Long Shadows Feather Cabernet Sauvignon

Long Shadows "Feather" Cabernet Sauvignon (750ML)

Long Shadows "Feather" Cabernet Sauvignon is an ultra-premium, full-bodied red wine from the Columbia Valley in Washington State. The Long Shadows project is famous for bringing the world’s most iconic winemakers to Washington to craft a single, "best of type" wine. For Feather, they partnered with legendary Napa Valley vintner Randy Dunn, known globally for his massive, age-worthy Howell Mountain Cabernets.

Feather consistently ranks among the top Cabernets in the United States. Recent vintages have commanded elite critical acclaim, including a near-perfect 98-point score from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, a 97-point rating from Jeb Dunnuck, and multiple "Cellar Selection" honors from Wine Enthusiast. Explicitly engineered as a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged for 22 months in high-end French oak, it balances immense New World power with Old World structure and elegance.

Quick Product Specs

• Size: 750ML

• ABV: ~14.5% - 15.1% (Vintage Dependent)

• Wine Type: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

• Origin: Columbia Valley, Washington State (Sourced from top blocks like Weinbau, Dionysus, and Bacchus Vineyards)

• Oak Treatment: Aged 22 months in 85% to 90% new French oak barrels

• Cellaring Potential: 15 to 25+ years

Tasting Notes: Flavor and Aroma Profile

Because Feather is crafted under the watchful eye of Randy Dunn, it avoids the jammy, overly sweet profile of many commercial reds, opting instead for a chiseled framework of dense fruit and firm minerals.

• Aroma (Nose): Strikingly dark and complex. It opens with an intense wave of crushed blackcurrants, wild blueberry, and violet petals, quickly followed by deep secondary notes of cigar box, powdered graphite, and glossy oak spice.

• Palate (Taste): Voluptuous, powerful, and deeply concentrated. The entry coats the mouth with layers of blackberry jam, black cherry, and mocha latte. Across the mid-palate, it shows incredible poise; a vibrant streak of natural acidity lifts the rich fruit, framing flavors of dark chocolate, aniseed, and a touch of savory bay leaf.

• Finish: Exceptionally long and structured. The fruit tapers off into a massive, echoing finish defined by fine-grained, velvety tannins, cracked pepper, and a lingering trail of smoky ironstone minerality.

How to Serve and Enjoy Feather Cabernet

• The Decanter Ritual: This is a broad-shouldered, structured mountain-style wine that needs oxygen to wake up. If you are opening a younger vintage, it is highly recommended to pour the liquid into a wide-bottomed decanter for at least 60 to 90 minutes before serving. This softens the heavy wood tannins and lets the complex floral and cocoa aromas expand.

• The Perfect Temperature: Serve this expression slightly cool at 62°F to 65°F (16°C to 18°C). If the bottle has been sitting in a warm room, pop it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before opening to ensure the high alcohol spine stays perfectly integrated with the dark fruit.

Best Food Pairings

Feather’s intense tannic structure, deep black fruit core, and graphite mineral lines demand heavy proteins, charred crusts, and rich fats to cut through its physical weight.

• Prime Steaks: Pair it alongside a heavily marbled, oak-fired grilled prime ribeye or a classic New York strip steak.

• Slow-Braised Meats: It is spectacular with garlic-and-herb-rubbed braised lamb shanks or slow-cooked beef short ribs served over rich polenta.

• Savory Alternatives: It pairs beautifully with a wild mushroom risotto laced with truffle oil, or a gourmet burger topped with blue cheese.

• Cheeses & Dessert: Match it up with long-aged hard cheeses like Comté, or pair a glass with high-percentage dark chocolate truffles to mirror the mocha notes on the finish.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What does Long Shadows Feather taste like?

Feather is a dense, powerful wine dominated by blackcurrant, graphite, and black cherry flavors. It is heavily structured with fine-grained, firm tannins and a lively acidity that keeps the deep layers of dark chocolate, leather, and espresso balanced and elegant.

How does Feather compare to premium Napa Valley Cabernets?

While Napa Valley Cabernets are grown in a warm climate that creates an opulent, intensely fruit-forward profile with soft wood tannins, Washington State Cabernets benefit from cooler nights and volcanic soils. Feather blends the two styles: it has the rich fruit density of California but retains the high natural acidity, savory dried herbs, and gravelly graphite minerality reminiscent of Old World wines.

Is Feather Cabernet good for long-term cellaring?

Yes, it is built explicitly for the cellar. Thanks to the old-vine fruit sourcing and Randy Dunn's signature firm-tannin winemaking style, Feather easily has 20 to 25 years of longevity. While it is approachable in its youth with a heavy decant, it will continue to develop complex secondary notes of forest floor, cedar, and leather over the next two decades.

If you are building out a collection or planning a special dinner, I can pull together a shortlist of similar ultra-premium Washington Cabernets (like Quilceda Creek or Leonetti) to compare profiles and cellaring windows. Would you like me to do that?