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Winery:
Mark Ryan

$51.95 Regular

$46.76
in any 12 bottle order or Build a Case

Qty.

Review:

Long Haul picks up the burly baton and adds a sophisticated stride, heaping red berries, black cherries and red plums with cedar, cocoa shavings and earth. I'd plan to cellar it for 3-6 years, though when I had a glass right out of the bottle with braised short ribs, it was rocking. - Marcus

A Merlot-driven wine supported by Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. Remarkably rich aromatics of saddle leather, cocoa, sweet red fruit, and earthy mineral tones. An impressive fisinsh with focused acidity and flavors that will evolve and linger. Made from Red Willow, Ciel du Cheval, Klipsun, and ObeliscoVineyard fruit. 61% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, 9% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot.

2008 Vintage Tasting Notes

The classic Long Haul profile - plums, the darkest of cherries, wrapped in a cigar box. The 2008 Long Haul is a blend of 63% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, 11% Petit Verdot & 4% Malbec.

2008 Wine Spectator - 91 points - Generous, focused and distinctive for its roasted red pepper and paprika nuances around a solid core of dark cherry and berry fruit, finishing firm and long. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Best from 2012 through 2018. - H.S.

2007 Vintage

Mark's best Long Haul yet, from Washington state's outstanding 2007 vintage. Dense and hefty, the Long Haul opens with bright aromas of strawberry, pie cherry, and crushed black pepper before delving into darker notes of black cherry, plum, and blackberry jam. Baking chocolate, earth, sweet herbs, and espresso add depth on the finish.

The 07 Long Haul is tightly wound and built for the cellar. If drinking now, decant extensively or try it on day two! - Marcus

66% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc for one of Washington's best vineyards, Ciel du Cheval in Red Mountain.

A racy nose marked by dried cranberries, loamy earth, floral notes, black pepper, and other red fruit. Tart and puckering on the palate with freshly ground cranberries. Right now the aromatics deliver but the taste is very tight. Give minimum 6-12 months or decant extensively. 66% Merlot, 34% Cab Franc. 55% new French oak; 28% used once (Saury, Sylvan, Quintessence). 14.8% alcohol. 372 cases produced. - WA Wine Report

2006 Vintage

Cabernet Franc and Merlot collide into an intensely fragrant, structured beauty. Huge red berries and red cherries build into darker shades of plum, melding with dark cocoa, smoky ancho, red licorice, graphite, and desert herb. The Long Haul 06 will show best with a couple years in the cellar and will drink well for many years to come.

2005 Vintage

A rock opera of a wine-massive and monumental. The nose has mocha and sweet allspice, black currant, black plum, and black cherry liqueur. Plums, black currants, and hints of mixed berries and sweet black cherries with dense notes of licorice, slate, pencil lead, and smoke. The tannins are very present and youthful, but are balanced by the huge, huge fruit and perfect acidity of the 2005 vintage. The Long Haul is no simple big red, its complexity and structure require air or time to unwind. Like the Dead Horse, the Long Haul softened and integrated beautifully over the course of several days, the luscious Merlot and Cab Franc combining to offer power chords to bring the house down.

Ciel du Cheval Vineyard fruit from Red Mountain: 52% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Petit Verdot.

2004 Vintage

Seattle Times says "Also from Ciel du Cheval, this Pomerol-styled red was tasted a few weeks ahead of its planned November release. The black cherry fruit, with a dark mineral and graphite undercurrent, rides on a river of acid into the silky finish of coffee and buttery chocolate. Beautifully structured and - there's no better word for it - hedonistic."

Seattle's Wine Squire says: "It's about time young man! We have waited a very long time for the debut wine from this Washington State winemaker. Mark Ryan's Long Haul is a fantastic example of where Washington winemaking is heading. Great extraction of color and intense aromatics of dark berry fruit, cassis, leather and smoke fill the glass. The seductive nose of this wine is prelude to its magnificent texture and flavors. Its explosive flavors of black cherry, licorice, vanilla and warm brown spices glide through the palate. The texture and mouthfeel of the wine may just be its greatest attribute. The Long Haul offers up silky tannins and a velvety smooth structure while still maintaining it's full-bodied appeal. This is quite a wine and a spectacular first effort from what I would consider Washington State's hottest new winery."