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The Prayers Of Sinners Washington Red Blend 2020 is a wine I found selling for $9.99. It is one of Chateau Ste. Michelle’s family of wines. They are the largest winery in Washington accounting for half of all the wines produced. This series has two wines: the Prayers of the Sinners (Red blend) and Prayers of the Saints (Chardonnay).
The party trick for this wine is the label. It features a praying kneeling figure, the top 1/3 a skeleton, and the bottom 2/3rds a man in a suit being attacked by octopus arms. Give the label a few minutes of light light, and a full skeleton emerges when you turn the lights off.
The Prayers Of Sinners Washington Red Blend 2020 is 80% Syrah and 20% Merlot and every vintage seems to be a different blend. If a wine contains 75% of one grape varietal it can be called that grape on the label, but here they chose to call it a Red blend.
like that the blend changes from vintage to vintage, especially from a winery with the vineyard holding of Chateau Ste Michelle. Rather than be tied to a particular blend they are free to see which grapes are the best for each vintage. The vineyards were located in the northern part of the Columbia Valley. The 2020 vintage was warm but it was cooler up north which allowed for a longer growing season.
This wine had 30% whole-cluster fermentation, which is where the grape bunches are pressed and fermented stems, twigs, and all. There are wine professionals who feel whole-cluster fermentation produces a better wine. It is a very nice touch for a $10 wine with a novelty label.
The Prayers Of Sinners Washington Red Blend 2020 was aged in oak barrels for 10 months using both neutral (used until they no longer have an oak influence) and barrels used once. The once-used barrels may be a cost-saving measure, but impart oak influence at a lower rate than a new barrel which would be a winemaker decision. The alcohol content is 14.5%.
The Prayers Of Sinners Washington Red Blend 2020 Tasting Notes
The color is Thanksgiving cranberry sauce red. The nose is jammy red berries, black pepper, spice, a little vanilla, blackberry, a light herbs. The Prayers Of Sinners Washington Red Blend 2020 is smooth and jammy then evolves into darker flavors and spice.
This Red blend tastes like black cherry, black pepper, ripe plum, a little bitter dark chocolate, and interesting spice. The mid-palate shows blackberry, dusty tannins (they are an exotic part of the flavor profile and do not bite), cranberry, and blueberry mixed with exotic spice.
The Summary
- The Prayers Of Sinners Washington Red Blend 2020 is a tasty well-made Red blend.
- Sometimes when a wine has a gimmick I don’t expect much, but this is a satisfying Red blend.
- It will pair nicely with comfort food and sips well.
