Also available in magnum/1.5L

Harvey Steiman writes in Wine Spectator: "Broad and generous, this is impressive for its graceful balance, with ripe blueberry and currant flavors at the core, persisting into a finish shaded with dried sage, white pepper and other savory notes, all of it wrapped in polished tannins. The finish doesn't quit. Drink now through 2019. 1,600 cases made."

David Schildknecht writes in Wine Advocate: "Only around 30% of Bledsoe’s and Figgins’ 2009 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon – which incorporates 10% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot – is estate-grown, but that percentage is expected to double over the next three years, and eventually Bledsoe envisions an estate wine. Creme de cassis and jellied elderberry dominate the proceedings here, with a lovely but not overdone sense of sweetness, and inflected by hints of dried green herbs, cedar, and a welcome, soy-like saline savor that ensures a mouthwatering finish. While quite evident, the abundant tannins here are fine-grained and in no way disturb the impression of seamlessly pristine fruit. I suspect this will be worth following for at least the better part of a decade. Doubleback represents the collaboration of local boy made good, quarterback Drew Bledsoe with his childhood friend made good, winemaker Gary Figgins. But if you think this is a mere vanity label or an excuse for mutual aggrandizement – and I’ve already heard such suggestions – then I’m betting that you haven’t tasted the wine."

Stephen Tanzer writes in International Wine Cellar: "Bright red-ruby. Musky cassis, cedar, tobacco leaf and dried herbs on the very ripe nose. Suave and seamless, with claret-like flavors of redcurrant, plum and tobacco leaf. A very distinctive, lightly herbal Old World style of cabernet with dusty, supple tannins and very good length. Seems subtler and more harmonious wine than the 2008 release. Grew creamier with aeration."

Throwing a tight spiral can get you far in life, especially if you are the size of someone like Drew Bledsoe. When his NFL career was over, he returned home to return to his roots.  It just so happened that his roots were a place called Walla Walla that had become something of an esteemed wine producing region over the preceeding two decades.  He also found out he had grown up not too far from one of Washington's icon producers in Leonetti.  So he teamed up with Leonetti winemaker (and fellow WSU alumni..."Go Cougs") Chris Figgins and is working to create a new identity as a producer of fine, limited production reds.  This is an impressive effort and really puffs up with some air time.  The first two releases were well received by the media as shown below, but only Tanzer has spoken of the 2009 thus far.  Word is this is the best yet.  We did not have the first two but we like this one a lot. Very classy stuff. Stock Report 7/12