2018 Revelry Vintners The Reveler Limited Edition Red Wine Columbia Valley 750 ml

The 2018 Reveler has no flashy scores attached to it. It’s not from a cult producer whose wines fetch big prices at auction. There’s no connection to Michel Rolland and no 100-point winemaker steering the ship.

None of that matters.

Because ever since we visited winemaker Jared Burns in the cellar—and ever since we took our first sips of this bold, structured, seamless red—we knew we wanted it for Wine Access members.

Dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon aromas of dark fruit and tobacco with a hint of Cabernet Franc florals, there’s luscious fruit on the palate that gives way to a beguiling blend of spice and graphite. It reminds us of wines from Stags’ Leap, or modern bottles from St.-Estèphe—but at a price that you’ll scarcely find in those two regions.

The Reveler leans heavily on two of Washington’s hottest regions for the lion’s share of its blend: The Horse Heaven Hills AVA, which has drawn 100-point names like the iconic Quilceda Creek, has a warm, windy climate and well-drained basalt soils, while the Wahluke Slope AVA’s slightly hotter climate and alluvial soils. The rest of the wine is blended from the broader Columbia Valley AVA. Perfect for capturing the gestalt of these regions in a single bottle, these varied terroirs help imbue Reveler with bold fruit and a luscious texture. 

Jared founded Revelry in 2005, and although he’s earned Top 100 honors from the San Francisco Chronicle, his wines still remain under the radar for many wine lovers—even in Washington. 

Word is spreading, though—and if your experience is like ours, your friends are going to want a few bottles, so you might as well lock them down now.