founded in 2006, Gård Vintners is a family-owned and operated estate winery in the heart of Washington’s Columbia Valley AVA, with vineyards on the Royal Slope, wine production in Walla Walla, and tasting rooms in Woodinville, Walla Walla, and Ellensburg.
The winery was founded by Josh and Lisa Lawrence, along with Josh’s dad John Lawrence and uncle Sandy Lawrence, who had farmed the Royal Slope for more than 40 years. The winery and estate vineyard is now owned and operated by Josh and his wife, Lisa, who oversees sales and marketing, while Josh oversees the vineyard and other farm and orchard operations.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, MD, MA, MN, MO, MT, NV, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SD, TN, TX, VA, WA, WV, WI
Alice’s email came Tuesday and the wine came Wednesday. Thank you.
For dinner, I planned on having NY strip steaks, baked potatoes and oven roasted broccoli. I did not know that a cab was being sent by Casemates, so this was great timing.
Upon PnP, a check of the color against a white sheet of paper reveals a cranberry colored wine, with lighter edges and a dark middle. Moderate legs cascade down the sides of a Bordeaux glass. A check of the aromas reveals vanilla, cedar and pencil shavings. No fruit is emanating from the glass. Of course, I’m thinking oak barrels, but I’m not savvy enough to know new/old, French/American.
Time to jump in to the tasting. Surprisingly, not an oaky flavor. Something tart is noticeable. It seems like blackberry, blueberry and plum. So dark fruits at this point, not red. The tannins are soft and smooth. No acidic finish. Our, me and +1, first impression is that this is really tasty, even if we can’t quite distinguish what complexities we are tasting. +1 jumps all over this proclaiming, “This is really good; much better than a lot of other wines we’ve tried.” Say no more. If +1 likes it, end of story. Just kidding.
By the time dinner is ready, an hour has passed. Second tasting: the dark fruits are still prominent. Tannins are the same. No oakiness. It is obvious that this is a well-made wine and we are guessing it to be in the $40 - $50 tier.
The bottle was vacuum sealed and ready for day 2. Now when I taste this, I am going from “this is really good” to “this is absolutely delicious.” 24 hours has added a lot of complexity. Red fruits start to show themselves, i.e. red cherry and raspberry. A little back end dark chocolate is also there.
Time to apply the grocery store comparison. Now that I see the price, can I buy a wine at the grocery store in the $16 - 20 bracket that is as good as this wine? No way. This is a ridiculous price. +1 is emphatic that we buy a case. Maybe she’ll share some of it with me. (eye roll).
@jmdavidson1 great review. Thank you. On the oak, did you taste the oak or just French . vanilla? I have a total aversion to oak on the first tmtaste as well as hiding in the tannins. Thanks a lot again
@rjquillin@jmdavidson1 Happy Friday! The 2019 Cab on this offer is a bit more broad, more structure, more robust than our 2019 Grand Klasse Cabernet, which has good structure but also more finesse and elegance in comparison. ~ Lisa
What no SC! (had to say that, but I have wanted to dip my toes on some of these offers) …oh well, on to the important cr*p…
Wine Spectator:
90 points. Tense, offering precise black currant, pencil lead and espresso flavors that finish with broad-shouldered tannins. Best from 2025 through 2032. 600 cases made. Tim Fish 11/15/23
Owen Bargreen:
90 points. A touch sweet, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon by Gard Vintners, shows cassis notes that combine with milk chocolate and blackberry compote on the palate. Very fruity, enjoy now and over the next five years. Drink 2022-2027 12/5/22
International Wine Report:
92 points. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (90%), with the rest split between Merlot and Cabernet Franc, it sports a dark purple core with a neon ruby rim. Gobs of black fruit, chocolate, earth, and cedar on the nose, with fine tannins and a saline, black fruit, and black pepper finish. Approximately 620 cases produced. 3/23
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2019 Gård Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon - $40 = 16.66%
We received the shipping notice email from Alice Tuesday and received the wine Wednesday. Had planned our spaghetti with smoked meatballs and it was a great choice.
PNP - the wine was tight. Strong oak/cedar on the nose.
1st taste - Dark pour which black fruit dominates with the oak coming through. Very tight. Definitely needs some time in the decanter and into the decanter she goes.
1 hr in - The oak is receding, with the black fruits coming through. It is overpowering the spaghetti and meatballs.
2 hrs in - The oak is gone, black fruits and tannins are dominating. All tightness is gone. Excellent wine.
At this price point an absolute bargain. We are in for a case. Highly recommended, especially if you can let it sit for a couple of years or a couple hours in the decanter.
I had the previous mixed case offer shipped to my brother in CA for our visit. We managed to finish the whole case while we were there. Excellent! If only this shipped to Michigan …
There are a few existing questions near the top of the thread you may need to un-hide to see, and additional on valid ship-to states. Is the current list correct? Any additional or deleted since the last offer?
@brucenie Wouldn’t that be a nice option? Buy now, ship to me in 3 years? It would be a surprise and I would have no temptation to drink it ahead of schedule…
I was thinking the same thing.
Estimated delivery is Jan 29-30 in the original posting.
Maybe all of the posting by others for being mad about wine shipping early, made them slow their roll a bit.
@Winedavid49 Any idea when this will ship? Was supposed to be here January 29 or 30 which obviously isn’t happening. Need to head out of town so any heads up would be greatly appreciated!
Wondering if anyone has received their order of this wine yet? I ordered a case of another one a full week later, and that one just shipped. Just curious, and if so, how do you like it?
@Leatherchair@suzanne17@Leatherchair
mine is still ‘processing’ as well; fwiw
My last order shipped direct from Gård, not WCC, and likely is a factor in the delay.
@Leatherchair@rjquillin@suzanne17 Same here. The mystery pack shipped from the winery, not through the normal chain of command.
I weirdly remember this, because it was packed in a way I’ve never seen before.
@Drez143@Leatherchair@rjquillin@suzanne17 good morning. winery is having issues getting wine to our warehouse. i’ll get details later today, but this is taking longer than normal. apologies. stay tuned.
Specifically, the sun goddess Merlot, that was listed a week later shipped today. I think I’ve had 55 purchases over a case mates, and this is the first time this has happened.
2019 Gård Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon, Lawrence Estate Wines
92pts - International Wine Report / Jeremy Young
90pts - Owen Bargreen
90pts - Wine Spectator
Tasting Notes
The Vineyard
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$486.00/Case for 12x 2019 Gård Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon, Lawrence Estate Wines at Gard Vintners
About The Wineries
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, MD, MA, MN, MO, MT, NV, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SD, TN, TX, VA, WA, WV, WI
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Jan 29 - Tuesday, Jan 30
2019 Gård Vintners Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
4 bottles for $79.99 $20/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $199.99 $16.67/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
Legit!
GÅRD 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon
Alice’s email came Tuesday and the wine came Wednesday. Thank you.
For dinner, I planned on having NY strip steaks, baked potatoes and oven roasted broccoli. I did not know that a cab was being sent by Casemates, so this was great timing.
Upon PnP, a check of the color against a white sheet of paper reveals a cranberry colored wine, with lighter edges and a dark middle. Moderate legs cascade down the sides of a Bordeaux glass. A check of the aromas reveals vanilla, cedar and pencil shavings. No fruit is emanating from the glass. Of course, I’m thinking oak barrels, but I’m not savvy enough to know new/old, French/American.
Time to jump in to the tasting. Surprisingly, not an oaky flavor. Something tart is noticeable. It seems like blackberry, blueberry and plum. So dark fruits at this point, not red. The tannins are soft and smooth. No acidic finish. Our, me and +1, first impression is that this is really tasty, even if we can’t quite distinguish what complexities we are tasting. +1 jumps all over this proclaiming, “This is really good; much better than a lot of other wines we’ve tried.” Say no more. If +1 likes it, end of story. Just kidding.
By the time dinner is ready, an hour has passed. Second tasting: the dark fruits are still prominent. Tannins are the same. No oakiness. It is obvious that this is a well-made wine and we are guessing it to be in the $40 - $50 tier.
The bottle was vacuum sealed and ready for day 2. Now when I taste this, I am going from “this is really good” to “this is absolutely delicious.” 24 hours has added a lot of complexity. Red fruits start to show themselves, i.e. red cherry and raspberry. A little back end dark chocolate is also there.
Time to apply the grocery store comparison. Now that I see the price, can I buy a wine at the grocery store in the $16 - 20 bracket that is as good as this wine? No way. This is a ridiculous price. +1 is emphatic that we buy a case. Maybe she’ll share some of it with me. (eye roll).
@jmdavidson1 FWIW, case purchased without hesitation.
@jmdavidson1 great review. Thank you. On the oak, did you taste the oak or just French . vanilla? I have a total aversion to oak on the first tmtaste as well as hiding in the tannins. Thanks a lot again
@Leatherchair oak aroma yet no oak taste.
@jmdavidson1 Thank you for your clarification. Appreciate it again.
Gard’s mystery case sold me on this vintner. I have no room, but in for a case.
@danandlisa same. i got this as part of the mystery case and this offer is tempting
@danidani12 Very. Great juice for the price.
@danandlisa Thanks for the love! Cheers!
Anyone with thoughts on how this may compare to the 2019 Gård Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Klasse Reserve?
@rjquillin I didn’t get the mystery case nor have I tried the wine to which you refer, so I’m of no help. Sorry.
@jmdavidson1 Tnx
Hoping the vintner checks in for this one.
@rjquillin @jmdavidson1 Happy Friday! The 2019 Cab on this offer is a bit more broad, more structure, more robust than our 2019 Grand Klasse Cabernet, which has good structure but also more finesse and elegance in comparison. ~ Lisa
In for a case: mean-honorable-platinum. Cabs getting sparse in my cellar and this looks like a good one.
No Michigan? I know Gard is in Washington, but let’s settle it on the field, not in the shipping department.
@MIwolverine Gonna be a good game, I hope! Sorry about Michigan - we have it in the works for future offers though! ~ Lisa
@MIwolverine Looking forward to that one.
Ordering a case, if anyoone in the Boston/So. NH area would like to share.
Was literally just wondering this evening when Gard might make another appearance so I could snag some. In for a case. Yum!
@ahansen Glad to hear it and happy to be back! Cheers!
Pulled the trigger on a case, but happy to share a bottle or two if anyone else in CMH wants to dip their toe into Gard
@fermentedwisdom I was contemplating seeking a split but decided I needed 12 of these all to myself. Thanks for thinking of others though ; )
/giphy mysterious-elicit-pork
What happened to shipping to Iowa? I’ve bought many cases in the past.
@pluthe So sorry, Iowa! We’re working on expanding our state shipping options for future offers. ~ Lisa
What no SC! (had to say that, but I have wanted to dip my toes on some of these offers) …oh well, on to the important cr*p…
Wine Spectator:
90 points. Tense, offering precise black currant, pencil lead and espresso flavors that finish with broad-shouldered tannins. Best from 2025 through 2032. 600 cases made. Tim Fish 11/15/23
Owen Bargreen:
90 points. A touch sweet, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon by Gard Vintners, shows cassis notes that combine with milk chocolate and blackberry compote on the palate. Very fruity, enjoy now and over the next five years. Drink 2022-2027 12/5/22
International Wine Report:
92 points. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (90%), with the rest split between Merlot and Cabernet Franc, it sports a dark purple core with a neon ruby rim. Gobs of black fruit, chocolate, earth, and cedar on the nose, with fine tannins and a saline, black fruit, and black pepper finish. Approximately 620 cases produced. 3/23
fwiw
No shipping to Kansas!
@dgbickle Sorry, Kansas! We’ll be adding you back this year, just didn’t have the paperwork done in time for this offer.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2019 Gård Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon - $40 = 16.66%
We received the shipping notice email from Alice Tuesday and received the wine Wednesday. Had planned our spaghetti with smoked meatballs and it was a great choice.
PNP - the wine was tight. Strong oak/cedar on the nose.
1st taste - Dark pour which black fruit dominates with the oak coming through. Very tight. Definitely needs some time in the decanter and into the decanter she goes.
1 hr in - The oak is receding, with the black fruits coming through. It is overpowering the spaghetti and meatballs.
2 hrs in - The oak is gone, black fruits and tannins are dominating. All tightness is gone. Excellent wine.
At this price point an absolute bargain. We are in for a case. Highly recommended, especially if you can let it sit for a couple of years or a couple hours in the decanter.
I had the previous mixed case offer shipped to my brother in CA for our visit. We managed to finish the whole case while we were there. Excellent! If only this shipped to Michigan …
o O
Any PDX area(ish) folks looking to split?
Hey everyone! Lisa with Gard here today checking in. Thanks for your interest in our 2019 Cab. Happy to answer questions as they pop up. Cheers!
@GardWine
Welcome back!
There are a few existing questions near the top of the thread you may need to un-hide to see, and additional on valid ship-to states. Is the current list correct? Any additional or deleted since the last offer?
@rjquillin We lost Kansas since the last offer, I believe, but working on adding it back, as well as a few other states in the coming months.
@GardWine any chance SC makes the list?
The mystery offering made our family huge believers of this juice! A case is an autobuy!
@Drez143 Cheers! Appreciate the love!
I am in for a case. if any one in Syracuse NY is interested in some, reach out
Here we go. In for a case.
/giphy inexpensive-giddy-huckleberry
Gard is good and I am in for a case even though space is scarce; I want Gard syrah too!
Has this shipped for anyone yet? Its been a minute…
@mabowden
No shipment for me.
Ah well, age it at home or age it at casemates. I’m running short on space anyway.
@brucenie Wouldn’t that be a nice option? Buy now, ship to me in 3 years? It would be a surprise and I would have no temptation to drink it ahead of schedule…
@mabowden @stelladarling @jrbw3 agreed. Bet it ships soon, all the storms have passed…for now.
I was thinking the same thing.
Estimated delivery is Jan 29-30 in the original posting.
Maybe all of the posting by others for being mad about wine shipping early, made them slow their roll a bit.
@Winedavid49 Any idea when this will ship? Was supposed to be here January 29 or 30 which obviously isn’t happening. Need to head out of town so any heads up would be greatly appreciated!
@suzanne17 Just got (01/30 10:AM) My UPS notification that says Feb 05.
Wondering if anyone has received their order of this wine yet? I ordered a case of another one a full week later, and that one just shipped. Just curious, and if so, how do you like it?
@Leatherchair @suzanne17 @Leatherchair
mine is still ‘processing’ as well; fwiw
My last order shipped direct from Gård, not WCC, and likely is a factor in the delay.
@Leatherchair @rjquillin @suzanne17 Same here. The mystery pack shipped from the winery, not through the normal chain of command.
I weirdly remember this, because it was packed in a way I’ve never seen before.
@Drez143 @Leatherchair @rjquillin @suzanne17 good morning. winery is having issues getting wine to our warehouse. i’ll get details later today, but this is taking longer than normal. apologies. stay tuned.
Specifically, the sun goddess Merlot, that was listed a week later shipped today. I think I’ve had 55 purchases over a case mates, and this is the first time this has happened.
I think the ironic piece is Gard jut may be approached with caution next time around with the late shipping with no communication from the winery.
I received UPS notification 2 days ago (1/30/2024) and received my case today (2/1/2024).
Arrived yesterday, picked up today
@rjquillin yep, arrived yesterday for me.
Should have bought more.
@brucenie I agree! Best mystery case imo…
Just popped my first bottle from this case of 2019 Cab. Thought maybe 2019 was too early. It’s delicious! What’s the drink window?