Mark Ryan Winery 2006 Water Witch

*Bottle #57: Mark Ryan Winery 2006 Klipsun Vineyard Water Witch
*Price Tag: $32 (discounted), normally $45
*Running Tab: $742

From the viewpoint of an employee for a competing winery in the Woodinville area, you can't help but be a little jealous of Mark McNeilly, owner/winemaker of Mark Ryan Winery. In the Puget Sound region, no one has a bigger cult following than this guy. Wine enthusiasts, critics and fans alike flock to his releases and random weekend appearances in the booming Woodinville warehouse wine district, named "Hoodinville" for its no-frills atmosphere.

Mark, the man, is a huge, cuddly teddy bear, standing high in stature and wide in a huggable, less scary bear sort of way. A newly wed to an about-to-pop bride and seemingly best friends with everyone in the industry and the area, Mark Ryan McNeilly's popularity is equivalent to the local high school's homecoming queen's status. "Rock star," "wine celebrity" and "urban chic" are all descriptors used in his resume. There are "I (Heart) Mark Ryan" t-shirts, for God's sake.

Probably one of the worst Web sites I've seen for some of the best wines I've had. But I'm nitpicky.

Mark Ryan, the wines, are mouthwatering and robust moneymakers; notoriously consumed for their rock-em, sock-em Red Mountain fruit profile. People line up outside his door, just waiting to taste and purchase as much as they can for his limited releases.

Stylisitcally and with his background, it makes sense that I would like a Mark Ryan wine. He trained and got experience at Matthews Cellars, another Woodinville winery whose red wines fit my big wine criteria.

As frequent of a visitor to the Woodinville Wine Country that I am (okay, daily) and as much as his red wines are everything that I have been looking for in these recent reviews, Water Witch was my first Mark Ryan red wine.

Wine pop culture shame!

At 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and all from the beautiful Klipsun Vineyard in Red Mountain, the 2006 Water Witch was dark, rich cherry backed with subtle spice instantly dumped out of the nose of this wine, a little tarry and more fig and boysenberry over time for aromas. Serious oak comes out with vanilla and toastiness.

This monster mouthful of "rotten grape juice" (as McNeilly once called it) has official soothed my big needs. I'm a woman.

Smooth but with tannins that scrape the roof of your mouth, this full-bodied red showed detailed plum and leathery dark fruit aided by well-blended acidity. The wine enters almost bittersweet and finishes similar.

This is a nasty witch though, she comes back to get you once you think it's over with young and barbaric tannins in the lingering finish. I think they'll most certainly be there with age, maybe more refined and elegant but just as core-shaking as now.

I appreciate the recommendations for big wines for my lovely readers (YOU DO EXIST!), but I can finally rest. I will probably see Mark, the man, sometime this week and shake his hand. This homecoming queen has my vote.

I (heart) Mark Ryan.

Score: 9.