Force Majeure was founded in 2004 by Paul McBride and made its name pairing some of Washington’s highly acclaimed winemakers with fruit from one of Washington’s highly acclaimed vineyards, Ciel du Cheval. The winery recently transitioned from Collaboration wines to Estate wines. Todd Alexander, formerly of Bryant Family Vineyards, is the winemaker for the Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Tempranillo. Force Majeure is building a new winery in Milton Freewater, Oregon and the plan is to open the doors before Cayuse Release Weekend in April of 2019.
Purple in color. 14.7% ABV. 100% Syrah from Ciel Du Cheval Vineyard made by Mark McNeilly of Mark Ryan. Savory nose of black fruits, olives, espresso and flowers. Full bodied with tons of acidity. Big, rich and plush. Black cherry, barbecued meats, olive brine and kirsch liqueur on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. Delicious Syrah from a challenging vintage. Best over the next 2-3 years.
My rating: 92 points.
Force Majeure is one of the most exciting wineries in the state. The winery is still accepting names for the mailing list.
I blogged about Force Majeure recently in A Vertical Tasting of Force Majeure CS IV.