2012 Bell Canyon Napa Valley Reserve Red Blend

Happy Friday!  Well around here it's sure starting to feel like fall, I think the high didn't even reach 70 today and it's supposed to be in the 40s tonight!  At any rate, I've opened up a bottle of wine from Napa Valley, a 2012 vintage, which many experts are saying could eclipse 2007 as a great Napa vintage.  Now I like Napa Cabernet a lot, but this wine is a red blend of Syrah (50%), Malbec (18%), Grenache (15%), Petit Verdot (15%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (2%), so here goes nothing!

The wine is a deep, inky purple color in the glass with bright ruby on the edges.  The nose is a nice combination of fruit, black cherry, tar and green grass, suggesting this wine might still be a bit tightly wound.  The taste is a blast of ripe fruit, black cherry, blueberries and a hint of vanilla that transitions nicely to some toasted oak and mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is actually quite nice (I was expecting it to be rather abrupt), but it was long, smooth and dry, and it has the potential to improve with some time in the bottle (and it presents much better after decanting).

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, with the potential to improve as it matures, and it was a pretty good value for a Napa red blend at only $14 from Wines Till Sold Out.  Tonight I am actually pairing this wine with some seafood, a nice flounder filet with a baked potato and some steamed carrots, as this blend is somewhat lighter with flavors that complement some more hearty fish.  Cheers!