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. In recent years the winery 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 has a new winery in Milton Freewater, Oregon.
Purple in color. 15.1% ABV. Co-fermented with a small amount of Viognier. Stunning nose of black fruits, olives, espresso and smoked meats. Full bodied with perfect acidity. Bright, vibrant and well balanced with a really compelling sweetness of fruit. Blackberry, blueberry liqueur, boysenberry and a touch of pepper on the palate. The finish is long and supple with silky tannins. Unique Washington Syrah that really stands apart from the field. Best over the next 3-5 years.
My rating: 95 points.
Force Majeure is one of the most exciting wineries in Washington. The winery is still accepting names for the mailing list. If the Cayuse Release Party goes down in April of next year I do hope to visit the new winery in person.