Leer Vineyards is an operation based in Contra Costa County, California, and among their hefty production is this bottling — Heroic Red — a nonvintage blend the proceeds of which partly go to supporting combat-wounded veterans by funding home purchases. (Leer also makes other wines with charitable goals.)

The blend is 58% Syrah, 29% Merlot, and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine offers thick, almost jammy, fruit notes, with strong blackberry and blueberry elements plus a dollop of smoke driven by the syrah. Tea leaf, coffee, and milk chocolate are all secondary notes, alongside a finish of currants. Altogether it’s a standard midgrade blend that you’d expect from this region, but it’s all kept in reasonable balance and offers a fairly brisk, tart finish.

B- / $24 / leervineyards.com

NV Leer Vineyards Heroic Red

$24

7

Rating

7.0/10