The Magical Combo: 2018 K Vintners
Happy weekend! We're stoked to get these new K Vintners releases in front of you, from the fantastic 2018 vintage. There are enough wines and loads of accolades below that we needn't wax poetic up top. The short version: power, richness, complexity, surprisingly elegance and balance–this magical combo sums up our love of the 2018 vintage and it is on full display in these Ks. Pick your favorites and add them to your collection.
$53.95 in any 12 bottle or Build a Case order ($59.95 regular)
Us: This is deserving of its own feature because of how crazy good it is but alas, production of the 2018 was equally crazy small so we have to soft-pedal it a little...nah, forget it. The 2017 was Wine Spectator's highest rated Washington wine of the vintage–can this be as good? Nope, it's better. So super silky and rounded, surprisingly pretty for how powerfully rich and decadent it is, finishing with a featherweight punch. 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Syrah. Don't snooze on it.
$31.95 in any 12 bottle or Build a Case order ($34.95 regular)
Us: Dude, this IS the DEAL. Tasting this within the line-up of K bigboys, it more than holds its own despite the more humbling pricing. Power, density, savory intrigue–it may not quite match the texturally rich brilliance of its big brothers and sisters but in 2018 it comes a lot closer than you'd think.
96 points James Suckling: "Tea-bag, sweet-tobacco, dark-fruit and lightly toasted-oak character. Full-bodied, chewy, and polished with a long, flavorful finish. Fine, powdery tannins."
$62.95 in any 12 bottle or Build a Case order ($69.95 regular)
Us: A monster wine, not because it's huge but because it is hugely complex. To be fair, there's a massive hit of velvety fruit but it is encased in sultry, meaty intrigue. Excellent freshness hits the middle of your palate; the texture is mouth-coating and ultra-fine.
96 points Jeb Dunnuck: "A gorgeous perfume of framboise, mulberries, flowery incense, lavender, and herbes de Provence. It shows plenty of bacon fat and meatiness with time in the glass and is medium to full-bodied, with silky tannins, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish."
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$49.95 in any 12 bottle or Build a Case order ($54.95 regular)
Us: For several vintages, this has demonstrated that it's more than just a name. It's a total beauty, beginning in the aromatics and carrying through rich and supple finish.
97 points Jeb Dunnuck: "An exotic nose of ripe blue and black fruits, lavender, sappy flowers, and herbes de Provence-like nuances give way to a medium to full-bodied, richly textured, structured wine with a mouth-filling, layered, meaty style that builds nicely with time in the glass. There's always a sappy, almost herbal edge to this beauty, and it ages beautifully. Feel free to open bottles any time over the coming 15-20 years. It would certainly be hard to pick out in a lineup of top Northern Rhône Syrahs."
$62.95 in any 12 bottle or Build a Case order ($69.95 regular)
Us: So much power and texture right when opened, it quickly blossoms in the glass to show stacks of dark fruit. It is indeed slightly hidden at this early stage but has all the elements to be a prototypical K powerhouse.
96+ points Jeb Dunnuck: "Kirsch, ripe black cherries, roasted herbs, violets, and orange blossom notes all emerge from the 2018 The Hidden Syrah Northridge Vineyard, which is all Syrah brought up in neutral oak. Rich, full-bodied, and beautifully polished, it packs loads of fruit yet stays light on its feet, with no sensation of heaviness. As with all of these Syrahs from Smith, it's going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age."