Review: 2015 ‘Last Warrior Red’ | Silver Heights Winery | Ningxia, China

Reviewed in March 2019 by Kyle Reno Lenci

The Last Warrior Red is a red blend available from Silver Heights, the Ningxia-based winery headed by Emma Gao.  It is a 70-30 Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot.

The wine is a celebration of the agricultural workers the Chinese empire relied upon.  The back of the bottle is adorned with pro-worker, patriotic language including Love Live China and Love Live Chinese Wine!  The front label features the kneeling terracotta warrior from Xi’an.

The wine itself is balanced, fruity and crisp.  A mix of red and black fruits with a savoury, vegetal note.  I recognized a bit of chocolate and smoked meats. There’s a glimpse of forest floor that opens up with the wine.

On the palate, the savory and vegetal notes really shine through with a driven black pepper and meaty finish.  The tannins were surprisingly low for a Cabernet dominant blend, so the body relied on the wine’s refreshing acidity.  It was a thoroughly enjoyable wine.

Drink this guy young and pair it with a cured meat board or a gourmet cheeseburger.