From Owen Roe.

We enjoyed this wine this afternoon with good friends at the Grape Choice in downtown Kirkland.  Beside sporting a fantastic label with a great story (read  more below), this Washington grown wine is made in Oregon and is flat out really good.  it went perfectly with our afternoon sitting on the porch in the sun.

According to Owen Roe: Dr. Elerding’s Vineyard in Alderdale is located just off the Columbia River in the Horse Heaven Hills.  The summer heat and winter cold are moderated resulting in a climate that is similar to the famous Chateauneuf duPape region of the Southern Rhone.  We also blended a portion of the structured Grenache from Dr. Elerding’s Yakima Valley Vineyard in addition to Art DenHoed’s Grenache from Erickson Road Vineyard in the Rattlesnake Hills.  These sites have added a beautiful elegance to this year’s version of the Sinister Hand.  This Rhone-styled wine is very dark with fruit flavors and pepper with excellent texture – it will work well with a variety of foods especially spicy fare and dark meats. 63% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 7% Mourvedre

The label is a family crest – a depiction of a severed left hand that tells the story of a rowing competition among the O’Neills and O’Reillys (Owen Roe was an O’Neill).  Whoever touched land first after rowing across the lake was rewarded with the land he touched.  Lagging behind, one of the kinsfolk grabs his sword and cleaves his hand and pitches it ashore to touch land first.  He won the land and eventually ruled over it as king.