Sinister Hand
2003 Columbia Valley, $22
(Produced by Owen Roe, Newburg, Oregon)
Just in time for Hallo ween, a wine with a sinister, spooky label … that actually has great wine inside!
Produced by Owen Roe, a wine label from viticulturalist Jerry Owen and winemaker David O’Reilly – who roam the Pacific Northwest for the grapes that go into their intense wines – this lives up to its name.
In the first sip, a curtain of black Syrah flavors falls across the tongue, dark and velvety; the next moment a streak of blood-red, cherry-bright Grenache flashes across the darkness. The obscure Counoise mucks around mysteriously, while Mourvdre strikes a bass chord of spice and animal notes. (Trust me, this is a good thing.)
It’s the perfect match for roast bat, though steak will do in a pinch.
– Tara Q. Thomas
