Swick Wines Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

Deep ruby with bright clarity. Aromas of black cherry, cassis, subtle cedar and baking spice. Structured palate with fine tannins, balanced acidity and flavors of plum, dark berry and gentle earthy undertones.

Konnowac Vineyard is one of the few certified organic sites in Washington, and the Cab vines are pushing thirty years old. That kind of age means small berries, small yields and concentration you can't fake. Winemakers Joseph and Maureen Swick take fruit from the highest-elevation block — 1,000 feet up in the Rattlesnake Hills — where cold nights hold the natural acidity and the daytime sun does the ripening.

This is not the Cab you're used to. They ferment 100% whole cluster for 45 days on the skins, native yeast only, then age it for eighteen months split between 2,000-liter oval oak casks and neutral French barrels. The big format means oxygen comes in slowly and oak flavor stays out — the wine just gets rounder and more itself. No fining, no filtration, minimal sulfur. Drink it tonight or put it down for ten years.

Swick's philosophy is to make wines as naked and raw as possible while keeping them fun and delicious. They work with organically farmed vineyards in the colder regions of Oregon and Washington State. No conventional additives, just grapes and (sometimes) a very small amount of SO2 to keep the wine stable in bottle. Wine is a fermented beverage that should not be a trophy or a status symbol. Wines made in this fashion are artisanal products that reflect their artist and terroir with no maquillage. What ends up in the glass are energetic, vins de soif with a freshness and balanced acidity that reflect their artist, terroir, and space in time.