Washington state may be the next big region for American wine. Maryhill Winery, based in Washington’s Columbia Valley, has been pumping out a dozen or so varietals for years now, and we got our hands on a few of the company’s recent bottles, including this 2005 Cabernet Franc.

This wine, black as squid ink (well, almost), is surprisingly lively for a wine this young. Showing intense tobacco, tar, and leather character, it’s a real powerhouse, proving again why most winemakers choose to blend with cabernet franc instead of bottle it at full strength.

Very dry, the wine cries for a rich and savory food pairing, and with a little fat alongside it some of the wine’s more fruit-based charms — cherry, blackberry — come out. A little licorice twist hints on the finish. Complicated wine, but definitely worth a look at this price.

B+ / $18 / maryhillwinery.com

2005 Maryhill Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley

$18

8.5

Rating

8.5/10

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Christopher Null

Christopher Null is the founder and editor in chief of Drinkhacker. A veteran writer and journalist, he also operates Null Media, a bespoke content creation company.

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