This is no April fools! Todd Alexander has completely transformed Pacific Northwest wine. Coming from Bryant Family in Napa, Alexander crafts some of the finest range of wines that you will taste in the new world. Set on Red Mountain, the Force Majeure Vineyard is one of the most impressive sites for a dizzying array of wines from Viognier to Cabernet. Years back Alexander worked under vineyard manager David Abreu as well as consultant extraordinaire, Michel Rolland.Todd’s wines have amazing richness, depth and texture.
The new wines coming from the 2021 vintage are the finest that I have tasted so far from Force Majeure. Don’t miss out on the 2021 Force Majeure ‘Red Mountain’ Syrah (OB, 99) which flirts with perfection and is arguably the finest Red Mountain Syrah I have tasted. A perfect wine made from this warm vintage, the 2021 Force Majeure ‘SJR Vineyard’ Syrah (OB, 100) leaves no doubt of its perfection. The flavor range and texture are mesmerizing. Equally otherworldly, the 2021 Force Majeure ‘Red Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 100) is one of the great Cabernet wines I have tasted from this vintage. This beauty will easily cellar for another twenty years. Learn more about these great wines at https://forcemajeurevineyards.com Here are the fantastic new wines by Force Majeure.
2021 Force Majeure ‘Estate’ Grenache- This 2021 Grenache is sourced from a center portion of the vineyard, as the vines are head trained. Stored in concrete for 18 months, this shows beautiful red rose petals alongside pomegranate seed notes and concentrated loganberry notes. The palate is plush and loaded with richness with serious underlying verve. Stunning and savory, this is drinking so well even in its heady youth. Drink 2024-2038- 97
2021 Force Majeure ‘Parvata’ Red Wine- The 2021 ‘Parvata’ combines 46% Syrah with 39% Mourvèdre and the remainder Grenache. Stored in 15% new French oak, this is up there with the finest Parvata that I have tasted. Heady dark fruits combine with chocolate, garrigue, coffee grounds and smoked meats on the palate. Deep and rich, this is a stunning bottling that is already nicely evolved. Drink 2024-2038- 97
2021 Force Majeure ‘Red Mountain’ Syrah- This 2021 Red Mountain Syrah comes from 11 acre hillside set on fractured basalt that is tightly spaced. The wine was given 15% whole cluster fermentation and has a touch of Viognier blended in. The palate is soft and seamless with serious verve and concentration. Weightless and loaded with dense black and blue fruit flavors, with creme de violette, Turkish coffee accents, this is quite simply the finest Syrah you will find on Red Mountain. What a stunner! Drink 2024-2040- 99
2021 Force Majeure ‘Walla Walla Estate’ Syrah- The outstanding 2021 Force Majeure ‘Walla Walla Estate’ Syrah was stored for 18 months in used large format French oak before bottling. The nose comes off fragrant and very stony with wet gravel notes that combine with huckleberry, dried herbs and shades of milk chocolate. The palate is soft and seamless, with serious verve and a pillowy mouthfeel. Rich and layered, this is a gorgeous wine from this estate vineyard that is showing some serious promise. Drink 2024-2038- 98
2021 Force Majeure ‘SJR Vineyard’ Syrah- The really good 2021 Force Majeure ‘SJR Vineyard’ Syrah is a stunning wine that is showing marvelously now at the three year mark. Once on the nose this offers hoisin sauce alongside huckleberry and black currant notes with wet stone. The palate is soft and refined with serious richness and underlying tension. Utterly seamless, very stony and terroir-laden, this is the finest rendition of this bottling yet — perfection in a bottle. This will easily go for ten plus years, but why wait? Drink 2024-2036- 100
2021 Force Majeure ‘Red Mountain’ Cabernet Franc- This 2021 Cabernet Franc comes form their estate vineyard on Red Mountain as there were only 75 cases made of this wine. Beautiful red and dark florals combine with shades of garrigue, freshly tilled soils and shades of milk chocolate. The palate is refined and plush with serious texture, finesse and a polished texture. Truly refined and elegant, with loads of mouth-watering acidity, this is stunning wine that flirts with perfection. Drink 2024-2044- 99
2021 Force Majeure ‘Epinette’ Red Wine- The 2021 Force Majeure ‘Epinette’ Red Wine is a beautifully floral bottling that is showing marvelously now at the three year mark. The palate is plush with serious weight and texture. Deep and concentrated in its black forest cake and loganberry notes, with espresso grounds and graphite, this is a stunning blend of Cabernet Savingnon and Merlot that is going to live on for a really long time to come. Drink 2024-2045- 99
2021 Force Majeure ‘Walla Walla Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 Force Majeure ‘Walla Walla Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon has 5% Merlot blended in. Stored in 75% new French oak for 22 months, this offers wet stone and violets that combine with shades of loganberry and freshly tilled soils on the palate. Herbal and savory, this is the finest edition of this wine that I have tasted yet. Drink 2024-2040- 98
2021 Force Majeure ‘Red Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 Force Majeure ‘Red Mountain’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a stunning wine that has otherworldly potential. This is a bit backwards right now but you can see the potential in this head-turning Cabernet. Loaded with dense blackberry, huckleberry sandalwood and sagebrush notes, with Turkish coffee, this is a massive, brooding Cabernet Sauvignon that will satisfy for decades to come. Give this another year or two in the bottle and this is going to blow your mind. Drink 2025-2050- 100
2021 Force Majeure Tempranillo- The 2021 Force Majeure Tempranillo comes from a single block on this Red Mountain estate vineyard. Black licorice and allspice dusted black plum combine with dark chocolate shavings and loamy soils on the nose. The palate is absolutely incredible with heady dark fruit flavors, alongside creme de violette, tar and damp soils. A hedonistic, highly pleasurable wine that was stored in all new French oak, this is one of the great new world wines of its kind. Only 49 cases made. Drink 2024-2040- 98