Trousse-Chemise Cellars - Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

The globalization of wine is arguably most apparent with regards to winemakers themselves. If I told you that a woman, born on the island of Réunion — 450 miles east of Madagascar in the middle of the Indian Ocean — went to Bordeaux to study wine at Faculté de Bordeaux with Denis Dubourdieu, then moved to Oregon to make wine in the Willamette Valley under Laurent Montalieu (who grew up on the Caribbean Island of Guadeloupe) you might think I'm crazy. What's even more surprising is that this young woman decided to try her hand at making Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington State's Columbia Valley, a varietal and region she's never worked with. Yet, this is a true story, and it is emblematic of the wine world today. This amazing vigneronne is Anne Sery, the proprietor and winemaker behind Trousse-Chemise. And since her first attempt at making Cabernet, Anne has mastered antoher noble varietal in an outstanding terroir.

The 2020 Horse Heaven Hills shows Anne's skill with Cabernet, a skill she learned training with one of the top oenologists in Bordeaux, the late Denis Dubourdieu. We know her work with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the Willamette Valley is exceptional, and it comes as no surprise those talents translated perfectly with her Cabernet. In the glass, the wine pours a mid-purple color with ruby highlights, emitting beautiful aromas of cassis, blackberries, cedar and spice. The palate is medium-bodied and fresh with suave tannins that frame the ripe fruit flavors and mineral drive as it effortlessly flows into a refreshing finish. Anne has a deft hand with every varietal she works with and I am excited to see what future projects she has in store for us! Enjoy with roast beef, hamburgers or, for a real treat, try it with spaghetti Bolognese.