Force Majeure Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

  • 95 Robert
    Parker
  • 92 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 90 Wine
    Spectator
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Force Majeure Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 Front Label
Force Majeure Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 Front Label

Product Details


Varietal

Region

Producer

Vintage
2011

Size
750ML

ABV
14.7%

Features
Boutique

Your Rating

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Somm Note

Winemaker Notes

As the flagship wine, this bottling of Cabernet Sauvignon showcases the distinctive character of Force Majeure's Estate vineyard. It is quite dark with a powerful bouquet marked by cedar, earth and blackfruit. The flavors are rich, concentrated and complete. The generous underpinnings oftannins are woven discreetly into the wine's finish. This big, rich, commanding Cabernet will continue to improve over the next decade.

Professional Ratings

  • 95
    Coming all from the new, incredibly steep estate vineyard located high up near the top of Red Mountain, the 2011 Collaboration Series Cabernet Sauvignon is distinct in the lineup for its deep black currant, tobacco, underbrush, violets and mineral-loaded profile. More rounded and supple on the palate than some of the Ciel du Cheval bottlings, it has a rich, weighty mouthfeel, knockout purity of fruit and enough silky tannin to allow it to evolve gracefully for at least a decade. This is only the fourth leaf for the vineyard and hats off to the Force Majeure crew for having the vision to push the envelope on where grape vines can be planted and for the perseverance to work those steep hillsides. Drink now-2021.

    Rating: (93-95)+

  • 92
    This is the second vintage release for the estate vineyard, which occupies the highest planted portion of Red Mountain. Precise, sharp-edged, high-acid red-fruit flavors of berry and cherry seem stacked vertically, with a strong mineral underpinning. The alcohol is a bit high, but overall the structure holds together and would support further aging; drink now–2022.
  • 90
    Fresh and vibrant, with juicy flavors of cherry, roasted meat and herb, picking up lightly gritty tannins and black tea flavors as the finish lingers expressively. Best from 2016 through 2021.

Other Vintages

2019
  • 98 Jeb
    Dunnuck
  • 97 Vinous
  • 94 Wine
    Spectator
2018
  • 97 Jeb
    Dunnuck
  • 95 Wine
    Spectator
  • 93 Robert
    Parker
2017
  • 95 Robert
    Parker
  • 95 Jeb
    Dunnuck
  • 93 Wine
    Spectator
2016
  • 93 Robert
    Parker
2014
  • 96 Robert
    Parker
  • 91 Wine
    Spectator
2013
  • 93 Robert
    Parker
  • 92 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 91 Wine
    Spectator
2012
  • 95 Robert
    Parker
Force Majeure

Force Majeure

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Force Majeure, Washington
Force Majeure Winery Image
It is both passion and obsessive attention to detail that push Force Majeure to raise the standard for Washington winegrowing. Inspired by the vineyards of Bordeaux, Hermitage, Priorat, and Cote Rotie, we challenged existing viticultural practices and embarked on an ambitious plan to pioneer the very first vineyard on the steep, upper slopes of Red Mountain.

This Herculean effort involved the careful matching of varietal and clonal selections, trellising and irrigation to the nine distinct soil types formed by the ancient Missoula floods, winds and volcanic activity. The outcome is a vineyard articulated into many small "micro-blocks," to meet the management demands of this unique and dynamic site. Due to the rough, rocky nature of the acreage and elevations ranging from 960 to 1,230 feet, mechanization is virtually impossible in the upper portion of Force Majeure, requiring true "farming by hand." Yet the lower blocks of the vineyard are comprised of deep, well-drained Warden soils.

Thus, the diversity of our vineyard results in a versatility that allows us to grow a variety of compelling fruit characterized by stunning intensity, depth and concentration, complex flavors and fine tannins. We nurture a variety of Bordeaux and Rhone varietals at this special site and look forward to sharing, quite literally, the "fruits of our labor" with you.

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A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.

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Red Mountain Wine

Yakima Valley, Washington

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A coveted source of top quality red grapes among premier Washington producers, the Red Mountain AVA is actually the smallest appellation in the state. As its name might suggest, it is actually neither a mountain nor is it composed of red earth. Instead the appellation is an anticline of the Yakima fold belt, a series of geologic folds that define a number of viticultural regions in the surrounding area. It is on the eastern edge of Yakima Valley with slopes facing southwest towards the Yakima River, ideal for the ripening of grapes. The area’s springtime proliferation of cheatgrass, which has a reddish color, actually gives the area the name, "Red" Mountain.

Red Mountain produces some of the most mineral-driven, tannic and age-worthy red wines of Washington and there are a few reasons for this. It is just about the hottest appellation with normal growing season temperatures commonly reaching above 90F. The soil is particularly poor in nutrients and has a high pH, which results in significantly smaller berry sizes compared to varietal norms. The low juice to skin ratio in smaller berries combined with the strong, dry summer winds, leads to higher tannin levels in Red Mountain grapes.

The most common red grape varieties here are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Syrah, among others. Limited white varieties are grown, namely Sauvignon blanc.

The reds of the area tend to express dark black and blue fruit, deep concentration, complex textures, high levels of tannins and as previously noted, have good aging capabilities.

CGM25667_2011 Item# 205263

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