Mission Codename Treat or trick
Better to be with the devil you know or the one you don’t know?
In this case, that’s a very hard decision because both are so incredibly delicious. Hedonistic is for sure the optimal word here. Gorman wines hold NOTHING back.
Wine Advocate puts it best: “If you like decadent, delicious and unabashedly textured wines that are a joy to drink, don’t miss these full-throttle wines made by Chris Gorman, unabashedly full-bodied and ripe, deliver serious amounts of fruit and texture while staying fresh and very drinkable.” -
Gorman is the vision of owner/winemaker Chris Gorman. Since 2002 his plan’s been straightforward - *“use the finest coopers and suppliers, don’t settle, and don’t screw it up.” Chris oversees everything, and it’s a small 3-employee operation in total making 8,000 cases annually. They source fruit from some of the best growers in the region and in particular focus on Red Mountain as their stomping grounds.
So, this one? Like belly-flopping into a pool of cotton balls, this cushions your mouth in layers of soft, luscious fruit. It’s a sweetly fruited blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre with a jam basket of ripe summer berries overflowing. So much more, too - something like chewy Nilla wafers, Nutella, plums, mocha, and cassis. And this was raised in American oak which gives it that coconut-tinged edge. It’s big, in your face, and a total crowd-pleaser in every sense. But you may not want to share any at all!
Again, for $31 these put up the type of quality you might expect to pay double for. We could drink them all day, every day.
Over the full moon we piled up on these for Halloween, and today they are back for one last BOO.
Very little left of this one too…
92 Points – Wine Spectator
“Generous and plump, with black and red currant flavors that draw in floral licorice and smoky pepper flavors on the way to refined tannins. Syrah, Mourvèdre and Grenache. Drink now through 2028.”
91 Points – Wine Enthusiast
“Like many wines from this producer, this one puts an emphasis on hedonism, and it brings plenty of it. Plum, coffee, mineral, nougat and cassis aromas lead to ripe, intense but still-balanced fruit flavors that pack a big punch.”
What the Winery Says
2018 'The Devil You Don't Know' Columbia Valley Red
- Winemaker
- Chris Gorman
- Varietals
- 55% Syrah, 41% Grenache, 4% Mourvedre
- Vintage
- 2018
- Alcohol
- 15.1%
- Appellation
- Columbia Valley, Washington
- Aging
- 18 months
- Barrels
- 100% New American Oak