2007 Force Majeure Collaboration Series I Ciel du Cheval Vineyard

The 2007 Collaboration I is made by Ben Smith. It is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 13% Petit Verdot, and 11% Malbec aged in 70% new French oak. The bouquet is initially reticent but offers up scents of toasty oak, Asian spices, violets, mineral, black currant, and blackberry. This leads to a full-bodied, layered, succulent, incipiently complex wine that has the structure to evolve for 3-4 years and offers a drinking window extending from 2014 to 2027. Force Majeure, for the first part of its brief history, was known as Grande Reve until the threat of a lawsuit resulted in the name change. The new releases from Force Majeure are superb and immediately vault the winery into the top ranks of Washington (and American) producers. Until the estate vineyard (to be known as Force Majeure Vineyard) comes into full production, the fruit is sourced from the esteemed Ciel du Cheval Vineyard where partner Ryan Johnson is in charge of viticulture. Tel. (425) 890-3095

A Bordeaux blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 13% Petit Verdot, and 11% Merlot, the 2007 Grand Reve Vintners Collaboration Series I is made by Ben Smith of Cadence Winery and is aged for 23 months in 70% new French oak and the rest in 1-year-old barrels. The wine boasts full-scaled, complex aromatics of sweet crème de cassis, spice box, sage, tobacco, and hints of mint on the nose. This is followed by a full bodied, beautifully put together wine that has a rounded, soft texture, perfectly ripe fruit, good acidity, and a blockbuster finish that’s loaded with fine grained, polished tannin. Given the fruit and texture, this is superb now, however, it should continue to evolve positively for 3-5 years, and have a solid 15-20 year drink window.