Pepper Bridge Winery’s 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon contains small amounts of Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot with 56% of the fruit sourced from the Seven Hills Vineyard and 44% from the Pepper Bridge Vineyard. The wine was aged for 21 months in 55% new French oak. Purple-colored, it offers up a pleasing perfume of wood smoke, pencil lead, scorched earth, black currant, and blackberry. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it displays a supple texture, layered, savory black fruit, and a tannic finish. The wine could use a bit more depth and will require several more years of bottle age to express its full potential. Tel. (509) 525-6502; www.pepperbridge.com

This Pepper Bridge Cabernet includes all five Bordeaux grapes in the blend, in small proportions but adding nuances in both nose and mouthfeel. There is a lovely, sweet, floral top note over some chocolate accents, and then come the berries; the layering is beautifully done.——P.G.(11/1/2009)—— 91