In 2015, Rod and Leslie Balsley celebrate the 10th anniversary of William Church, and Marcus Rafanelli left these proud Cougars some stunning crimson juice before he began making wine around the globe. It’s a Meritage-type melange with Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Merlot (20%), Malbec (15%) and Petit Verdot, but this is not priced high-end blend. Rich aromas include black cherry, Marionberry and blueberry, backed by coffee, mincemeat and a rub of tomato vine. On the attack, there’s red currant, boysenberry and fresh plum flavors, accented by forest floor and coffee notes. Acidity nudges past plum skin tannins, creating a remarkably long finish of huckleberry. Enjoy this with pasta in a rich marinara sauce or a seared New York strip sprinkled with thyme. This Woodinville winery has a well-earned reputation for this proprietary blend, and production of the 2012 vintage was considerably less than some years.
Rating: Outstanding!
Production: 460 cases
Alcohol: 14.5%
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