$40/bottle under the original label
Similar to Lot 207 Chardonnay, Lot 160 Red Blend was purchased last summer with harvest looming. I got it for an incredible price that I am finally passing along to you today!
Why do I say "finally"? Like so many of the Bordelais varieties from the 2018 vintage, the wines have taken quite some time to come around in the bottle. With Lot 160, we blended in about 10% of the N.82 Walla Walla Meritage that we had held back (we figured it would be useful down the road...sure enough) so things have really taken a while to come around.
(Oh, and in case you are wondering why the Lot number is so "old", it's because I slotted it into a number that had been abandoned when a previous deal fell through).
But we are there now and ready to rock and roll.
The final blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Malbec, 12% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Syrah but I was not provided a sub-AVA breakdown. I can say confidently the bulk of the wine comes from the Wahluke Slope, and we know 10% comes from Walla Walla, but the exact sub-AVA composition is a mystery.
I submit to you, however, that you shouldn't care. At this price and this quality, I am confident you won't.
This is a steal at $13/bottle. I told you I got a good price :-)
Deep garnet in the glass, just a shade off of opaque. Its tightly wound right out of the bottle but shortly reveals the darker fruit registers (blackberry, black raspberry with black cherry emerging over time) and graham cracker notes complexed with cedar, walnut husk, graphite and river stone swirling through the bouquet. The florals are there too but submerged at first in the more earthy, graphitic componentry. The wine enters firm yet juicy on the palate with black and red fruits mingling with river stone and mineral-laced tannins in a chewy finish with plenty of length and emerging complexity.
Beautifully balanced yet potent throughout. Drink now or over the next decade.
100% Columbia Valley (based on the winery I am confident the bulk of the blend is Wahluke Slope and we know for sure 10% is Walla Walla)
45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Malbec, 12% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Syrah
25%-30% new French oak est.
14.4% alc
600 cases available
