Avennia "Lydian" Cabernet Sauvignon '20

In wine retail, there is a never ending search for an American Cabernet Sauvignon that offers both value and integrity. You can walk across the street from my store and find plenty of Cabernet under $25 at Target. Most have fanciful names, and many seem as though they were created by a focus group and engineered to taste a certain way. We go out of our way to avoid those wines. The best way to find real value in Cabernet is to look toward regions that can still offer affordability.

The next step is finding a producer you trust. Avennia was founded by winemaker Chris Peterson and Marty Taucher, with its inaugural vintage produced in 2010. Peterson spent seven years at DeLille Cellars before starting Avennia, and his approach is centered on natural fermentations and wines driven by their vineyard sources. Working with Bordeaux and Rhône varieties, Avennia sources fruit from some of the best vineyards in eastern Washington. Lydian is the winery’s second label, created to offer the same attention to balance and place at a more accessible price.

The 2020 “Lydian” is made primarily from Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from several vineyards across the Columbia Valley. The wine is fermented in tank and aged in French oak, 30 percent of which is new. This is the kind of Cabernet you can simply pour yourself a glass of after a long day at work. It offers plenty of black currant, dark cherry, and dark chocolate, with a full bodied palate and well integrated tannins. A terrific value and a perfect match for a seared hanger steak.