Very dark chocolate and pencil lead run through a blend of black and red fruits from the cabernet sauvignon and the merlot. Plums, blackberries, and black cherries lead are the fruits. The cabernet franc shows up with tobacco on the finish. Tannins are powerful and leathery, but acids don’t match them. Drink it soon with a robust piece of meat that will counterbalance the big fruits and tannins, perhaps a cowboy ribeye steak.
WHO: L’Ecole No 41
WHAT: Red Bordeaux-style blend: cabernet sauvignon (46%), merlot (42%), malbec (8%), cabernet franc (4%)
WHERE: Walla Walla Valley, Washington
WHEN: 2006
HOW MUCH: $45 (media sample)
