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Cougar's Leap 2016 'Cougar's Cuvée' Red Hills

Cougar's Leap 2016 'Cougar's Cuvée' Red Hills

Venge Made
Powerhouse Red!
dryness
acidity
tannin
body
fruit
Venge Made
Powerhouse Red!

Mission Codename Leap Of Faith

Back by popular demand! Few wines compete in the value and popularity department. And today we’re back with a new vintage! Our friends at Saddleback delivered a fresh palate 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? Still the same ludicrously low $19?! You bet.

Nils has been a dominant FORCE in the wine industry for four decades now. He helped propel Charles Krug, 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.

Not for the faint of heart! This blend packs a haymaker punch of 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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What the Winery Says 2016 '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
2016
Alcohol
14.8%
Appellation
Red Hills, Lake County, CA
Elevation
2,300 feet
Harvest dates
September-October, 2016
Fermentation
In 4X4 bins for 10 days
Acidity
6.1 g/L
pH
3.93
Bottling date
June 6, 2018
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 2016 'Cougar's Cuvée' Red Hills 750ml Wine Bottle
Offer Expired Jul 13, 2022 at 11:59 pm
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Cougar's Leap 2016 'Cougar's Cuvée' Red Hills 750ml Wine Bottle
Offer Expired Jul 13, 2022 at 11:59 pm
Register to get notified when this wine is back in stock:
Sign Up For Free