Markham Napa Valley The Altruist 2017

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So, it occurred to me that the flavor profiles I like in red wines might have something to do with the fact that I had a Luden’s wild cherry cough drop in my mouth from the time my mother could trust me not to choke on it until I moved to New Orleans.  Living in a steam bath apparently did wonders for my respiratory issues.  As a kid, I was also slightly obsessed with those cherry suckers my sister and I got at the Ritz theater on Saturday mornings.  That was back when mothers would drop off their children down town in the morning and pick them up in the afternoon without fear of child predators or random gunfire.  And who can forget the blueberry flavored cough syrup that my mother served like it was some sort of after dinner drink?  If the prescribed potions didn’t keep me quiet at night, a Mason jar filled with whiskey and honey was within arm’s length on the bedside table.  Good lord, it’s a wonder I was sober enough to go to first grade.  (Now that I think about it, I was always a little fuzzy headed in the mornings).  Anyway, this wine reminded me of a Luden’s cough drop.  In a good way.  The review I found on the Wine Spectator web site which was written by Kim Marcus said this about the wine:  Juicy raspberry, dark cherry and dark currant flavors show creamy aspects, backed by firm acidity and tannins. Chocolate mousse accents come in on the rich finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc.  Ummmm, I didn’t really get the chocolate mousse so much but, okay, maybe.  I liked this wine a lot.  I also liked the fact that the winemaker is a Navy veteran dedicated to “giving back.”  This wine, “The Altruist,” was released in 2020 in concert with Markham’s charitable donation to and partnership with the Gary Sinise Foundation whose mission is to serve our country by honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders and their families.  A good wine made by good people and dedicated to a good cause.  I’ve thrown out the cough drops and I’m self-medicating with (a little of) this.

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