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Cougar's Leap 2015 'Cougar's Cuvée' Red Hills

Cougar's Leap 2015 'Cougar's Cuvée' Red Hills

More Black Rock!
Nils is Back
dryness
acidity
tannin
body
fruit
More Black Rock!
Nils is Back

Mission Codename Here kitty kitty

Back by popular demand! The Zin version of this was so loved by y’all not too long ago that it almost crashed the site, so our friends at Saddleback came back with more from the world of Black Rock…

Here’s your ticket into the wonderful winemaking world of Nils Venge - aka America’s first 100-point winemaker and the man behind HUNDREDS of amazing wines over the decades.

And the price? A ludicrously low $19?!

Left us wondering, do cougars roar? Well, this one surely does.

Nils has been a dominant FORCE in the wine industry for four decades now. He helped propel Charles Krug, Mount Eden, Sterling, Saddleback, and Groth into the forefront of California’s wine scene. Oh, and he crafted Groth’s 1985 100-point Cabernet – the first-ever perfect scoring CA wine. Not too shabby. He continued to pursue his passion on his Cougar’s Leap project, making unbelievably affordable high-quality wines from the Lake County outpost. The rugged, volcanic obsidian soil and warm temps make a perfect breeding ground for the head-trained red varietals he focuses on.

This blend brings together Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Tempranillo, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The resulting wine is massive, meaty, and rugged to the core. You get the round, ripe, and jammy personality from the Petite and Zin and the inky, meaty side of Tempranillo and Cab. Tons of brambly blackberry, red currant, dried figs, freshly laid tar, smoked meat, tobacco, and spices rise to the surface, all framed on the palate by dusty, fine-grained tannins.

If you’re grilling this summer (or smoking some meats on the Traeger) and don’t have a bottle (more like a case) of this around… well, what are you waiting for?

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Tasting Profile Tasting Profile

dryness
acidity
tannin
body
fruit
Cougar's Leap 2015 'Cougar's Cuvée' Red Hills 750ml Wine Label
Look

Pitch black to the deep core, shadowless as a cougar purring on a black rock in the middle of a moonless night

Smell

Tons of brambly blackberry, red currant, dried figs, freshly laid tar, smoked meat, tobacco, and spices rise to the surface

Taste

You get the round, ripe, and jammy personality from the Petite and Zin and the inky, meaty side of Tempranillo and Cab

Finish

Massive, meaty, and rugged to the core with dusty, fine-grained tannins, shockingly long for its humble category

Pairing

If you’re grilling this summer (or smoking on the Traeger) you need a bottle (more like a case) of this around…

What the Winery Says 2015 'Cougar's Cuvée' Red Hills

Cougar's Leap
Cougar's Leap
Winemaker
Nils Venge
Varietals
42% Petite Sirah, 32% Zinfandel, 20% Tempranillo, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage
2015
Appellation
Red Hills, Lake County, CA
Elevation
2,300 feet
Alcohol
14.5%
Harvest dates
September-October, 2015
Fermentation
In 4X4 bins for 10 days
Acidity
6.1 g/L
pH
3.93
Bottling date
June 6, 2017
Aging
18 months
Barrels
50% new American and French oak

About the Winery Cougar's Leap

Cougar's Leap Winemaker Nils Venge
Cougar's Leap Winemaker Nils Venge
Cougar's Leap 2015 'Cougar's Cuvée' Red Hills 750ml Wine Bottle
Offer Expired Jul 22, 2021 at 11:59 pm
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Cougar's Leap 2015 'Cougar's Cuvée' Red Hills 750ml Wine Bottle
Offer Expired Jul 22, 2021 at 11:59 pm
Register to get notified when this wine is back in stock:
Sign Up For Free