We’re not quite sure how they pulled it off but this bottle proves beyond a doubt that premium Bordeaux blends and affordability are not mutually exclusive. For $25, few Cab-Merlot combos return such pedigreed results: Top appellation, sustainable vineyards, expensive French oak, long aging, and an extremely modest production makes for one of America’s most luxuriously balanced values. In our blind tasting, I guessed $40 retail and my colleague quickly crossed the $50 threshold, and although our jaws plummeted to the floor once the price was revealed, it made sense after seeing the label: Walla Walla Vintners. Replace “Walla Walla” with “Napa Valley” and you’re easily paying what we guessed, if not more, and there’s a high probability it wouldn’t outperform today’s exceptional red.

But allow me to be clear: This is not a fortuitous, needle-in-a-haystack find. WW Vintners was among the first eight wineries established in the famed Walla Walla Valley (there are now over 120) and they are loaded with experience, accolades, and some of the state’s finest red values. Today, we’re showcasing their richly layered Bordeaux-style blend, with small splashes of Syrah and others to make it even more interesting. After 18 months of barrel aging and another year maturing in bottle, this dynamite red is ready to put the fear of God into pricier bottlings from Napa, Sonoma, Santa Barbara, you name it. It’s also built to evolve over the next 2-5 years so hoard as many as you can. I suggest heeding our advice quickly, too, because we’ve got employees lining up outside the warehouse for this one!

When you’re the eighth established winery in what has now become one of the most talked-about appellations in America, there’s inevitably immense pressure to succeed. But when winemaking gurus/pioneers Gordy Venneri and Myles Anderson founded Walla Walla Vintners in 1995, they made it look easy. For over two decades, they handcrafted lush, cellar-worthy, critically acclaimed reds from sustainable vines sheltered by Washington’s Blue Mountains. Myles has since retired and Gordy has welcomed new co-owners to the estate, Scott and Nici Haladay, but make no mistake: These new releases are as good as they’ve ever been. 

The raw material for today’s 2018 red blend are planted in silty loam soils and come from five sustainably- and dry-farmed vineyards in Walla Walla Valley, as well as two more within the larger Columbia Valley. Merlot (38%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (32%) lead the charge here, with Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec rounding it out. All grapes varieties fermented separately in open-top stainless steel vats and the caps were punched down four times daily. Following, the varietal wines were blended into French oak, 25% new, for 18 months of aging. 

In the glass, an opaque dark purple core is revealed with brilliant ruby hues. Powerful aromas start rolling out instantly so no harm, no foul if you choose to forgo a decant. Still, I recommend about 15 minutes of air before taking a sip because there’s so much luxurious wine to unwind here. It’s loaded to the brim with huckleberry, black raspberry liqueur, blue fruit, black cherry skin, plum pie, pepper, vanilla bean, mint, baking spice, and tobacco leaf, and the full-bodied palate isn’t short on descriptors either. This ‘18 is incredibly lush and hedonistic, bursting with soft layers of dark berry liqueur that are underpinned by hints of spice and savory earth. Although ridiculously delicious, I guarantee you’ll find more profoundness and complexity than one would think a $25 wine could deliver. Enjoy now in Bordeaux stems around 60 degrees, and stash away your other bottles for consumption over the next several years. Cheers!