New Releases from Passing Time Winery – One of Washington State’s Finest Producers Gets Better and Better with Every Release!
"I love waking up in the morning not knowing what I'm gonna do or who I'm gonna meet. Just yesterday I was sleeping under a bridge, and today I'm on the grandest liner in the world drinking champagne with you fine people. I'll have some more please."
Jack Dawson in Titanic (1997)
We have a lot of good customers here at the Wine Watch and at one time the #1 customer was #13 for the Miami Dolphins. We were happy to be one of his first customers when he and fellow quarterback Damon Huard partnered up to make wines in Washington State under the Passing Time label.
We visited Damon Huard and winemaker Chris Peterson on our trip to Washington state in September of 2022 and tasted the 2021 vintage wines which are the best wines they have made to date! We hosted an event with Damon in 2022 featuring every vintage of the Passing Time Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon back to the initial 2012 release. This was the first event of its kind outside of the winery and I still have a few bottles of every vintage in my personal stash so we can hit the repeat button on that one in a year or so. Earlier this year we had a happy Hour with both Damon Huard and Dan Marino at the store and tasted through all the 2021 vintage wines and although these are the best wines made to date at Passing time, Damon and Dan were confident that the 2022 were even better!
We host a Washington state’s finest vintage wine tasting every year and the Passing Time Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon has been voted WOTN on two separate occasions, once as a ringer!
They have added several different new wines to the line-up including an excellent chardonnay and the new 1311 single block wine (13 was Dan’s number and 11 was Damon’s when playing for the Miami Dolphins) which Wine Watch will be the first wine store in South Florida to offer this special wine that is made from a small block of the Wallula Vineyard. Check out all the new releases from the 2022 vintage on this offering. They are some of the best wines made in Washington State!
The Newest Releases from Passing Time Winery
2022 Passing Time Cabernet Sauvignon Block 1311
Price: $140.00 Your Price: $123.20 Quantity in Stock: 24
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!
(99 Points) "Fruit that comes from a small block of the Wallula Vineyard, the Passing Time Block 1311 Cabernet, starts with a more brooding and rich structure and displays a dark purple and garnet core with a lighter purple rim. The boisterous nose features aromas of boysenberry, cassis, blue plum skin, wet earth, baking spice, and freshly laid tar. Showing a bit tight right now, this is going to be a serious wine with 5-10 years of age and will drink well over the next 20 years with proper cellaring. One of the best Passing Times wines I’ve ever experienced and one of the best from Washington State. Only 100 cases were made. Highly recommended and editor’s choice. " International Wine Report
2022 Passing Time Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills Columbia Valley 3L
Price: $592.50 Your Price: $521.40 Quantity in Stock: 2
2022 Passing Time Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills Columbia Valley Magnum
Price: $285.00 Your Price: $250.80 Quantity in Stock: 6
2022 Passing Time Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills
Price: $110.00 Your Price: $96.80 Quantity in Stock: 60
(96-98 Points) "It has a Bordeaux-like nose of darker currants, lead pencil, damp earth, violets, and leafy tobacco. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated Cabernet with ultra-fine tannins, beautiful overall purity and balance, and enough structure and depth. It reminds me of a touch of Château Montrose in Saint-Estèphe." - Jeb Dunnuck
2022 Passing Time Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain
Price: $110.00 Your Price: $96.80 Quantity in Stock: 24
(95-97 Points) "Deep ruby-hued, with terrific purity in its red and black fruits, leafy herbs, graphite, and leather-like aromas and flavors, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a pure, layered, seamless mouthfeel, and present yet polished, supple tannins." - Jeb Dunnuck
2022 Passing Time Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla
Price: $110.00 Your Price: $96.80 Quantity in Stock: 24
(95-97+ Points) "More blue fruits, lavender, graphite, and hints of iron all emerge from the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley, a rich, powerful 2022 that has terrific mid-palate depth, a big, broad, structured mouthfeel, and fabulous length. It's going to play with the top wines in the vintage and is a brilliant wine." - Jeb Dunnuck
2022 Passing Time Merlot Champoux Vineyard
Price: $63.00 Your Price: $55.44 Quantity in Stock: 24
(94-96+ Points) "The 2022 Merlot Champoux Vineyard (100% Merlot) is smoking good, with a gorgeous red and black fruited style as well as some chocolaty herb and graphite notes. It's rich, medium to full-bodied, has a round, supple mouthfeel, and beautiful tannins. It should shine right out of the gate yet also have a broad drinking window." - Jeb Dunnuck
2022 Passing Time Chardonnay Columbia valley
Price: $54.00 Your Price: $47.52 Quantity in Stock: 12
Vineyards: 29% Celilo, 28% Conner Lee, 28% Andrews, 15% Boushey
Aging: 100% Barrel Aged (60% New French oak and 40% neutral French oak)
(95 Points) "The 2022 ‘Columbia Valley’ by Passing Time comes from some pretty esteemed sites including Connor Lee and Celilo Vineyards. The wine is seamless and soft on the mouth with incredible elegance and great underlying verve. Brioche and creme brûlée notes combine with marzipan and shades of Meyer lemon curd. Showing a fabulous combination of finesse and texture, with outstanding length, this full-bodied beauty is one of the great Chardonnays made in Washington State. Enjoy now and at least for another eight to ten years. Drink 2023-2031" Owen Bargreen
The Passing Time story:
There seems to be a connection to the Washington State wine industry and NFL Quarterbacks as there are now at least three that are in the wine business in one of the best regions in the United States of American for Bordeaux varietals.
Over the last few years, I have discovered a number of incredible wines from Washington State by traveling to Washington’s wine country to see what is going on first hand at the events surrounding the Auction of Washington State Wines in mid-August.
One of the main events is the Picnic and Barrel auction at Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery. After seeing Damon Huard here, the first two years that I attended this event I knew that he was serious about wine. Most great new producers start out as consumers and that is what it takes to make great wines, you have to know what great wines taste like. Operating a winery is another level and this requires a passion for the wine business and Damon seems to have both of these.
The third year at the auction our stop before the Washington Wine Auction Picnic was with Chris Peterson Winemaker/owner of Avenna Winery and Damon Huard the next celebrity winery owner in Washington State along with fellow NFL quarterback Dan Marino. They have a new project called Passing Time. Which has a dual meaning and although there is an element that refers to their carrier in football, it is not over done and this wine is by no means marketed as a celebrity sports star wine. There is no mention of either of their names on the label just a decorative lace that appears to look like that of a football under the Passing Time name.
Damon and Dan became good friends while playing in Miami and Dan brought Damon along not only on the football field but also in regard to fine wine. Dan is a big wine collector and was at one time Wine Watch's #1 customer!! According to Damon, Dan was first to show the potential of his home states wines like; Quilceda Creek, Woodward Canyon and Leonetti Cellars. Although he grew up in Washington State Damon did not realize that this was also home to some of this country’s greatest vineyard sites.
When Damon went back home to visit, he made it a point to visit some of these top producers and to learn more about Washington's great vineyards. Damon found out that it was the quality of the grapes that determines the quality of the wine. He now has become an authority on Washington State’s top vineyard sites and after making friends with a few of these growers he has managed to secure some great fruit sources. The next piece in the puzzle was finding a top-level winemaker like Chris Peterson and after 22 years in the making this 2022 vintage is the eleveth release of Passing Time Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon It seems to have been worth the wait because the 2022 vintage of Horse Heaven Hills has received a potentially perfect score in two major wine publications. They have also added some other single appellation wines to the line-up as well as a world class Chardonnay. Check out all the new releases from what has become one of the top wine labels in Washington State!
Chich went out to Woodinville to celebrate the release of the first vintage of Passing time with Dan and Damon.
Older Vintages of Passing Time Available at Wine Watch on SALE!!
2021 PASSING TIME HORSE HEAVEN HILLS CABERNET SAUVIGNON WASHINGTON
Price: $125.00 Your Price: $110.00 Quantity in Stock: 31
(98-100 Points) beautifully pure notes of crème de cassis, semi-sweet chocolate, candied violets, fresh-tilled loam, cigar humidor, and river minerals. The palate is rich and utterly seamless, coating the palate with black currant, concentrated blueberry, Madagascar vanilla, Turkish coffee, and dry-aged beef. A great example of the wonders of Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet in a great vintage. Will last 30 years with ease. - Jeb Dunnuck
2021 PASSING TIME CABERNET SAUVIGNON RED MOUNTAIN WASHINGTON
Price: $125.00 Your Price: $110.00 Quantity in Stock: 14
(96-98 Points) Aromas of dark red currants, muddled black cherry, toasted cacao nibs, crushed stone, dried meadow flowers, and earthy vanilla hints. Beautifully layered tannins carry the black currant, black cherry, Italian plum, coffee dry rub, a long finish. With its deep core, and Red Mountain tannin structure, this wine is certainly built for the long haul. Drink 2028-2045. Jeb Dunnuck
2021 PASSING TIME CABERNET SAUVIGNON WALLA WALLA Washington
Price: $125.00 Your Price: $110.00 Quantity in Stock: 12
This wine opens up with air, with notes of black cherry reduction, Arctic brambleberry, winter mint, black birch bark, and crushed cacao nibs. The palate is taut and structured, with deep black and blue fruits, rubbed thyme, cola, dark chocolate, and alluvial minerals. The finish features classic Walla Walla Cabernet structure. Lay this down for a few years, and it should be very compelling for a long time after.
2021 Passing Time Columbia Valley Red Blend
Price: $78.00 Your Price: $68.64 Quantity in Stock: 14
(93 Points) Open and approachable with notions of dark cherries and spiced plums, the 2021 Columbia Valley Red Wine opens with notions of turned earth and baked clay with subtle notions of brown baking spices. A blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the wine is medium to full-bodied and offers dusty dark red and black fruit flavors with firm tannic grip that makes way for a lifting alcoholic edge on the lingering, spicy and softly herbal finish. The wine rested for 21 months in 60% new French oak. Decanting is recommended. This is set to be released in May 2024. Only 315 cases were produced. Wine Advocate
2020 PASSING TIME HORSE HEAVEN HILLS CABERNET SAUVIGNON WASHINGTON
Price: $110.00 Your Price: $96.80 Quantity in Stock: 4
Winemaker Chris Peterson Tasting notes: Beautifully pure notes of crème de cassis, semi-sweet chocolate, candied violets, fresh-tilled loam, cigar humidor, and river minerals. The palate is rich and utterly seamless, coating the palate with black currant, concentrated blueberry, Madagascar vanilla, Turkish coffee, and dry-aged beef. A great example of the wonders of Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet in a great vintage. Will last 30 years with ease.
Blend: 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc
Vineyards: 56% Discovery Cabernet, 32% Wallula (Benches) Cabernet, 8% Champoux Merlot, 4% Champoux Cabernet Franc
Aging: 80% New French Oak
2019 PASSING TIME HORSE HEAVEN HILLS CABERNET SAUVIGNON WASHINGTON
Price: $110.00 Your Price: $96.80 Quantity in Stock: 13
Winemaker Chris Peterson Tasting notes: Deep black currant reduction, black cherry, star anise, menthol, cigar box, and rich earth on the nose. On the palate, this wine oozes power and class, with deep black fruits, sweet herbs, Valrhona chocolate, licorice, and crushed rock. With its powerful mid-palate and long, seamless finish, this wine will be hard to resist young, but it will keep 25-30 years in a cool cellar.
Blend: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot 5% Cabernet Franc,
Vineyards: 55% Discovery, 25% Champoux, 20% Wallula
(97-99 Points) "Leading off the barrel samples, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills offers ample structure and tannins as well as a great mid-palate, flawless balance, and already complex notes of dark fruits, lavender, tobacco, and subtle oak. It’s a blockbuster in the making..." - Jeb Dunnuck
2018 Passing Time Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Washington MAGNUM
Price: $270.00 Your Price: $237.60 Quantity in Stock: 1
2018 Passing Time Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Washington
Price: $90.00 Your Price: $79.20 Quantity in Stock: 8
(94-96 Points) Lots of black plum, smoked earth, chocolate, and tobacco notes emerge from the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills. It's another 2018 that has terrific purity and freshness as well as plenty of mid-palate depth, ripe tannins, and a great finish. - Jeb Dunnuck
Blend: 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot 5% Cabernet Franc,
Vineyards: 50% Discovery Cabernet, 27% Champoux Cabernet, 9% Wallula Cabernet, 9% Champoux Merlot, 5% Champoux Cabernet Franc
Aging: 80% New French Oak
2017 Passing Time Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Washington MAGNUM
Price: $270.00 Your Price: $237.60 Quantity in Stock: 5
2017 Passing Time Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Washington
Price: $90.00 Your Price: $79.20 Quantity in Stock: 4
(95 points) Moving to the flagship appellation blends, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, all aged 21 months in 80% new French oak. Deep purple/plum-colored, with notes of tobacco leaf, damp earth, chocolate, and assorted darker fruits, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a rounded, supple texture, polished tannins, and a great finish. It's beautifully done and shows the more classic, elegant style of the vintage nicely. (JD) (4/2020) Jeb Dunnuck
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