2022 Block 1311
Managing Partner Damon Huard: Block 1311 is the first ever vineyard designated Cabernet made by Passing Time. This beautiful 2-acre block sits about 300 feet above the Columbia River at Wallula Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills Appellation. Planted to high density with special clone 685 these young vines are producing world class fruit already that winemaker Chris Peterson wanted to let stand alone. This annual small batch offering will be a wine to follow for decades to come. Saluté to the Benches!
Tasting Notes: Aromas of black cherry and blackberry reduction, crème de cassis, Ethiopian coffee, cigar box, wildflower honeycomb, and bay leaf. There’s tons of power and concentration on the palate, without sacrificing complexity or balance, featuring deep black fruits, mocha powder, vanilla bean, lavender, and singed herbs, with a finish that goes on forever. This special block of fruit is a testament to the world class potential of Cabernet in Washington State. Give it a few years in the cellar, and it will last decades in the cellar.
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vineyard: Wallula Vineyard "The Benches"
Aging: 75% new French oak
Production: 125 cases
99 Points - International Wine Report
"The 2022 Passing Time Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Block 1311’ from Horse Heaven Hills is a spectacular single-block expression showcasing clone 685, cultivated in the Wallula Vineyard—a picturesque site perched above the Columbia River. This wine offers a dazzling sensory journey, with complex aromas of blackberry preserves, espresso, crushed violets, and savory notes of thyme and olive tapenade. The bouquet is layered and entrancing, drawing you into its depths. On the palate, this wine reveals extraordinary precision and richness. Waves of ripe cassis, blueberry pie, iron minerality, and subtle anise unfurl with seamless grace. The mouthfeel is lush yet impeccably balanced, delivering a harmonious interplay of power and finesse. Silky tannins frame the wine’s concentrated core, while its vibrant acidity adds freshness and lift. A triumph of winemaking by Chris Peterson, this wine boasts both immediate allure and remarkable aging potential. While a hard decant will help unlock its youthful exuberance, the real magic will emerge with a few years of cellaring. Highly recommended and editor’s choice."
99 Points - Owen Bargreen
"Consistently the finest wine in the Passing Time collection, the 2022 ‘Block 1311’ comes from a block in the Wallula Vineyard that combines proprietors Dan Marino and Damon Huard’s jersey numbers. This scenic vineyard is perched right above the Columbia River. Mesmerizing aromatics of Arabica bean and blueberry compote combine with black rose petals and suggestions of wild herbs all sing in unison. The palate is seamless and elegant with a voluptuous mouthfeel and weightless drinking experience mid-palate. A total heavyhitter, enjoy this beauty over the next twenty plus years. Be sure to give this an hour in the decanter if savoring in its heady youth. Drink 2024-2048."
96-98 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
"The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Block 1311 is all varietal (all clone 685) from a single terrace in the vineyard that's still resting in new French oak. Cassis, blue fruits, iron, lavender, bay leaf, and a touch of tapenade all define this sensational, seamless, full-bodied, concentrated effort that will easily check in with the top wines of the vintage. It should shine with just 2-4 years of bottle age but have three decades of overall longevity."
96 Points - Northwest Wine Report
"In just a handful of years, Passing Time’s Block 1311 wine has established itself as one of the best Cabernet Sauvignons in Washington. This vintage is shockingly good. As always, the aromas lead with Cabernet Sauvignon’s varietal medley of fresh and dried herb. Beyond that are notes of black cherry and blackberry. Rich, intense, up-and-down, backward-and-forward pitch black fruit flavors follow, showing persistent intensity. The balance is outrageous. A lengthy, you’ll-stop-counting-the-seconds finish is the capstone. It’s full-on hedonism, while bringing the balance and dexterity of the vintage. This is one of the benchmark wines from 2022 and (another) accomplishment for this producer and appellation. Enjoy from 2028 to 2038."
