Best Buy! Precept’s Original House Wine project, founded by Washington iconoclast Charles Smith, goes a bit beyond the state for its Mountain Merlot. Complex aromas of warm blackberry cobbler and plum include red bell pepper, cinnamon bark, vanilla extract and chalkboard dust. There’s also a pinch of oregano, a sign of the Cabernet Franc (3%). It carries a round and supple entry of plush fruit, offering flavors of plum juice, blueberry and light cherry. The lighter structure, slice of sweet red bell pepper, a drop of residual sugar, make this quite a quaffer. It’s built and priced for weeknights or patios with pizza and burgers.
Rating: Excellent
Production: 2,600 cases
Alcohol: 13.5%
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