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. 14.9% ABV. Savory nose of black fruits, charred meats and bacon fat. Full bodied with perfect acidity. Rich and lush with copious dark fruits. Black cherry, black raspberry, coffee and minerals on the palate. Nice length on the finish. Still young, dark and brooding with gritty tannins on the finish but enough fruit to keep things compelling. Best over the next 3-5 years.
My rating: 93 points.
Force Majeure is one of the most exciting wineries in Washington. The winery is still accepting names for the mailing list. I hope to visit the winery on Cayuse Release Weekend next April.