Balboa Winery 2019 Malbec, Walla Walla Valley $45

While The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater grew its fame with Syrah, Balboa owner/winemaker Tom Glase has long made Bordeaux varieties from The Rocks a drawing card for tourists. For Malbec, he works with Stone Valley Vineyard, a late-ripening site established in 2002 by Norm McKibben as part of Seven Hills West. It’s a site now managed by Tom Waliser, whose experience with Malbec includes Balboa’s own Eidólon Vineyard. This offers remarkable complexity, balance and length across a framework that leans toward red fruit and freshness, blending wild strawberries, white pepper and Herbes de Provence. A bite of Craisins gives it a long and bright finish.

Rating: Outstanding! Gold medal — 93 points

Production: 125 cases

Alcohol: 14.1%

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