La Buerre is sold out so here’s another top value…

“Veteran winemaker David Larsen really nailed the 2017 vintage.” - Stephen Tanzer, Vinous

Cellar Selection and 91 points for $17?? HOW does he do it??

This is a mystery that rivals quantum entanglement. Or understanding why I can never find that thing my wife told me to look for, but when she looks in the same exact place it magically appears.

We may never understand how David created this wine for a mere $25 to begin with. Or how we got it for even less. But really, who cares?

Soos Creek, up in Washington, is a tiny family operation. David started off a ‘garagiste’ winemaker - literally making grape wine in his garage in 1989. He kept scratching that itch until it grew bigger and bigger, eventually expanding into his own actual winery. While he consistently leveled up his winemaking game it seems like he kept the down-home ‘stuck in the 80s’ pricing.

Fruit here comes from prized vineyards – such as Champoux, Ciel du Cheval, Klipsun, Elephant Mountain. These cherished sites in Horse Heaven Hills, Red Mountain, and Yakima Valley power some truly fine, high-end wines that fetch BIG prices - Quilceda Creek, Force Majeure, Andrew Will, Cadance come to mind.

This flashes that same personality with warm red fruit, crushed raspberries, and red currant, some floral notes, a little earthy minerality. At least on the perfumy nose. The palate is a whole new ballgame with chewy, fine tannins, riper black cherries, steeped plums, and a sprinkling of cinnamon and cocoa powder. The finish fans out silky smooth, with violets and licorice peeking through progressively prolonged. This begs for a leg of lamb, studded with rosemary and garlic, smothered in olive oil, before roasting it to perfection.

Again… $17?! What a wacky world. Not gonna complain…

91 Points, Cellar Selection – Wine Enthusiast

“Merlot comprises half of this wine, with the rest Cabernet Franc (32%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (18%). Quite reticent out-of-the-gate aromas of raspberry, dark fruit, flower, pencil shavings and spice are followed by medium-bodied fruit flavors with quite firmly wound, chewy tannins that need significant time to settle in. Best after 2024.”