Tag Archives: 10000 Hours

Expensive wine 172: 10000 Hours Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

10000 Hours Cabernet Sauvignon bottle
10000 Hours Cabernet Sauvignon 2018/$27-$40

Washington state red is a classic example of the region’s approach

The wine business has not been kind to Washington state over the past several years, with the recent Ste. Michelle Wine Estates production cuts just one more kick in the teeth. But none of this has anything to do with Washington state wine quality, as the 10000 Hours Cabernet Sauvignon demonstrates.

We’ve reviewed several 10000 Hours wines on the blog, and not because they were samples. As regular readers know, too many of the samples I get tend to make me stare skyward existentially.

But not in this case. The 10000 Hours Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 ($32, sample, 14.5%) is classic Washington state cabernet sauvignon, which means a bit eucalyptus aroma and a very rich and very very full wine that needs food.

But, as with the best of these kinds of wines, it’s not hot despite the high alcohol, there isn’t too much vanilla or too much oak, and it’s eminently balanced. The tasting notes talk about some coffee flavors, and that may be there, but there is certainly lots and lots of deep red fruit. The age helped to make the wine rounder and more agreeable (and there is still a fair amount of this wine on store shelves, despite the age).

This is a wine to to think about when as the weather cools (which may actually be happening here). Serve it with red meat and let it open for a bit before drinking.

Expensive wine 162: 10000 Hours Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

10000 Hours Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 bottle
10000 Hours Cabernet Sauvignon 2019/$26-$40

Once again, Washington state producer offers quality and value – and just in time for the holidays

Thank you, 10000 Hours.

In an era when finding expensive wine worth writing about has become past difficult, this Washington state producer has done the blog proud twice.

The first was in January, with its red blend. Today, we have the 10000 Hours Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($30, sample, 14.5%), which takes the red blend in a decidedly Washington state cabernet direction.

That means a dense, rich red wine that doesn’t taste like it came from Napa – so less obvious oak, more intriguing tannins and lots and lots and lots of black fruit. So layers and layers, though hardly subtle. The winery’s tasting notes probably wax a little more poetic about espresso beans than they should, but I’ll forgive the excess. The wine is that well done – and it’s hardly the kind of style that I wax much poetic about.

The rest of the technical stuff: Five grapes the blend, though 84 percent cabernet; the grapes come form Washington state’s Red Mountain, a highly acclaimed region; and this wine will age maybe 8 or 10 years, another plus at this price.

Highly recommended, and just the thing for a holiday dinner for a red wine drinker who wants to go a slightly different direction.

Expensive wine 152: 10000 Hours Red Blend 2018

10,000 Hours 2018 Red Blend
10000 Hours Red Blend 2018/$28-$32

This Washington state red blend shines on several levels, and especially when it comes to value

The Wine Curmudgeon drank this wine with someone who dislikes too big, over-hyped, over-made and over-done wines even more than I do. And her conclusion: “Put this on the blog!”

So the 10000 Hours Red Blend 2018 ($30, sample, 14.5%) is here, and not only because it’s well made and speaks to its Washington state terroir, but because it offers terrific value. How often do we find a $30 wine that will age for a decade?

Because the 10000 Hours, more cabernet sauvignon than anything else, will. It’s a big wine, but not so big that you need to take a nap after a couple of glasses. It holds its high alcohol quite well, and is much more balanced than I expected.

Having said that, it’s not especially subtle, but rich, direct and full. That means lots and lots of berry fruit (the winery’s tasting notes say preserves), a bit of spice and oak, enough tannins to remind you they’re there, and some nice green herbs on the finish. It’s a food wine, certainly – big red meat, as well as stews.

And, for those of you who keep track of these things, the exact blend: 56 percent cabernet, 32 percent merlot, 7 percent petit verdot, 3 percent malbec, and 2 percent cabernet franc.