Garavin Red Meritage Knights Valley 2017

Over 55% OFF a luscious and bold cabernet sauvignon-merlot blend out of Sonoma County’s Knight’s Valley – let’s go! We only received a teeny-tiny allocation of this, but wish we could’ve secured more because this Meritage 2017 is everything you could want in a red daily drinker. Quality production, complex yet balanced flavors, affordability? Check, check, and check! As in, you’ll definitely want to check this one out!

Coming from Sonoma County’s tippy-top northeastern corner – set between Alexander Valley to the west, Chalk Hill to the south, and Calistoga to its east – these grapes were grown in the mountainous and remote rural landscape of Knights Valley AVA. Ever appropriately, “Garavin,” translated from Old English, means "wine from a unique land.” With their first vintage in 2011, proprietors Jeff Gore and Tom Galvin, alongside winemakers Brent McKoy and Mark Osborne (Gary Farrell), created Garavin Wines with a focus on the Bordeaux varietals that flourish in Knights Valley. The team behind Garavin finds that these kinds of low-yield and craggy terrains produce wines of utmost quality and prestige, distinctly reflective of the harsh, hilly, and unique terroir – which we can absolutely back up when we got a taste of this impeccable bottle.

The 2017 immediately intrigues, with smoky and spicy notes followed swiftly by a bit of licorice and brown sugar. There are juicy black cherry and blackberry flavors, with a tinge of cola, black plum, lots of muscularity, and an acidic backbone that carries the wine without being overly structured. On the finish, we get some delightfully savory character and a small layer of herbal character, like rosemary, to wrap it all up with a splendid bow. Truly a pleasure to drink – and for UNDER $20, you’d be silly not to try a bottle…or six…before they fly off our shelves!