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. 14.4% ABV. A GSM blend made by James Mantone of Syncline Winery. The nose is somewhat primary with scents of black fruits, olive brine, game and flowers. Full bodied with loads of acidity. Big, rich and concentrated. Blackberry, black cherry and pepper on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. The Mourvedre shines through on this wine. Just a baby. Drink over the next 5-7 years.
My rating: 91 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.