Mark Ryan Long Haul Red 2020

A more Merlot-dominated wine, the 2020 Long Haul comes from Ciel du Cheval, Klipsun, and Red Willow vineyards and is 71% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, and smaller doses of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. It's a pure, balanced, medium to full-bodied beauty offering lots of mulled red and black cherry fruits, some spice, chocolate, and herbal undertones, ripe tannins, and a great finish. Beautifully done, this is an elegant, balanced 2020 to enjoy over the coming 10-12 years.

The 2020 Red Wine Long Haul is a Merlot heavy (71%) blend rounded out with 19% Cabernet Franc, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot. It's perfumed in the glass with a mix of dried flowers, wild berries and exotic spices. This has a juicy persona with ripe red and blue fruits carried across a core of vibrant acidity. Clove and blueberry skin notes linger long as the 2019 tapers off with admirable length yet spry.

This broad-shouldered red offers a gutsy core framed by rich and multilayered raspberry, blueberry and espresso flavors that finish with medium-grained tannins. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030. 1,869 cases made.

This full-bodied, Merlot-driven blend is dark as night, with huckleberry ice cream and black coffee aromas posing as an exotic affogato. The wine's blackberry and dark chocolate flavors are dense and sweet, with lime zest acidity and grippy tannins trying to keep things under control.