When it was time for NFL quarterback Drew Bledsoe to retire from that game, he and wife Maura decided to “double back” to Drew’s hometown and join a new team—the Walla Walla wine community.
“The town so nice they named it twice,” Walla Walla was once best known for its apples and sweet onions. Today, vineyards proliferate, and the industry produces some of the most unique wines in the Upper Left.
The Bledsoes purchased 50 acres and planted their first estate vineyard, the McQueen Vineyard, which sits high on a windy ridge, leading to thick-skinned berries and deeply colored Cabernets. When it came time to choose a winemaker, Drew and Maura invited Josh McDaniels of the highly respected Figgins Family Estate Winery to join them. McDaniels, also a Walla Walla native, was ready for a new challenge and teammate.
Doubleback, along with Bledsoe Family Winery, now has five estate vineyards all purposely chosen for their unique soils and microclimates. They are carefully tended by a dedicated agricultural team, focused on balanced ecosystems and sustainable and regenerative farming practices.
For the age-worthy Doubleback Cabs, grapes are harvested from the McQueen Vineyard—where the vines reach deep into the loess and fractured basalt soil, adding incredible structure and acidity —and the Lefore Vineyard, located in the distinctive nested AVA, the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, notable for its basalt cobblestones which results in high minerality, soft tannins, and luxurious mouthfeel.
Bledsoe and McDaniels were determined to show the world the elegant, balanced, and complex Cabernet Sauvignon that can be produced in the Walla Walla AVA—the combination of lush, ripe fruit with vibrant, food-friendly acidity is truly unparalleled. The team’s dedication to uplifting the region and spreading awareness of the magic of the valley is paying off as more eyes turn to Walla Walla and the Upper Left.
The wines are receiving excellent scores. The 2021 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon was rated 95 points by Wine Spectator and 94 points by both Wine Enthusiast and Decanter.
The 2021 Bledsoe Family Cabernet Sauvignon was rated 95 by Decanter, 94 points by Wine Spectator, the highest rated domestic Cab under $95 from this esteemed publication.
The 2020 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon was rated 97 by Jeb Dunnuck and 96 by Robert Parker.