Rasa Vineyards
Plus One Kiona Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Red Mountain, Columbia Valley, Oregon/Washington, USA
2016 vintage opened December 2020. Sorry, Rasa peeps, This Plus One doesn’t live up to some of your previous vintages. Don’t get me wrong it’s better than 80% of the wine from your AVA (and your AVA produces some superb wines), but I was expecting something just a wee bit better. Let’s talk about what I like about it first. Lovely nose! I like the balance between the scent of cassis and leather. This wine is fruit-forward with the undeniable taste of ripe cherries. Medium tannic structure that carries through to the end with mineral notes that balance the fruit on the front. Those tannins would make a lovely finish except I can still taste the cherry fruit after all of the tannins have dissipated on the back of my palate. Frankly, it’s a little insipid. Overall this wine is very drinkable, especially if you let it breathe and the tannins fully emerge. I suspect this wine will be popular with newbie red wine drinkers but the lingering flavor of cherries bugs the heck out of me. For this I am deducting five points.
2016 vintage opened December 2020. Sorry, Rasa peeps, This Plus One doesn’t live up to some of your previous vintages. Don’t get me wrong it’s better than 80% of the wine from your AVA (and your AVA produces some superb wines), but I was expecting something just a wee bit better. Let’s talk about what I like about it first. Lovely nose! I like the balance between the scent of cassis and leather. This wine is fruit-forward with the undeniable taste of ripe cherries. Medium tannic structure that carries through to the end with mineral notes that balance the fruit on the front. Those tannins would make a lovely finish except I can still taste the cherry fruit after all of the tannins have dissipated on the back of my palate. Frankly, it’s a little insipid. Overall this wine is very drinkable, especially if you let it breathe and the tannins fully emerge. I suspect this wine will be popular with newbie red wine drinkers but the lingering flavor of cherries bugs the heck out of me. For this I am deducting five points.
Dec 4th, 2020A wine with a soft beginning, but it explodes at the end. Black tea and tobacco on the nose. Ripe fruit on the front (cassis and blueberries), and, although the fruit is sweet, it’s very restrained. The tannins are also restrained, but at the same time they’re solid and smooth with a gentle mouth feel on the mid palate. And like the guiding hand of an old friend, with a gentle insistence they lead you into a room where there’s a surprise party waiting for you. And the band starts playing as you enter the room. It’s an unexpected finale which is pretty spectacular, with all sorts of high notes overlaid on deeper earth tones. Then the earth notes fade, leaving the high notes vibrating into a long finish. This wine can only get better, but it’s fantastic right now. NOTE: after an hour in the decanter this wine completely opens a up and begins to fade. Frankly, I find it more interesting right out of the bottle then from an hour in the decanter.
A wine with a soft beginning, but it explodes at the end. Black tea and tobacco on the nose. Ripe fruit on the front (cassis and blueberries), and, although the fruit is sweet, it’s very restrained. The tannins are also restrained, but at the same time they’re solid and smooth with a gentle mouth feel on the mid palate. And like the guiding hand of an old friend, with a gentle insistence they lead you into a room where there’s a surprise party waiting for you. And the band starts playing as you enter the room. It’s an unexpected finale which is pretty spectacular, with all sorts of high notes overlaid on deeper earth tones. Then the earth notes fade, leaving the high notes vibrating into a long finish. This wine can only get better, but it’s fantastic right now. NOTE: after an hour in the decanter this wine completely opens a up and begins to fade. Frankly, I find it more interesting right out of the bottle then from an hour in the decanter.
Feb 19th, 2020This is a sneaky little wine. Mint and leather on the nose, but not in high degree. Dried cherries on the front, but not enough of those flavors to make it fruit forward. A light to medium tannic structure that is neither puckery nor velvety. Ending with lingering soft high notes. At first I wasn’t really paying attention to its unpretentiousness, but then I realized that every landmark in my mouth was pleased and smiling. It’s like one of those subtle Grand Cru Bordeauxs that, once every decade or so, give us something brilliant and memorable. Well, after that spiel, I should probably give it a 10.0, but I’ve never tasted a 10.0 — so I’m giving it a 9.8. I can’t think that I’ve given anything more than 9.6. So take it from me that this is a pretty fooking great wine!
This is a sneaky little wine. Mint and leather on the nose, but not in high degree. Dried cherries on the front, but not enough of those flavors to make it fruit forward. A light to medium tannic structure that is neither puckery nor velvety. Ending with lingering soft high notes. At first I wasn’t really paying attention to its unpretentiousness, but then I realized that every landmark in my mouth was pleased and smiling. It’s like one of those subtle Grand Cru Bordeauxs that, once every decade or so, give us something brilliant and memorable. Well, after that spiel, I should probably give it a 10.0, but I’ve never tasted a 10.0 — so I’m giving it a 9.8. I can’t think that I’ve given anything more than 9.6. So take it from me that this is a pretty fooking great wine!
Jul 1st, 2019
Tannic and oaky. Pretty good, but not my favorite
Tannic and oaky. Pretty good, but not my favorite
May 11th, 2016Plus one. Nice! Beautiful nose with lots of oak flavors
Plus one. Nice! Beautiful nose with lots of oak flavors
Jun 22nd, 2015