Kiona 2018 Malbec
Malbec as a varietal wine is an outlier (except in Argentina) but bottles such as this should push it further into the spotlight here in the Northwest. All estate-grown, this is a well-ripened wine that loads the palate with rich flavors of cassis, black cherry, licorice, black tea and cocoa nibs. There's a touch of bourbon barrel and the alcohol is unabashedly high in the best old-school style. A small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon from the original 1975 block is mixed in the final blend.
372 cases; 15.3%; $40 (Red Mountain)
