2013 Force Majeure Collaboration Series III Ciel du Cheval Vineyard
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Tasting notes
(made by Mark McNeilly and Mike MacMorran): Bright, saturated dark ruby. Blackberry, licorice, smoked meat and brown spices on the nose, plus a note of musky reduction. Rich, plush, edge-free and deep; sappy as much as sweet. A ripe but brooding dark-fruit version of Syrah but without any hardness. Finishes with ripe, dusty tannins and excellent length.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Winemaker Mike Macmorran has fashioned an incredibly elegant, polished 2013 Collaboration Series III (100% Syrah) that's up with the top wines of the vintage. Its vibrant ruby/purple and mostly opaque color is followed by a heavenly bouquet of creme de cassis, toasted bread, jammy blackberries, scorched earth and vanilla bean. This flows to a full-bodied, silky, seamless Syrah that has ultra-fine tannin, incredibly purity of fruit and enough ripe tannin to keep it evolving beautifully for another 15 years or more.