The Jack 2022 Red Wine

I cannot say enough about how utterly delicious this wine is. In fact, any wine bearing The Jack label is going to gobsmack your tastebuds. This is the latest rendition of the original Jack red, a Right Bank-ish Bordeaux blend of 75% Merlot, 10% Cab Franc, 10% Malbec, and 5% Petit Verdot. It may sound rather sophisticated for such an inexpensive wine, but it meets the challenge and takes you to flavor infinity and beyond. The Jack's track record for low cost/high quality over the past 20 years is undeniable. If anything, this is a much better wine than in the brand's early days, with older vineyard sources, more accomplished winemaking, and a balanced, lingering, complex finish. The bold raspberry fruit shines through a long, clean finish, with a finishing kiss from 25% new oak. And yes, it's topped with a screwcap, which guarantees freshness. 6500 cases; 14.5%; $18 Columbia Valley) 92/100