2016 Sheridan Vineyard Cabernet Franc Boss Block

• By Stephen Tanzer
  New Releases from Washington: A Bonanza for Consumers (Dec 2019), 12/1/2019, (See more on Vinous...)

  (Sheridan Vineyard Cabernet Franc Boss Block Washington Red) Login and sign up and see review text.

JebDunnuck.com

• By Jeb Dunnuck
  The 2016s From Washington State, 4/11/2019, (See more on JebDunnuck.com...)

  (Sheridan Vineyard Cabernet Franc Boss Block Red) Login and sign up and see review text.

Full Pull

• By Paul Zitarelli
  Full Pull Yak Valley Vigneron, 3/14/2019

  (Sheridan Vineyard Cabernet Franc Boss Block) Hello friends. We have a pair of spring releases from Sheridan Vineyard today, a winery that has been hotter than hot the past few years, darlings of consumers and press alike. If we don’t time up this offer each year just right, we miss out. This year, we’re timed up right. Scott Greer is that rare Washington bird: a true vigneron, managing both viticulture (growing grapes) and vinification (making wine), and doing it all from estate vineyards. The rarity of the model in Washington is a structural/geographical issue. Unfortunately in Washington, many of the places that are among the best for growing grapes are likewise among the worst for living. I mean, good luck convincing a young, promising winemaker to set up shop in the Horse Heaven Hills. Easier to contract with a grower, set up in Woodinville, and begin enjoying that bumpin’ eastside nightlife. Because the vigneron model is rare, they tend to stand out, and we tend to offer them. That’s been true since our early days. Our first Sheridan offer was in December 2009, part of a select bunch of wineries we offered in our first few months of existence (we launched in October of that year). Nearly a decade later, the relationship is still going strong. I won’t say much here, because as usual with the Boss, our access to any significant quantity is quite limited. Boss Block is a slippery fish. We’ve offered it just twice previously: the 2011 and 2015 vintages. The combination of small production and massive reviews (culminating with an eye-popping 97pts from Dunnuck for the 2014) makes for an ever narrowing buying window. I can tell you without question this is a one-and-done wine, with no prospects for reorders. It comes from the original 1997 plantings at Sheridan, which means this is 20th leaf material. Certainly not young vines anymore, and it shows. This begins with an expressive, evocative nose encompassing everything we love about Cab Franc: the dark blackberry fruit, the haunting florals of dried rose petal, and perhaps most importantly, the smoky green edge of roasting poblano pepper. Glorious. In the mouth, this is a firm, densely-packed palate-stainer, offering tremendous fruit impact, power to spare, and no shortage of perfumed charm. Year in and year out, this is a singular Washington Franc.