2013 Corliss Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 96+pts
Extremely primary, pure aromas and flavors of inky cassis, blueberry, licorice and minerals. Tight and high-pitched in the mouth, displaying outstanding depth, energy and minerality but extremely closed in the early going. This huge wine finishes with chewy, late-arriving, tooth dusting tannins that will require cellaring, even after the wine is released in the fall of 2018. Distinctly cool, even a bit medicinal, for the 2013 vintage, this is likely to be very long-lived.
“Winemaker Andrew Trio, who is always in search of fresher and more delineated wines, is now carrying out longer, slower, cooler fermentations to preserve aromatic character. He has also cut back on racking, doing only two or three, even for the Corliss Cabernet, which spends 28 months in barrels. Of particular note here, the Syrah continues to gain in complexity and verve, and it’s now among Washington’s elite examples of this variety, thanks to the addition of a bit of Viognier, the use of some whole clusters and vinification partly in concrete fermenters.” – Stephen Tanzer
2013 Corliss Estate Red Blend 95pts
Multifaceted nose offers aromas of currant, black cherry, cranberry, cocoa powder, licorice and Belgian chocolate, plus a hint of tarry, earthy reduction. Wonderfully plush and utterly seamless, showing more obvious early sweetness than the Cabernet Sauvignon to its fine-grained dark fruit, chocolate and nutty oak flavors. An aromatically seductive wine of outstanding energy and finesse, this beauty finishes with noble, edge-free tannins that slowly saturate the front teeth. Should be fabulous upon its release in 2018.
- Stephen Tanzer
2013CorlissEstateSyrah 94+pts
Perfumedscentsof blackberry,licorice,garrigueandcrushed-rockminerality,plus a peachysuggestionthat'sprobablyfrom thewine's smallViogniercomponent. Atoncecompellinglysilky andextremelyprimary,offering superb delineation andinner-mouthtensiontoits juicydarkfruitand licoriceflavorsaccentedbyblackpepper.Thegrowingutilization ofconcretefermentershasno doubtcontributedtothe wine'sfreshness andfocus. Finishes withsubstantialtannins,slowlymountinglengthandoutstanding juicygrip.Thisveryimpressiveyoung Syrahmaywellagelikethe estate'sCabernet.
“WinemakerAndrewTrio,who is alwaysin search of fresherand moredelineated wines,isnowcarryingoutlonger,slower,coolerfermentationstopreservearomatic character.Hehasalso cutbackonracking,doing only two orthree,evenfortheCorlissCabernet,which spends28monthsinbarrels.Ofparticularnotehere,theSyrah continuesto gain in complexityandverve,and it’snowamong Washington’seliteexamplesofthisvariety,thanks to theaddition of a bitofViognier,theuseofsomewholeclustersandvinification partly in concretefermenters.” -Stephen Tanzer
2012 Corliss Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 95+pts
(Includes 3% Petit Verdot; aged in 70% new oak for 28 months): Dark ruby-red. The nose offers stunningly primary, pure aromas of blueberry, cassis, licorice, botanical herbs and high-pitched spices. Extremely densely packed and savory; drier and more brooding in the mouth than the nose suggests, and less sweet in the early going than the red blend in spite of its almost glyceral texture. Very deep flavors of dark berries, Baker's chocolate and clove are supported by building, ripe tannins that coat the teeth. Finishes with impressive slow-building persistence. This will need time. -Stephen Tanzer
2012 Corliss Estate Red Blend -95+pts
(A blend of all five Bordeaux varieties; aged in 65% new for 28 months): Bright ruby-red. The nose offers a panoply or aromas without any sign of excess ripeness: huckleberry, alpine raspberry, plum and coriander, with sexy oak tones and a hint of medicinal lift. Wonderfully elegant, silky and tactile, with compellingly sweet currant and black cherry fruit perfectly balanced by harmonious acidity. A complete wine with great texture and energy. Still a bit tight on the back, but already spreads out to saturate the palate. The noble tannins should carry this wine for a long time. -Stephen Tanzer
2012 Corliss Estate Syrah 93+pts
(3% Viognier was added to give the wine a floral top-note; aged in 50% new oak for 26 months; all Phelps clone): Deep ruby. Crystallized black raspberry, licorice, bitter chocolate, flowers and subtle earth tones on the nose, complicated by hints of oak char and charcoal. Conveys a lovely creamy texture to its sweet, powerful raspberry and darker fruit flavors. Can't quite match the two wines from Bordeaux varieties for aromatic perfume but boasts a silky, seamless texture and more Syrah personality than past vintages of this bottling. Finishes long and sweet, with fully ripe tannins and a suggestion of cocoa power. Perhaps the best vintage yet for this wine. -Stephen Tanzer
2011Corliss CabernetSauvignon ColumbiaValley 95+pts
(Agedin70%newoakfor28months):Bright ruby-red.High-pitched,vibrantaromas ofcassis,blackberryandlicorice,withlessobviousoakshowingtodaythanintheRedWineblend. Verybroad, creamyanddry,boastingterrific verveandgripto itssappy black fruit,violet,licorice,bitter chocolateandmineralflavors. Very densely packedandprimarytoday,with the veryfirmbutnobletanninsto supporta longandgloriousevolutioninbottle.Winemaker AndrewTriotoldmethat hehasbeenworkinghardto“bringbackthearomaticqualities”of thesesplendidwinesduringtheir longélevage,notingthat theyarerackedonlythreetimesintotal. -StephenTanzer
2011CorlissRed Wine 94+ pts
(35%CabernetSauvignon,33%Merlotand 32%CabernetFranc;agedfor28 monthsin 65%new Frenchoak,down from33 monthsin earliervintages):Aromas ofcassis,blueberryand licoricearelifted byexoticspices.Outstandingenergyleavensthesexysweetnessofthissappy,firmlystructuredmidweight,withintensedarkfruitflavorsliftedbya violetelement.Tautand backwardlike a topnotchyoungclaret,showinga youthfullytightgrain.Finisheslongand energetic,withfirmbutsweettanninsand stronggraphiteminerality.Clearlythefinestvintagetodateforthisbottling, which willnotbereleaseduntilthefallof2016and shouldevolvepositivelythrough the2020s. StephenTanzer
2010Corliss Estate Syrah 92+ pts
“(Vinifiedwithasmall percentageofwholeclusters andagedin50%newFrenchoak):Good deepred-ruby.Scentedaromasofblackfruits,red cherry,cocoa powder,licoriceandmint.Glossyandfine-grained,showinglovelyvervetotheflavorsofblackfruits,licoriceandspices.Finishesspicyandlong,withfirmbutedge-freetannins.Thiswillmeritanevenhigherscoreifitdevelopsmorevarietalcomplexitywithtimeinbottle.” StevenTanzer
2010 Corliss Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 95+ pts
“(BottledinMayofthisyear;partlyvinifiedinconcretefermenters):Gooddeepruby-red.Tightnoseoffersblackberry, cassis, licoriceandminerals. Then juicyandfirm inthemouth;more backward thanthered blend butalready shows outstandingaromaticlift andclaritytothe multidimensional flavors of cassis,blueberry,menthol,cedarandmilkchocolate.Finisheswithsubstantialdustytanninsandoutstandingjuicylength.Potentiallygreatwinewitha longfuture. ”StevenTanzer
2010Corliss Estate Red Wine 93 pts
“(a blendof45%cabernetfranc, 30%cabernetsauvignonand25% merlot):Goodred-ruby.Redcurrant,licoriceandgraphiteonthenose,liftedby floralandmintynuances.Atonce broadanddelineatedinthemouth,withlovelyperfumeandenergytotheflavorsofredcurrant,cocoapowder,tobaccoleafandsexyoak.Very fresh,pliantblendwithasavory, slow-building aftertastefeaturingsuave tannins.”
StevenTanzer
2009 Corliss Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 95pts
“Fullruby-red.Complexnosemeldscassis,licorice,tobacco,bitterchocolate,mocha,mintandcedaryoak,allliftedbyaviolettopnote.Wonderfullysuave,seamless,palate-saturatingwinewithahintofwildnesstoitsbroadredandblackfruit flavors. Showsamore serioustannicspinethanthe RedWinebutthetanninsarenobleandperfectlysupportedbythewine'sdepthofmaterialandsheerfruitintensity.Theveryslowlybuilding,savoryfinishisextremelylongandsubtle.Thisverysexy,richwineisalmosteasiertotastetodaythantheestate'sRedWineblend.Agreatsuccessfromthisverywarmgrowingseason.” StevenTanzer
2009Corliss Estate Red Wine 93pts
“Goodmediumruby-red.Aromasofredcurrant,strawberry,cedar,smoke,coffeeandsexyherbs.Dense,suppleanddeep,withimpressivechewyconcentrationtotheflavorsofredfruits,mintandspicyoak.Offersthebreadthofaveryripeyearbutthere'salsoverygoodenergyhere.Thesweettanninsdustthefrontteethbutarenicelycoveredbyfruitonthelong,smoothfinish.Thiswineshouldabsorbmoreofitsoakelementbythetimeit'sreleasednextfall.” StevenTanzer