(94-96 points) Tasted as a barrel sample, the 2021 The Illusionist is juicy, succulent and dark red and black fruited with ripe and succulent herbal notes that sway with elegance and power before offering subtle hints of oak and brown baking spices. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is still tight with a fine mineral tension before showing layers of complexity over the long, spicy and juicy finish with lingering velvety tannins. It's already looking good.- AM

The Illusionist Reserve Cabernent Sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, Washington, USA, Red) The Reserve Cabernet, the Illusionist, comes from vineyards on Red Moutain, the Blue Mountain Vineyard in Walla Walla, and the Phinny Hill Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills. It sees 60% new French oak for 20 months: such elegance, finesse, and impressive restraint. Savoury desert scrub, dried lavender and effusive blue fruits are on the aromatic profile. The palate shows spicy depth, with clove and chicory root and deep blue and red berries that are framed with a refined structure. Impressive. Tasted from bottle #3770.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon The Illusionist takes its time opening in the glass, evolving with subtle hints of oak spice and dried red and black fruits. It's luxuriously silky and nearly creamy in feel, with balanced acidity and depths of black currant and cherry that add a pleasantly bitter bite. Peppery inner florals linger over a bed of silky tannins, as the 2021 finishes with a sour twang and a light structure. The Illusionist will only require a short stay in the cellar before showing at its best. - By Eric Guido on October 2023

The new French oak (60%) and rich fruit aromas and flavors play perfectly off each other. Notes of dark roasted coffee beans and bittersweet chocolate meld with fresh herbs and dark cherries. It's rich and layered with abundant fruit and barrel flavors capped off by a tart, lingering finish. Best after 2020. — Sean P. Sullivan