Wine of the Week 12/15/20

Owen Roe Corvidae “The Rook” 2018

Regularly $19.99/On Sale for $15.96!

David O’Reilly co-founded both the Sineann and Owen Roe wineries in the mid-1990s, helping to cement the Northwest as a major player in US American wine. In the mid-Aughts, he began the Corvidae project, named after the many corvid species that populate both Oregon and Washington. The Rook has always been Merlot-based, with sometimes surprising additions (Zinfandel!), but the 2018 is 100% velvety, juicy, Washington State Merlot, hand-harvested from several high-elevation sites in the Yakima Valley. Vinified with minimal intervention and aged in mostly neutral French oak to keep the bright fruit flavors lively, this is the perfect red for cool (snowy?) nights. Red and black fruits and several more layers of complexity in just enough alcohol to keep you warm.

O’Reilly holds a degree in medieval philosophy from Thomas Aquinas University, and his wines always seem to provide fuel for contemplation. As this wine will be leaving the market for a while (we bought the very last of it!) we recommend you contemplate tucking a few bottles of this away for what might be some long winter nights. A terrific deal on this one!