15. Maryhill Winery 2011 Sugarloaf Vineyards Mourvèdre, Rattlesnake Hills, $45
Rank has its privilege, and club members get first crack at Richard Batchelor’s vineyard-designate wines. A number of those hail from Joel Hattrup’s two up-and-coming sites in the Rattlesnake Hills — a higher elevation sub-appellation of the Yakima Valley. They especially excel with Rhône varieties, and here’s an ideal example featuring aromas of red currant, raspberry and President plum, joined by Red Vines licorice, oregano and white pepper. The drink is mouthfilling with juicy red and purple fruit flavors of plum and pomegranate as acidity wins out over the moderate tannins. The finish of dried oregano bodes well for suggested pairings such as turkey quiche, grilled ribeye, lamb or tapas. This won a gold medal at the Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition.
Production: 570 cases
Alcohol: 13.1%
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