Nina Buty and winemaker Chris Dowsett continue to promote both Right Bank-style blends and acclaimed Conner Lee Vineyard — a historic site at 2,000-feet elevation in Washington’s Columbia Basin – with this stunning combination of Merlot (61%) and Cabernet Franc. The Merlot came off Sept. 27 and the Cabernet Franc more than three weeks later on Oct. 19, and only free-run juice made its way into this 15-month program of 55% new wood from French cooperages Bel Air, Ermitage and Taransaud. Aromas of exotic spices, dark chocolate and toast blend with sweet black cherry and strawberry. Inside, it’s an intense, mouthfilling delivery of rich black cherry and currant with French-roast coffee, chocolaty tannins, dark raspberry acidity and more sweet baking spices. Buty has crafted a Merlot/Cab Franc blend since its debut vintage of 2000, and this ranks among its finest works to date.
Rating: Outstanding!
Production: 310 cases
Alcohol: 14.5%
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