Bainbridge Island winemaker Paul Bianchi continues his impressive run of showy wines in West Coast competitions with this bottling from Stillwater Creek Vineyard in the Frenchman Hills near Royal City, Wash. He uses no French oak, but instead relies on Hungarian and American wood to help develop the nose of Chukar Cherry, toasted cherry wood and vanilla bean. This showy example is pretty rather than powerful with its structure, bringing flavors of Craisins and dried blueberries with black licorice and more vanilla. Juicy acidity stays just ahead of the orange pekoe tea tannins. This earned a gold medal at the 2016 Cascadia Wine Competition.
Rating: Outstanding!
Production: 48 cases
Alcohol: 14.4%
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