Dry Creek Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley (Sonoma County, California) 2017

 Offering both grace and grandeur, 2017 “The Mariner” is an impressive blend of Bordeaux grape varieties — Cabernet Sauvignon (69%), Merlot (6%), Cabernet Franc (5%), Malbec (5%) and Petit Verdot (18%).  This rich mix gives the wine its concentrated fruitiness, while aging for 18 months in French and Hungarian oak contributes to its spicy character.  Ripe, juicy hints of plum and dark cherry, plus subtler notes of earth and leather are among The Mariner’s bold flavors, while bracing acidity on the finish rounds out the overall taste experience.  Massive rainfall early in the growing season and an extreme heat wave in late August all contributed to the grapes’ gustatory development, and by the time the October wild fires wreaked havoc in October the harvest was finished.