Michael Skurnik Wines
Barnard Griffin Rob's Red Blend 2019
Barnard Griffin Rob's Red Blend 2019
USA : WASHINGTON : COLUMBIA VALLEY
SUSTAINABLE : Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot
MED-FULL BODIED, DARK CHERRY, BLACK CURRANT, CEDAR, FRENCH OAK
Rob Griffin arrived in Washington in 1977, before the first AVA was drawn, and co-founded Barnard Griffin six years later out of Richland in the Tri-Cities. He's widely considered the state's longest-tenured commercial winemaker — and the Rob's Red Blend is the annual argument he makes for Columbia Valley in a single bottle.
The 2019 vintage is five varietals: Syrah anchors the frame at 36%, backed by Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, and 5% Petit Verdot for grip. Sixteen months in French barriques at 18% new oak adds structure without burying the vintage character. 2019 came in warm, cooled sharply in September, and closed early — higher acidities, better definition, leaner than the fuller years on either side.
Dark cherry and black currant up front, plum depth through the middle, cedar thread from the oak on the finish. Medium-full in weight — enough structure to hold through a plate of red meat, enough fruit to make sense without one.
PAIRINGS :
| Grilled ribeye with herb butter | fruit weight and tannins hold through char and fat; Syrah backbone doesn't back down |
| Braised lamb shoulder | Merlot softness bridges the gamey depth; oak spice pulls the sauce together |
| Wild mushroom and truffle pasta | earthy Syrah amplifies the mushroom; cedar from the oak ties the whole plate |
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