2017 Voyager Estate "Girt by Sea" Cabernet Merlot Margaret River Western Australia

Fresh coastal cabernet combines with strawberry-bright merlot in this clean, fragrant red. It feels lithe and bright, lasting with spicy scents of cumin and beach rose, balanced to serve at a cookout.

Shimmering ruby. Ripe cherry and dark berry scents reveal cracked pepper, floral and mocha nuances. Juicy and focused on the palate, offering energetic dark fruit, rose pastille and spicecake flavors that deepen slowly and pick up a smoky note on the back half. Supple tannins build slowly on the long, spice-tinged finish, which leaves behind a hint of bitter cherry. (JR)

This dandy little Bordeaux red blend is such a great value. A nose of chocolate black cherry, minerals and cedar. In the mouth, roasted coffee bean, currants, blackberry and light herbal notes. A perfect amount of oak and tannin on the very long finish, which is quite clean with a hint of chalk. Planning for the holidays? Stock up on this one before it is all gone! So rare to find a wine that isn't just a huge fruit bomb at this price.

The 2017 Voyager Estate "Girt By Sea" Cabernet/Merlot blend is an absolute knockout, ESPECIALLY at this pricing. There's everything you want from a Cabernet Sauvignon focused blend: It's a beautiful deep, garnet color in the glass, with just a touch of age starting to show at the edges. The nose exhibits a generous bouquet of fresh black and red fruits intermingled with trademark Margaret River earthiness, hinting at what is to follow. On tasting, the wine unfolds in layers, with bright pomegranate immediately giving way to dried cherries and stewed blackberries. The deep fruit finishes with elegant notes of earth and oak, adding complexity and backbone. What sets this blend apart is its soft, velvety tannins – they yield a gentleness that makes for a wine that is hard-to-resist, especially at this pricing.