It is both passion and obsessive attention to detail that push Force Majeure to raise the standard for Washington winegrowing. Inspired by the vineyards of Bordeaux, Hermitage, Priorat, and Cote Rotie, the winery challenged existing viticultural practices and embarked on an ambitious plan to pioneer the very first vineyard on the steep, upper slopes of Red Mountain.

This Herculean effort involved the careful matching of varietal and clonal selections, trellising and irrigation to the nine distinct soil types formed by the ancient Missoula floods, winds and volcanic activity. The outcome is a vineyard articulated into many small "micro-blocks," to meet the management demands of this unique and dynamic site. Due to the rough, rocky nature of the acreage and elevations ranging from 960 to 1,230 feet, mechanization is virtually impossible in the upper portion of Force Majeure, requiring true "farming by hand." Yet the lower blocks of the vineyard are comprised of deep, well-drained Warden soils.

The 2018 Épinette is Merlot-dominated, with the addition of 8% Cabernet Franc, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. It bursts from the glass with aromas of plums, chocolate-covered cherries and black raspberry before offering complex layers of minerality, purple flowers and elegant baking spices. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is deliciously balanced and displays fruit captured at optimum ripeness levels, offering energetic acidity and lifting tannins across the mid-palate. The wine concludes with a long, silky finish that emphatically shows Washington Merlot can be a powerhouse. This was made from 100% free-run juice that rested in 70% brand-new French barriques. Only 250 cases were produced.

Varietal: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec

Region: Red Mountain, Columbia Valley, Washington