McGrail Vineyards, Livermore Valley (California) 2018

 Here’s a big boy of a blend that is equal parts of Bordeaux’s big five varieties, and it acquits itself beautifully as an example of how the parts play together.  It’s fun to taste a wine that says “here we are, you figure out what each different grape adds to the blend.”   Here, you get Cabernet Sauvignon’s blackberry, Cabernet Franc’s cherry, Petite Verdot’s violets, Malbec’s meat and Merlot’s plushness singing in harmony.  It’s a chorus worth the ticket price.  A Platinum Award winner at the 2021 Monterey International Wine Competition.