Quilceda Creek 2007 Red Wine Red (Columbia Valley (WA))

Country: US / Red Wine
Variety: Bordeaux-style Red Blend Washington
Winery: Quilceda Creek / Columbia Valley (WA)

You have to love the ’07 vintage. This is drinking beautifully right now, though official release (September) is still a ways off. Rich and delicious, full-bodied and aromatic, with exotic barrel scents and a lovely mélange of chocolate, mocha, caramel and spice. But the fruit is the main story, and it’s full, ripe and substantial—cherry and cassis, licorice and just a hint of leaf.