Force Majeure Parabellum Alluvio Red Blend Red Mountain Washington, 2017, 750

“The 2016 Parabellum Alluvio is the entry-level Bordeaux blend (the second wine, if you will) and it is 62% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Petit Verdot. It’s complex, layered, and incredibly elegant, with silky tannins as well as loads of dried cherries, bouquet garni, crushed rock, and hints of spring flower. I’m always shocked at the quality of this estate’s so-called entry level wines, and this is a beautiful wine in its own right. Drink it any time over the coming 10-15 years.” JD