The J. McLarnin is Bookwalter's most exclusive waitlist wine. This wine is only made in exceptional vintages and has a family heritage story behind it.
THE STORY BEHIND THE NAME
The J. McLarnin is a tribute to John Bookwalter's Grandfather, Jimmy "Baby Face" McLarnin.
Born in Northern Ireland, James "Jimmy" McLarnin was the fifth of twelve siblings. Seeking a better life, the family moved to Canada, eventually settling for a time in Vancouver, British Columbia. In Vancouver, Jimmy worked as a paperboy to help support his large family. As the legend goes, Jimmy's boxing career began as a child defending his paper route. In 1923 "The Belfast Bomber" turned pro and began a prolific career as a professional boxer, culminating in two world titles and eventually landing him in the Canadian and International Boxing Hall-of-Fame. This Tribute is a wine we have wanted to craft for years and the 2016 vintage provided us the opportunity to do so.
THE WINEMAKING
The 2016 J. McLarnin is a blend of 50% Syrah and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced entirely from Conner Lee Vineyard. It was aged for two years in French oak and an additional year in bottle. The wine has tremendous aromatics and bold flavors. There are no punches pulled when we are talking about the J. McLarnin blend. It has only gotten better with time and will continue to age gracefully for years to come. A true "knockout" in the world of big, balanced wines. We are approaching the last few cases of this wine and will not be releasing another until 2021. Add this Hall-of-Fame wine to your cellar collection before it's gone.
Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is available for purchase before charging your card on file.