Bookwalter Subplot № 25 is comprised of 48% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Syrah, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Barbera. "By blending across vineyards, varieties and vintages," Bookwalter says, "we create a wine with structure, pronounced aromatics and rich flavors." We would back that up. Deserving of the respect of a good decanting, the wine demonstrates complex claret-like aromas suggesting black cherry and plum, tobacco leaf, cedar and spice and eastern Washington state winegrowing desert dust; polished and rich, velvety-textured; medium to full-bodied, flavorful and well-structured, delivering a whole wallop of cool claret, Pacific Northwest-style, with invigorating warmth, power and presence to spare.