2018 cedar + salmon Red Wine Blend, Walla Walla Valley
Tasting Notes
Sourced from the southeast corner of Washington State, our Walla Walla Red Wine Blend boasts generous flavors of ripe blackberry, plum and dark cherry. Ripe and juicy notes of black currants, cassis and allspice are balanced with smooth tannins and bright acidity. This full-bodied wine with firm structure leads to a lingering finish.
Winemaker Notes
The 2018 growing season weathered a hot, dry summer, but timely rains and cooler temperatures in early fall provided a welcomed balance prior to harvest. These conditions allowed for grapes to ripen slowly and develop mature flavors. After the grapes were harvested, sorted and fermented, the wine was then aged in French oak barrels for 22 months. The blend consists of a number of juicy reds including Petit Verdot, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. A small amount of Cabernet Franc and Petite Sirah round out the complex blend.
Food Pairings
Pair with rich flavors such as young blue cheeses, oven roasted vegetables and wild mushroom ravioli. The firm structure leads itself well to a variety of meat dishes including lamb sliders, barbecued steak or slow-roasted stews.
Specs
Vintage: 2018
Varietals: 46% Petit Verdot, 24% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petite Sirah
Appellation: 100% Walla Walla Valley
Alcohol: 14.7%
pH: 3.88
Total Acidity: 5.0 g/L
2021 cedar + salmon Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills
Sourced from high, rolling hills, this vintage was born out of a heat wave, cooling just in time for harvest. Aged in 15% new French and 15% new American oak, this Cabernet Sauvignon (with 8% Malbec and 7% Merlot) shows concentrated power. With tobacco washed blackberry, espresso, and Italian herbs, it is well built, with sturdy tannins. Dark chocolate and bacon fat enter mid-way with a toasted cedar finish.
A cool spring followed by a record shattering heat event in late June led to a small but strong 2021 vintage. Cooler temperatures in September and October allowed for grapes to hang longer on the vine. Flavor maturity was achieved before sugar ripeness, elevating the wine’s natural acidity. After the grapes were harvested, sorted and fermented, the wine was then aged in 15% new French and 15% new American oak until bottling.
Food Pairings
This full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon is a perfect pairing for soft truffle brie, a savory mushroom tart, moussaka, rosemary braised lamb shanks, or a slow cooker beef stew.
Cedar + Salmon wines honor the unique spirit of the Pacific Northwest. Balanced and versatile, these food-friendly wines deliver bright fruit flavors with a well-rounded finish.
Cedar + Salmon celebrates the artistic spirit of the Pacific Northwest. Sourced from family vineyards nestled in under the canopy of ancient forests, our wines are lush and mysterious, brimming with flavorful harmony. Gracing our labels are woodcut prints of cedar and ash trees that evoke the sylvan beauty of the region and the ancient march of time.
Available States
AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
2021 Cedar + Salmon Cabernet Sauvignon – Horse Heaven Hills
Friends, I have the opportunity, nay, the privilege, to rat this delightful bottle for you all.
Thanks to the little brown truck arriving a full five days ahead of schedule, I had ample time to do what any former chef would do: build an entire menu around it. Once a chef, always a chef.
The bottle sports a twist top, making it delightfully effortless. In the glass, it pours a deep, dark garnet that promises good things to come.
On the nose, the four of us, self-appointed vinophiles and enthusiastic consumers of delicious wine, immediately picked up black licorice, cracked pepper, and an unmistakable note of cherry cola.
The first sip began dry, with firm tannins announcing themselves right up front before gracefully stepping aside. Mid-palate, the wine bursts open with juicy brambleberries that carry through to a smooth finish.
By the second sip, dark chocolate joins the party, the licorice becomes more pronounced, and those tannins begin to settle into a wonderfully balanced rhythm.
Now for the important part: dinner.
We started with a Fig, Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Crostini paired alongside a 2020 Caymus-Suisun Grand Durīf. Fantastic.
Next came Wild Mushroom, Thyme & Parmesan Risotto with Crispy Bacon, accompanied by Coppola’s 2021 Director’s Cut Cabernet. Rich, earthy, and absolutely outstanding.
Finally, it was time for the main event.
Garlic Herb Grilled Tri-Tip with Espresso BBQ Glaze and Charred Asparagus met the 2021 Cedar + Salmon Cabernet after more than an hour of breathing.
Wow.
The extra air transformed the wine. The tannins mellowed beautifully while those brambleberry and cherry cola notes became richer and more expressive. More importantly, this thing absolutely loves food. It handled the tri-tip with ease, then turned right around and paired beautifully with the creamy risotto we had saved some of to, you know, experiment. Every bite made the next sip better, and every sip made the next bite better.
This strikes me as one of those bottles that can comfortably bridge the gap between seasoned wine lovers and friends who simply know they like “good red wine.” It’s approachable enough for newcomers while offering enough complexity to keep wine nerds interested.
Price will ultimately decide how many cases end up in my cellar, but if it lands in the right range, we’re talking multiple. This is the kind of bottle you keep around for weeknight dinners, backyard barbecues, or any gathering where you want everyone at the table to leave happy.
As always, thank you to Casemates, WineDavid, and Terry for another enjoyable ride. If anyone has questions, or just wants an excuse to open another bottle, you know where to find me.
@pagano71, now that I know it’s a two-bottle deal, I’m going to have to wait for rats for the blend. At this price, if it were just for the cab, I’d buy two cases. But I feel like it may be an attempt to offload some of the blend. But, again, I’ll wait and see what the rats say.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
cedar + salmon Mixed Reds - $40 = 22.22%
2018 cedar + salmon Red Wine Blend, Walla Walla Valley
When the golden email arrived saying I had wine en route, I was at first excited and then I realized I was somewhere else from where it was being sent; thankfully after a couple of quick emails the fine folks of WCC were able to get it redirected to where I was. Sadly, Brown was not playing nice with my change of venue and attempted delivery at after 8p while the family was on a ship. Luckily, the following day they came around at 10a and the bottle was rescued from the clutches of dark colored trucks rolling around the Florida heat. Enough preamble.
The bottle itself was surprisingly light, and as we’ve seen on at least one previous offer, the label was not in the best of shape (slightly crumpled and peeling). Cork came out cleanly, a few mm of staining, and a solid layer of tartrate crystals. Recalling the most recent offer of this, and its journey, the bottle was chilled, stood upright, and then opened for about 45 minutes before sampling.While four of us sampled this, I only have my own notes, but I’ll leave a general impression from the others near the end.
Having had time to breathe a little, the nose offered rosemary, blueberries, and clove. I convinced myself eventually there was also leather under all of that, but not at first. The wine itself was uniformly deep colored, no visual signs of age, and clung to the walls of the glass like Tom Cruise to an inverted biplane. Giving it a taste affirmed my nose with blueberries, a bit of bramble, gravel, and a touch of vanilla. Solid full body, and well rounded tannins. Further sampling rendered like notes I called dried florals, like muted violets (on reflection of this offer’s details I could convince myself it was blackberry). None of the flavors were intense, and the wine was nicely balanced, and easy enough to quaff; it did benefit from a bit of food to tease out some intensity of flavors a bit more revealing dark cherries I’d missed in the well blended flavors before.
I kept a glass worth reserved for the next afternoon, corked on the counter (a bit warmer than ideal around 76). Things were largely the same, although the nose was muted and the bramble mostly gone on the tongue. It felt a bit flatter this day-later sampling, but still clearly the same wine at its heart.
The others around the table commented broadly that the wine was nice, good quality, and pleasant, with one joker virtually reciting the label’s flavor profiles as their own notes. Oh, family. While this isn’t a knock your socks off bottle, it is fully competent to stand on its own or next to smoked cheese, grilled steak, roasted veggies, and earthy flavors. I’d gladly share this bottle with my typical wine drinkers and expect nary a complaint.
rws offered the '18 in January…:It’s a daily drinker stock up deal…" The 2018 Cedar + Salmon Walla Walla Red Blend opens with a juicy and fresh aroma of ripe and tart smelling blackberry and black cherry with well integrated touches of baking spice throughout. It’s quite an attractive start.
Taking a sip reveals this to be quite nice! I love this blend of varieties, especially all the Petit Verdot. Smooth and tart, the wine tastes just like the nose and has plenty of structure.
It ends dry, tart and juicy and just a touch grippy and was similar on day 2. This is tasty.
Looks like rws did the cab in November… plenty of aging potential… The 2021 Cedar + Salmon Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon opens with quite an expressive aroma of black cherry and other dark fruit, lots of cinnamon, mint and other baking spice, a little cigar box, cedar, violets, coffee, vanilla, chocolate and more. It’s a great start!
The wine tastes smooth, a bit dense and grippy and features good structure, good acidity and similar flavors to the nose. Quite oaky when first popped and poured, it certainly lives up to the cedar part of its name! Give this one plenty of time to breathe if you’re drinking it now, it’s also likely to age nicely for the next few years.
It ends dry, chewy and quite long. I’m a bit surprised it is only 30% new oak, it seems like it would be even higher. Dense and chewy, this is not for the faint of heart!
We found it to be even a bit better on day 2 where the oakiness had subsided and things had smoothed and balanced out even more. This is quite nice, stock up!
cedar + salmon Mixed Reds
2018 cedar + salmon Red Wine Blend, Walla Walla Valley
Tasting Notes
Winemaker Notes
Food Pairings
Specs
2021 cedar + salmon Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills
Food Pairings
Specs
What’s Included
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
[$300/Case at cedar + salmon
About The Winery
Available States
AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Aug 24 - Tuesday, Aug 25
cedar + salmon Mixed Reds
6 bottles for $89.99 $15/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $139.99 $11.67/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2018 cedar + salmon Red Wine Blend
2021 cedar + salmon Cabernet Sauvignon
Previous offers:
12/31/25 Red Blend
8/25/25 Cabernet
2021 Cedar + Salmon Cabernet Sauvignon – Horse Heaven Hills
Friends, I have the opportunity, nay, the privilege, to rat this delightful bottle for you all.
Thanks to the little brown truck arriving a full five days ahead of schedule, I had ample time to do what any former chef would do: build an entire menu around it. Once a chef, always a chef.
The bottle sports a twist top, making it delightfully effortless. In the glass, it pours a deep, dark garnet that promises good things to come.
On the nose, the four of us, self-appointed vinophiles and enthusiastic consumers of delicious wine, immediately picked up black licorice, cracked pepper, and an unmistakable note of cherry cola.
The first sip began dry, with firm tannins announcing themselves right up front before gracefully stepping aside. Mid-palate, the wine bursts open with juicy brambleberries that carry through to a smooth finish.
By the second sip, dark chocolate joins the party, the licorice becomes more pronounced, and those tannins begin to settle into a wonderfully balanced rhythm.
Now for the important part: dinner.
We started with a Fig, Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Crostini paired alongside a 2020 Caymus-Suisun Grand Durīf. Fantastic.
Next came Wild Mushroom, Thyme & Parmesan Risotto with Crispy Bacon, accompanied by Coppola’s 2021 Director’s Cut Cabernet. Rich, earthy, and absolutely outstanding.
Finally, it was time for the main event.
Garlic Herb Grilled Tri-Tip with Espresso BBQ Glaze and Charred Asparagus met the 2021 Cedar + Salmon Cabernet after more than an hour of breathing.
Wow.
The extra air transformed the wine. The tannins mellowed beautifully while those brambleberry and cherry cola notes became richer and more expressive. More importantly, this thing absolutely loves food. It handled the tri-tip with ease, then turned right around and paired beautifully with the creamy risotto we had saved some of to, you know, experiment. Every bite made the next sip better, and every sip made the next bite better.
This strikes me as one of those bottles that can comfortably bridge the gap between seasoned wine lovers and friends who simply know they like “good red wine.” It’s approachable enough for newcomers while offering enough complexity to keep wine nerds interested.
Price will ultimately decide how many cases end up in my cellar, but if it lands in the right range, we’re talking multiple. This is the kind of bottle you keep around for weeknight dinners, backyard barbecues, or any gathering where you want everyone at the table to leave happy.
As always, thank you to Casemates, WineDavid, and Terry for another enjoyable ride. If anyone has questions, or just wants an excuse to open another bottle, you know where to find me.
and your price range is???
@pagano71, now that I know it’s a two-bottle deal, I’m going to have to wait for rats for the blend. At this price, if it were just for the cab, I’d buy two cases. But I feel like it may be an attempt to offload some of the blend. But, again, I’ll wait and see what the rats say.
@mattykillpatty @pagano71 There was one rat review of the blend in the previous offer linked above.
@Mark_L @mattykillpatty @pagano71 I thought you meant price range on dinner…sounds tasty!
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
cedar + salmon Mixed Reds - $40 = 22.22%
2018 cedar + salmon Red Wine Blend, Walla Walla Valley
When the golden email arrived saying I had wine en route, I was at first excited and then I realized I was somewhere else from where it was being sent; thankfully after a couple of quick emails the fine folks of WCC were able to get it redirected to where I was. Sadly, Brown was not playing nice with my change of venue and attempted delivery at after 8p while the family was on a ship. Luckily, the following day they came around at 10a and the bottle was rescued from the clutches of dark colored trucks rolling around the Florida heat. Enough preamble.
The bottle itself was surprisingly light, and as we’ve seen on at least one previous offer, the label was not in the best of shape (slightly crumpled and peeling). Cork came out cleanly, a few mm of staining, and a solid layer of tartrate crystals. Recalling the most recent offer of this, and its journey, the bottle was chilled, stood upright, and then opened for about 45 minutes before sampling.While four of us sampled this, I only have my own notes, but I’ll leave a general impression from the others near the end.
Having had time to breathe a little, the nose offered rosemary, blueberries, and clove. I convinced myself eventually there was also leather under all of that, but not at first. The wine itself was uniformly deep colored, no visual signs of age, and clung to the walls of the glass like Tom Cruise to an inverted biplane. Giving it a taste affirmed my nose with blueberries, a bit of bramble, gravel, and a touch of vanilla. Solid full body, and well rounded tannins. Further sampling rendered like notes I called dried florals, like muted violets (on reflection of this offer’s details I could convince myself it was blackberry). None of the flavors were intense, and the wine was nicely balanced, and easy enough to quaff; it did benefit from a bit of food to tease out some intensity of flavors a bit more revealing dark cherries I’d missed in the well blended flavors before.
I kept a glass worth reserved for the next afternoon, corked on the counter (a bit warmer than ideal around 76). Things were largely the same, although the nose was muted and the bramble mostly gone on the tongue. It felt a bit flatter this day-later sampling, but still clearly the same wine at its heart.
The others around the table commented broadly that the wine was nice, good quality, and pleasant, with one joker virtually reciting the label’s flavor profiles as their own notes. Oh, family. While this isn’t a knock your socks off bottle, it is fully competent to stand on its own or next to smoked cheese, grilled steak, roasted veggies, and earthy flavors. I’d gladly share this bottle with my typical wine drinkers and expect nary a complaint.
rws offered the '18 in January…:It’s a daily drinker stock up deal…" The 2018 Cedar + Salmon Walla Walla Red Blend opens with a juicy and fresh aroma of ripe and tart smelling blackberry and black cherry with well integrated touches of baking spice throughout. It’s quite an attractive start.
Taking a sip reveals this to be quite nice! I love this blend of varieties, especially all the Petit Verdot. Smooth and tart, the wine tastes just like the nose and has plenty of structure.
It ends dry, tart and juicy and just a touch grippy and was similar on day 2. This is tasty.
Looks like rws did the cab in November… plenty of aging potential… The 2021 Cedar + Salmon Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon opens with quite an expressive aroma of black cherry and other dark fruit, lots of cinnamon, mint and other baking spice, a little cigar box, cedar, violets, coffee, vanilla, chocolate and more. It’s a great start!
The wine tastes smooth, a bit dense and grippy and features good structure, good acidity and similar flavors to the nose. Quite oaky when first popped and poured, it certainly lives up to the cedar part of its name! Give this one plenty of time to breathe if you’re drinking it now, it’s also likely to age nicely for the next few years.
It ends dry, chewy and quite long. I’m a bit surprised it is only 30% new oak, it seems like it would be even higher. Dense and chewy, this is not for the faint of heart!
We found it to be even a bit better on day 2 where the oakiness had subsided and things had smoothed and balanced out even more. This is quite nice, stock up!
fwiw
