Roughly five years ago I came by the former Woodinville location for Force Majeure during harvest. Winemaker Todd Alexander graciously shared his harvest updates as he has with me each year and I went on my way, thanking him for his time. Todd has always been gracious at sharing his thoughts from a winemaking perspective since I first met him when he moved up from California and was lured from the Napa Valley to craft wines from Red Mountain, the Force Majeure Vineyard. I can understand why he was interested in this partnership.
Set at 960 to 1,230 feet, this special vineyard is planted to mainly Rhone and Bordeaux varietals and the fruit off this vineyard has been nothing short of incredible. It was Todd’s deft hand that have crafted world class wines for Force Majeure, putting them on the map with other Washington top producers. Todd formerly made wine at famed Bryant Family Vineyard in the Napa Valley where he worked with vineyard manager David Abreu as well as consultant extraordinaire, Michel Rolland. Since that partnership has started, I have been blown away with what Todd has produced across the board. His wines are seamless and show a wonderful combination of acidity, mouthfeel and dense fruit flavors.
To say that Todd arrived on the Washington wine scene with a thunderous thud would be an understatement. It was quite literally a proverbial earthquake that he has created with transforming this wine program. I love what he has done with his 2018 wines. These wines have great depth and concentration, yet there is a weightless feeling across the board. I was blown away with their Rhone style blend, the 2018 Force Majeure ‘Paravata’ Red Wine (OB, 96) which has insanely good range. One of the best wines of its kind made in Washington, the 2018 Force Majeure Tempranillo (OB, 97) is really singing with its massive concentration of dark fruits, with plenty of finesse and smoky tones. Finally, the coup de gras of the collection, the 2018 Force Majeure ‘Red Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 99) is a wine that simply flirts with perfection. This is a Cabernet for any serious collector of Washington wine. Huge congrats to Todd and the team in crafting one of the great wine lineups in Washington State. Learn more about these great wines at https://forcemajeurevineyards.com Here are the fantastic new wines by Force Majeure.
2019 Force Majeure Viognier- Sourced from the Force Majeure Estate Vineyard on Red Mountain, this gorgeous wine shows ripe star jasmine and honeysuckle tones on the nose alongside nectarine and kiwi tones that all meld in the glass. The palate is beautifully textured and elegant, showing great freshness and finesse. Lemon curd and nutmeg infused Challah bread mingle with minerals and smoky undertones on the palate. The terroir here is really intriguing as the gratifying finish lingers. This might not possess quite the weight of the ’18 but has plenty of finesse. Drink 2021-2027- 94
2018 Force Majeure ‘Paravata’ Red Wine- The 2018 ‘Paravata’ might be the finest rendition of this wine that I have tasted since Todd Alexander took over this program. A scintillating blend of 57% Mourvedre with 25% Syrah and 18% Grenache and a glass-staining purple, this reveals violets with potpourri and shades of white pepper and meat drippings that all take shape in the glass aromatically. The palate has a soft and elegant texture and shows great weight and verve. Lighter garrigue tones combine with smoked brisket, creme de violette and a massive core of dark fruits. The length really adds to the enjoyment as this beautiful wine is sinfully good in its youth and will continue to evolve well over the next decade. Drink 2021-2035- 96
2018 Force Majreure ‘Estate’ Syrah- The 2018 Force Majeure ‘Estate’ Syrah is a massive, dense and hedonistic monstrous wine that is a remarkable achievement from this outstanding vintage on Red Mountain. The aromatics are simply captivating with smoked brisket alongside violets and lavender with white pepper, wild huckleberry compote and violets. The palate is deeply concentrated and shows a great core of acidity with firm tannins holding everything in place. Shades of blood orange zest alongside black olive tapenade, blackberry pie, mocha, fresh blueberries, and tar with Black Forest Cake all impress. The length provides the resounding crecendo, as this beautiful wine will be best enjoyed over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2021-2025 97
2018 Force Majeure ‘SJR Vineyard’ Syrah- The 2018 ‘SJR Vineyard’ Syrah was aged in 25% new French oak and was fermented in concrete and open top stainless steel before bottling. For my palate, this is the best bottling of its kind yet. This Syrah shows the insanely good range imparted by ‘SJR Vineyard’ fruit. The freshness of this wine is seriously good, as horse manure, black tea, and gobs of stony character. With more air, citrus rind and black floral tones begin to emerge. The silky texture is insanely good here. Vibrant and intense, with incredible tension, this weightless Syrah is incredible now and will provide drinking enjoyment over the next decade. Drink 2021-2030-98
2018 Force Majeure Tempranillo- The 2018 Force Majeure Tempranillo is a massive wine that rivals anything of its kind in the state. A glass-staining purple, this shows smoky aromatics right away, alongside chocolate, coffee grounds and huckleberry coulis tones that all sing in unison. The palate is deep and downright voluptuous, showing off its seamless texture. Layers of rich dark fruits collide with minerals, smoked brisket, anise and cassis tones, giving this plenty of exotic appeal considering the varietal. Gorgeous now, give this at least two hours of air if enjoying in its youth. Drink 2022-2038- 97
2018 Force Majeure ‘Epinette’ Red Wine- A magnetic follow-up to their 2017 bottling, the 2018 ‘Epinette’ is a sinfully good effort by superstar winemaker Todd Alexander. A blend of primarily Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with smaller portions Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, the wine was aged for 22 months in nearly all new French oak prior to bottling. Asian spices and violet aromatics are woven together with creme de cassis, tar and Turkish coffee tones that all entice on the nose. The palate is soft, round and elegant, coming off as a top Pomerol from 2009 or perhaps 2003. A deep core of dark fruits greet you, but the weightless texture mid-palate makes this really glide through the drinking experience. The 2018 ‘Epinette’ is truly a one of a kind bottling that is downright killer in its youth and will provide drinking enjoyment over the next two decades. Drink 2020-2040- 97
2018 Force Majeure ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- 2018 marks the debut vintage of this wine, entirely sourced from the Force Majeure Estate Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley. Inky and brooding once in the glass, this Cabernet Sauvignon shows graphite and smoke aromas, woven together with dark currant cordial and shades of dark chocolate covered espresso bean that all meld in the glass. The heady aromatics bring you back to the glass for more enjoyment. The palate is rich and concentrated, showing not only good depth but a soft sense of mouthfeel and wonderful length. Sensational to savor now at the three year mark, this generous and expressive Cabernet Sauvignon will only improve with some cellaring. Be sure to give this at least a two hour decant if enjoying now. Drink 2022-2040- 96
2018 Force Majeure ‘Red Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2018 ‘Red Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon by Force Majeure is a simply magical bottling that flirts with perfection. Comprised of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, with small parts Merlot and Petit Verdot, this saw 80% new French oak prior to bottling. The nose ism downright intoxicating with creme de cassis, anise, blueberry compote and sandalwood tones that all meld in the glass. The palate is rich and seductive, with not only beautiful concentration but a seamless texture and downright brilliant length. Rich creme de violette, sagebrush, blackberry cordial and mocha tones give this plenty of exotic appeal. Seductive and intense in its youth, this outrageously good wine will cellar well for many decades to come. Drink 2022-2045- 99