Perfect medium ruby with a thin pink edge. OMG the nose. Magnificently green, scorchingly green, serendipitously shocking conifer boughs dripping out of the bouquet glazed in morning snow and tomato fuzz all over your hands. Beautiful latex and weedy sap ooze from every orifice, salty spray over smoldering seaweed and glistening riff-raff lodging sapling shafts raw and broken among the stones. A lonely dog-shit sits far-off on the beach–vaguely within range–escaping its owner’s fresh neatly folded plastic bag.
I did not expect this out of a bottle this shape. I expected a big bold Bordeaux stalwart shouldering oaky, cassis-and-pepper-ridden concerns for the masses. Could I be more wrong? This reminds me of Olga. Meaty and sweaty with enough fruit jammed up in it to choke a horse.
In the mouth, an initial transfer of all the brilliant stem and tomato-vine and funk direct IV from the nose straight in do not pass go here we are and then WAIT: Ridiculous concentration of fruit begins an invasion, jacked up on acidic drugs and the momentary etherea of tannin before that same tannin takes on a coalescence with the deep cherry pudding at the core, flushing salty black licorice, sweet kiwi and all the seedy pomegranate a person could bear into a finish returning to Chinon roots–spicy hot and charmingly gamey. A bitter black pepper/blackberry melange is your last memory, a memory that goes on for ever and ever.
Jesus H. Christ, people. This makes all my Washington hairs stand up. I’m tired of going to tastings and festivals and whatever and being disappointed with the Syrah and the cab and the Red Mountain this or Red Mountain that and you’re just like, “Ok, you’re kinda good and I somewhat *get* it and I’m not even gonna roll my eyes like I do with Oregon but can someone please bring me your A game?” And here someone did.
This is stupidly good wine.
2016 BOOKWALTER WINERY CF/ME 85/15 ‘Suspense’ Columbia Valley Washington 14.8
Stephen McConnell 