2005 Woodward Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon Old Vines Columbia Valley
Bought this a long time ago--this product is typically one of Washington's best cabernets, but it's from a hot year in which no wine I've tasted escaped being overripe. I bought it soon after moving here, though, and didn't understand that yet. Well, waited too long. It's too sweet and jammy as are most '05s out this far, so added 3 tablespoons of water (one at a time, tasting after each addition) to freshen it up. I know a lot of you roll your eyes over this but I'm telling you, it works. Decanting/filtering off the chunky sediment was required as well. The result was a drinkable wine we'd have otherwise dumped on the azaleas, but with time in the glass necrotic soy sauce flavors turned up amid the stewed blackberry fruit. It's done.