2012 Corliss Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 97 Points
A wine that I would put up there with the crème de la crème of Washington State Cabernet is the 2012 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Corliss, which is insanely good and does everything right. It is made from 97% Cabernet and 3% Petit Verdot that spent 28 months in 70% new French oak. Its saturated ruby/purple color is followed by fabulous notes of crème de cassis, toasted spice, chocolate and tobacco leaves. These give way to a full-bodied, seamless and layered 2012 that has fabulous purity and freshness, a big, rich mid-palate and sweet tannin that emerge on the finish, all suggesting it will have a long life. Forget bottles for 4-5 years and drink over the following two decades. Bravo! -Jeb Dunnuck
2012 Corliss Estate Red Wine 95 Points
The 2012 Columbia Valley Red Wine is another rock star Bordeaux blend that’s made from 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and Malbec. It was aged 28 months in 65% new French oak. Notes of cassis, tobacco leaf, lead pencil shavings and black currants all emerge from this rich, full-bodied and concentrated effort that has a big, layered texture, no hard edges and impeccable balance. It’s slightly more approachable than the straight Cabernet, yet should nevertheless evolve for just as long. -Jeb Dunnuck
2012 Corliss Estate Syrah 96 Points
I also loved the 2012 Syrah, and this is clearly a top vintage for this estate. Blended with 3% Viognier and aged 26 months in 40% new puncheons and barrels, it offers an inky color as well as lots of blackberry, smoked, barbecued meats, licorice and pepper. Full-bodied, decadent and layered, yet with awesome purity, it’s certainly not for those craving mid-weight aromas and flavors, but I love it. Drink this beauty anytime over the coming decade. -Jeb Dunnuck
2011 Corliss Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (From the Barrel) 94-97 Points
The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon could possibly be the wine of the vintage. A 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that will see roughly 30 months in French oak, is possesses a rock star bouquet of creme de cassis, black raspberry, graphite, chocolate, toast and underlying floral qualities to go with a full-bodied, concentrated and structuredpalate. Showing the hallmark textural richness of the estate, as well as gorgeous purity of fruit and masses of sweet tannin, it’s a serious effort that will have upwards of two decades of longevity. Drink now-2031.
2011 Corliss Red Wine (From the Barrel) 93-95 Points
A Merlot and Cabernet Franc-dominated blend, the 2011 Corliss, tasted out of barrel, shows the freshness and purity of the vintage. Exhibiting classic Bordeaux-like aromas of red and black fruits, lead pencil and graphite, it falls on the fuller side of medium to full-bodied and carries a silky, refined profile on the palate. Balanced, rich and elegant, with masses of polished tannin framing the finish, it has loads of potential and will have a minimum of 10-12 years of prime drinking. Drinking 2015-2023.
2009 Corliss Estate Syrah 96 Points
“The team at Corliss continues to knock it out of the park and they produce serious, rich and pedal- to-the-metal efforts that stay classy and gorgeously drinkable. They need to be on every reader’s short list.”
For this report, the 2009 Syrah is the youngest release and it’s certainly worth waiting for. A co-fermented blend of 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier that spent 30 months in 55% new French oak, it offers up a thrilling array of blackberry and black currant fruit, incense, spice box, chocolate and roasted meats on the nose. Already complex and getting a big “Wow” in my notes, it has decadent richness, yet never seems heavy or cumbersome. Similarly styled on the palate, with a full-bodied, voluptuous texture, superb mid-palate depth and masses of tannin on the finish, it will benefit from another 2-3 years in the cellar and have 10-15 years or more of ultimate longevity. Drink 2015-2024. -Jeb Dunnuck
2009 Corliss Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 95+ Points
Also brilliant, with fantastic concentration and richness, the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon offers plenty of toast, chocolate and tobacco leaf intermixed with dark currant and plum-styled fruit. Full-bodied, structured and seamless, with building tannin and integrated acidity, give it a few years in the cellar and enjoy over the following 15-20 years. - Jeb Dunnuck
2009 Corliss Estate Red Wine 94 Points
The 2009 Red Wine is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Malbec. It exhibits up-front, ripe aromas and flavors of black raspberry, chocolate ganache, black currants, lead pencil and toast to go with full-bodied richness and depth on the palate. More rounded, up-front and approachable than the straight Cabernet release, it’s a sexy, hard-to-resist red to enjoy over the coming decade or more. -Jeb Dunnuck
2009 Corliss Estate Syrah 96 Points
“Forthisreport,the2009Syrahistheyoungestreleaseandit’scertainlyworthwaitingfor.Aco-fermentedblendof95%Syrahand5%Viognierthatspent30monthsin55%newFrenchoak,itoffersupathrillingarrayofblackberryandblackcurrantfruit,incense,spicebox,chocolateandroastedmeatsonthenose.Alreadycomplexandgettingabig“Wow”inmynotes,ithasdecadentrichness,yetneverseemsheavyorcumbersome.Similarlystyledonthepalate,withafull-bodied,voluptuoustexture,superbmid-palatedepthandmassesoftanninonthefinish,itwillbenefitfromanother2-3yearsinthecellarandhave10-15yearsormoreofultimatelongevity. Drink2015-2024.” - JebDunnuck,RobertParker,Jr.’sTheWineAdvocate
2008 Corliss Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 95 Points
“More perfumed andlivelyaromatically,yetmorefirm andbackwards onthe palate, the2008 CabernetSauvignonisaknockout100%CabernetSauvignonthatspent30monthsin70%newFrenchoak.Classicallystyled,withblackcurrants,toastyoak,violets,licoriceandbackgroundmeatiness,itisafull-bodied,structuredand age-worthy2008 thatwillevolve gracefullyfor 15+years.Itimprovesoverthe eveningbut shouldideallybegivenanotherhandfulof yearsinthecellar.Drink now-2028+.”
- Jeb Dunnuck, Robert Parker, Jr.’s The Wine Advocate
2008Corliss Columbia Valley Red Wine 94+ Points
“Justaboutasgood,theBordeauxblend2008Corliss(formerlyreviewedasRedWine)iscomprisedof34%Merlot,25%CabernetFranc,23%CabernetSauvignon,13%PetitVerdotand5%Malbecthatspent30monthsin65%newFrenchoak.Almosta mealonitsown,ithasfull,richaromasandflavorsofcurrants,smokedherbs,milkchocolateandpotpourritogowithafull-bodied,beautifullytexturedandbalancedpalate.Youthfullystructuredandtannic,itneedsanother1-2yearsofbottleageandwillkeepfor10-15years.Drink2015-2023.” - Jeb Dunnuck, Robert Parker, Jr.’s The Wine Advocate
2006 Corliss Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 95 Points
“The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (100%) spent 33 months in 80% new French oak. It is a layered, plush, mouth-filling Cabernet that already displays complexity. Give it 3-4 years to fully blossom and drink it through 2026. Drink 2011- 2026”
2006 Corliss Columbia Valley Red Wine 94 Points
“The 2006 Red is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Petit Verdot aged in 73% new oak for 33 months. This loaded effort delivers a sexy concoction of toasty oak, exotic spices, and assorted black fruits that titillates the nose. Deftly combining power and elegance, it should see its 20th birthday in peak form.Drink 2011 - 2026”
2006 Corliss Columbia Valley Syrah 95 Points
“The 2006 Syrah spent 30 months in 58% new French oak. It is a velvety, elegant rendition of Syrah that conceals enough structure to evolve for 4-5 years. It will provide optimum drinking through 2021 if not longer. Drink 2011 – 2021.”
2005CorlissColumbia Valley CabernetSauvignon 94 Points
Drink 2015–2030
Thepurple-colored2005Cabernet Sauvignoncontains 13% Merlot,6%Cabernet Franc,4%Malbec,and 2% Petit Verdot. Itwasagedfor33 months in65% newFrench oak. Itdisplaysan alluringbouquetofAsianspices,incense, wood smoke,mineral,blackcurrant, andblackberryleading toan elegant,velvety-textured,concentrated wine.There is enoughstructureandbalance topermitanother5-7yearsofpositiveevolution anditshould bein itsprimefrom2015to2030.
Robert M Parker, Jr
2005CorlissColumbia ValleyRedWine 93 Points
Drink 2014-2025
The2005CorlissRedisa blendof66% Cabernet Sauvignon,10%Merlot, 9%Malbec,8% CabernetFranc, and7%PetitVerdotagedin 73% newFrenchoakfor33months.Thefruitwassourcedfromsomeofthefinest sites ofthe ColumbiaValley.Purple in color with an invitingperfume ofpaingrille,pencillead,violets,spicebox,blackcherry, andblackberry, onthe palateit isfull-bodiedwithoutstandingvolumeandconcentration. Savory blackfruitsandspiceemergefrom thissmooth-texturedofferingleading toa lengthy,purefinish. Ithas thestructureto evolveforatleast 3-4yearsand willdelivera drinkingwindowextending from2014to2025. Robert M Parker, Jr
2005CorlissColumbia ValleySyrah 93 Points
Drink 2010-2016
The2005Syrahcontains3%co-fermentedViognierand1%Grenacheagedfor34monthsin 64%newFrench oak.Deeppurpleincolor,it sportsa sexyaromaticarray ofsandalwood,incense,bacon,smoke,blueberry,andplum.Savory andfull-bodied onthe palate, thisplushoffering can beenjoyednowfor itsfleshyfruit but willeasilyevolvefor another 4-6years. Thereare450casesorless ofthesewinesso thoseinterestedshouldgetonthemailinglist quickly.I have thefeelingthat thebest isyet tocomefrom Corliss.CorlissEstates’firstvintagewas2003.
Robert M Parker, Jr