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Mercer Estates 2013 Robert Willis Reserve Malbec, Horse Heaven Hills, $55
Most know them as Rob and Will, but Robert and Willis are the given names for the two Mercer brothers who run and continue to grow the family’s successful wine business. Their bread and butter is in Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills, and the 2013 vintage marked the debut of Robert Willis, a reserve tier within their Mercer Estates brand. Two years in French oak follow the harvest from their Cavalie and Spice Cabinet vineyards offers aromas of dark toast, cocoa powder and black cherry, backed by a whiff of the chalkboard dust that’s become a hallmark of so many wines from the Horse Heaven Hills. Dense flavors of blackberry and pomegranate include notes of dark roast coffee and bittersweet chocolate. Dusty tannins and blueberry acidity bode well for the cellar or serve in the short term with a well-marbled steak.
Rating: Excellent
Production: 100 cases
Alcohol: 14.1%
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