Debuting NARAVANE, our new icon wine
2021 NARAVANE
WINEMAKER’S NOTES
This wine is the epitome of what Cabernet Sauvignon can achieve in Washington state. Four different clones of Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from four different iconic terroirs in Columbia Valley. This is our answer to some of the top tier examples from Napa (Harlan, Colgin etc…) and Bordeaux (Mouton Rothschild, Haut Brion etc…). Admittedly these are very loft aspirations—but I think we have done it!
The 2021 Naravane, authentically pronounced “nuh-row-né”, is entirely captivating from the complex bouquet to the initial attack on the expansive palate to the seductively rich and seemingly unending finish.
Deep purple color with a lovely bouquet of cassis, blackberry, cedar, lead pencil, leather, eucalyptus, rose petals, Asian spice, and wild thyme. It has palate notes of cassis, blackberry, black cherry, gravel, minerals, allspice, thyme, eucalyptus, leather, and cigar tobacco. This wine shows pitch-perfect balance between the deeply concentrated fruit extract, French oak tones, vibrant acidity, and slightly firm tannins. The exceedingly long finish has pure notes of cassis, dark chocolate, cigar tobacco, and smoky incense. Overall, the wine has incredible fruit purity, elegance, and concentration. This classically styled wine should reach maturity in 10-15 years and gracefully evolve for 30+ years.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
The wine had a pre-fermentation maceration of 172 hours. 100% Native fermentation. The wine was punched down by hand 3 times each day during maceration and fermentation. All individual wine components, including free run and press fractions, were kept separate until final blending. Elevage in 100% new French oak (predominantly from Troncais and Vosges) for 36 months. The wine achieved its sparkly brilliance from 4 judicious rackings, no fining agents were employed. The wine was very lightly filtered to capture any remaining lees. The alcohol is 15.1%, pH is 3.82, and the titratable acidity is 6.3 g/L. 47 Cases produced.
CASES PRODUCED 47
VARIETAL Cabernet Sauvignon
APPELLATION Columbia Valley
REVIEWS
100 POINTS | JEREMY YOUNG, INTERNATIONAL WINE REPORT
“ACHIEVING PERFECTION”
”Rasa Vineyards has earned an enviable reputation for crafting wines of extraordinary quality, but the recent release of their Cabernet Sauvignon marked a new pinnacle. I was compelled to award this wine a rare 100-point score—a testament to its near-perfect harmony of flavor intensity, structural balance, and complexity. This Cabernet is profound, with layers of nuanced aromas and flavors, seamless tannins, and an exceptionally long, memorable finish. It stands as a benchmark, not only for Rasa but for Washington wines as a whole.
With a deep, radiant purple-red core and a vivid crimson rim, the 2021 Naravane Cabernet Sauvignon immediately commands attention—both visually and aromatically. This is a wine of stunning depth and detail, revealing an intricate aromatic mosaic that evolves with each swirl: ripe black cherries and wild mountain blackberries emerge first, followed by layers of dried rose petals, cedarwood, and crushed thyme. Hints of eucalyptus and baking spice linger in the background, adding lift and nuance to the bouquet. On the palate, it delivers a thrilling interplay of richness, power, and finesse. Luxurious notes of black plum, cassis, and dark chocolate unfold gracefully, merging with delicate accents of crushed violets, graphite, and tobacco leaf. The wine’s architecture is impeccable—broad yet focused, with beautifully integrated, ultra-fine tannins and a line of acidity that brings freshness and drive. Despite its commanding structure, the wine glides effortlessly, showcasing precision and poise from start to finish. Beneath the surface lies a quiet intensity that promises decades of evolution. Each element—fruit, structure, acidity, and minerality—feels calibrated to perfection. Crafted with extraordinary care by Billo Naravane, this is not only a pinnacle for Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, but one of the finest expressions of the variety being made anywhere today. Profound, ageworthy, and deeply moving. Highly recommended and editor’s choice.”
100 POINTS | OWEN BARGREEN
”The 2021 ‘Naravane’ is a new wine by Rasa Vineyards with a hefty price tag. This is what winemaker Billo Naravane has chosen as his top barrels of Cabernet Sauvignon from the vintage. Stored for 36 months in new French oak barrels, this delivers sandalwood and anise on the nose alongside shades of creme de violette and tar. The palate is utterly seamless and elegant with a great underlying sense of poise and weight. This effortlessly glides throughout the drinking experience, with no rough edges. Give this at least two hours in the decanter if enjoying now. Drink 2024-2044.”
LABEL STORY
Naravane (pronounced nuh-row-né)
Our family name. While we were blessed with positive male role models growing up, it was the women in our lives, in particular our mother and grandmother, who symbolized genuine strength. Their sacrifice and fortitude through the perils of our family’s emigration from India to the United States—and the disquietude of being separated for long periods of time—is in large measure what informed who we have become today.
The Naravane label celebrates these remarkable women by portraying strength, beauty, complexity, poise, and elegance. We draw parallels to these qualities in this wine—a wine that showcases the inherent beauty, power, and elegance of Cabernet Sauvignon from some of the best terroirs in the world. With this namesake wine we offer our best expression of Washington Cabernet Sauvignon, inspired by the best women we know.
Naravane is a blend of four Cabernet Sauvignon clones from Columbia Valley, aged for 36 months in new French oak.