The 2023 Illusionist “Reserve” Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Merlot. Our Estate block on Red Mtn. provides the base for this wine, with a helping hand from our Binaural Block in Walla Walla and a few barrels from Elene’s Block in the Horse Heaven Hills. The wine was aged for 20 months in 48% new French oak. This is one of the most elegant Cabernet’s that we have made at Sleight of Hand and will reward you with a little patience in the cellar. The wine starts off with scents of dark berry notes intermingling with earthy aromas of freshly turned soil, followed by classic red fruit notes of cassis and red cherries. This Cabernet has tremendous structure supported by fine-grained tannins and healthy acidity, ensuring this wine to have a long life in the cellar. You don’t have to wait 2 decades to open this, however. Just give it a healthy decant and enjoy with your favorite foods, music, and friends. Cheers!
95 Points - International Wine Report
Showing a medium-to-dark purple core that gradients to a light red rim, the 2023 Sleight of Hand The Illusionist Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley opens with concentrated aromas of fresh boysenberry, dark cherry, and purple potpourri. The full-bodied palate is richly layered, introducing savory undertones of cedar herbs, sweet tobacco leaf, and warm vanilla bean that add complexity to the bold fruit profile. A spine of moderate-plus acidity provides excellent drive, balancing the wine's rich weight while enlivening the structural framework. Firm, grippy, and wonderfully crunchy tannins assert themselves on the back palate, framing a structured finish that will allow a long, graceful evolution in the cellar.
