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Tina and Brett
When it comes to Cabernet Sauvignon in the US, Napa Valley has had a monopoly on what critics consider the best domestic Cabernets. But with more and more buyers being priced out – an “average” bottle of Napa Cabernet now costs around $115 a bottle! – wine lovers are looking elsewhere, and what they are discovering is making them rethink their affinity for Napa wines.
As this bottle of 2018 Marshall Davis, Seven Hills Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon demonstrates, the most exciting Cabernet producers are no longer limited to California. Producers in both Oregon and Washington are having tremendous results with this French grape, and wine lovers are taking notice.
Marshall Davis Wines is a small, family-owned winery founded by Sean Davis, along with his brothers-in-law Ryan Marshall and Matt Marshall. The winery makes limited-production wines in a low intervention style, and the average bottling for their Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Syrah, and rose wines runs between 100 to 200 cases per year.
2011 was the year the three brothers decided to purchase their vineyard and try their collective hand at viticulture and winemaking. The brand’s boutique vineyard is a modest fifteen acres and sits in the Willamette Valley within the Yamhill-Carlton AVA.
Sean Davis is the winemaker for Marshall Davis Wines, and brothers Ryan and Matt manage the operations. Davis is a professionally trained chef, and he graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Portland, so his understanding of taste and palate is fairly instinctual. Sean is a self-taught winemaker.
Production is so limited that getting your hands on bottles of wine from Marshall Davis can be a little tricky through the website. Your best bet for snagging these bottles is to check out the winery’s tasting room in downtown Carlton, Oregon, or swing by the family’s restaurant, The Horse Radish, which is right next door to the tasting room.
Prior to throwing his creative talents into winemaking, Sean Davis was a chef at the Horse Radish restaurant in Carlton, which he purchased with his wife, Julia, in 2010. The restaurant provided the perfect jumping-off point to familiarize him with the palates of the locals and understand the kind of food and wine they were drawn to.
Seven Hills Vineyard is one of the most prestigious vineyard sites in the Pacific Northwest. The site boasts a who’s who of Oregon and Washington winemakers who source their grapes from this Walla Walla site, including Ken Wright, Domaine Serene, and, of course, Marshall Davis Wines.
The Seven Hills Vineyard was planted in 1980, which makes it one of the first commercial vineyards in the region. The Walla Walla AVA wouldn’t be created until four years later, in 1984. What started out as a humble planting of 20 acres has since expanded into 200 acres of ultra-premium grapes.
In addition to Cabernet Sauvignon, like those in this 2018 Marshall Davis Cab, the site is also known for its Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, Sangiovese, and Syrah.
If you try the wines of Marshall Davis and you absolutely fall in love with their restrained style of winemaking, consider joining the brand’s wine club. This club is big on offering members discounts on bottles when they sign up. The Estate Series (entry-level club) provides a 15% discount on bottles, and the Reserve Series provides a 25% discount.
USA
Oregon, Walla Walla AVA, Seven Hills Vineyard
Cabernet Sauvignon
15.4
Sean Davis
62–68°F / 16–20°C
Burgundy
1 Hour
Now to 2033
Marshall Davis Wine
The 2018 Marshall Davis Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon is a captivating deep garnet color in the glass. A quick swirl reveals a wine with a high viscosity, hinting at a rich palate. Intense aromas of black cherry, black currant, cedar, cigar box, leather, and a subtle note of graphite create a pleasant bouquet.
The palate on this Washington Cabernet SauvignonUpon is opulent and complex, showcasing Davis’ skills as a winemaker and the quality fruit used in this bottling. Flavors of black cherry, black currant, and blackberry come together with hints of cedar, leather, cigar box, and a touch of oak. The high tannin and full-bodied character give it a robust structure, while the black pepper adds an intriguing spice. The finish of this wine is just great; it’s long, well-balanced, and lingers on the palate.
This Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon is a bold and expressive wine that exemplifies the region’s dedication to high quality winemaking. When you factor in the price point, which is below $50, it doesn’t get much better than that. Include this Cab in your next blind tasting with friends, and put it up against those legacy brands from Napa, and watch when they all gravitate to this microproducer from Oregon.
