Rich Burton pulls on a thread of Latin by referring to this as his drink “now” red wine. Merlot (61%) and Cabernet Sauvignon form the basecoat, while Rhône siblings Syrah and Cinsaut account for 21% of the final blend. It also represents a collection of vineyards near Yakima — Noel, Keller and Strand in the Naches Heights and 35-year-old 7 Mile. There’s a rewarding balance between fruit and savory tones as blackberry, plum and cola carry along chocolaty tannins, earthy minerality and spiced gumdrops. In the 22 years of the Platinum, price has never been disclosed to judges, so this wine was awarded on its own merit. And it is the fourth Platinum in three years for Locus, with his Modo White accounting for two of those. Award: Seattle Wine Awards (gold).
Rating: Platinum, 93 points
Production: 223 cases
Alcohol: 13.4%
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