2012 Franciscan Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  The Sunday after a big holiday like Thanksgiving always feels weird to me, especially since it's the start of one of the busiest times of the year.  In any case, it's time for dinner and a glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2012 Franciscan Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, as I'm in the mood for a steak, what could be better?  This particular wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (85%), Merlot (9%), Malbec (3%), Petit Verdot (2%) and Cabernet Franc (1%).

The color is a deep inky purple in the glass, with bright ruby near the edges.  The nose presents aromas of leather, blackberry, tar and plum, classic big Cabernet.  The taste is quite nice, with some subdued fruit up front, plum, blackberry and cassis, that transitions nicely to some earthy notes of leather, tobacco and dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are still quite youthful, providing a big backbone to the long, smooth and bone dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a very nice Napa Cabernet and it was a great value, as I found this one on sale at my local supermarket for just $20.  As hinted to above, tonight I am enjoying this wine with a big rare grilled Angus ribeye along with cheesy potatoes and steamed Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2013 Origami Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Black Friday!  Tonight amidst all the hubbub, I've decided to open a bottle of 2013 Origami Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, as I recently bought a case from Wines Till Sold Out.  I must admit this was not at all what I was expecting from a '13 vintage Napa Cabernet, in fact at first glance it appears to be a very nice Pinot Noir, with very light body and classic Pinot aromatics.  So let's see how things develop!

As mentioned this is a very light bodied wine, with lovely ruby color in the glass.  The nose is everything a pinot should be, lovely ripe red fruit, raspberries, tart cherries, green grass and dusty limestone.  The taste is such a mind blowing reversal, as your nose has you fully prepared for a Pinot and the taste is all Cabernet, with a blast of ripe red fruit, cherry, blackberry and raspberry, that transitions to some lovely vanilla bean, cardamom and oak notes midpalate.  The finish is just lovely, with rather subdued tannins providing a nice base for the long, smooth dry finish that beckons another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it doesn't seem like it at first, but this is a wonderful Cabernet that plays mind games on the nose.  Although this would be a great wine with red meat, tonight I am enjoying this with a more Pinot inspired pairing with snow crab legs, drawn butter, cornbread and steamed asparagus.  Cheers!

2012 Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  We just had our first snow of the season, not much just a few inches, but it turned remarkably cold very fast - when I woke up this morning it was only 12!  So when it gets cold, that means you need a big, bold wine to help warm things up, so tonight I've decided to open up a bottle of 2012 Duckhorn Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  Now this wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (79%), Merlot (17%), Cabernet Franc (2%) and Petit Verdot (2%), providing a little more complexity in the wine.

The wine is a beautiful deep ruby color in the glass, with a near inky appearance near the center.  The nose presents aromas of black raspberry, black currant, vanilla bean and a hint of leather.  The taste is really quite nice, as you experience some subdued black fruit up front, that smoothly transitions to some flavors of mocha and baking spice midpalate.  The finish is quite nice, with some smooth tannins supporting a long, voluptuous finish.

My house this morning, a winter wonderland though it's still autumn!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a classic Napa Valley Cabernet from a strong vintage, but it's a bit young and could use some time in the cellar.  It's also not a tremendous value, though I found some of this wine locally for a little less than $57.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic Cabernet pairing of rare grilled Angus New York Strip, backed potato and grilled asparagus.  A hearty meal for a cold snowy evening!

2013 Seven Hills Walla Walla Merlot

Ok, I'll admit it, I've been on a bit of a Washington wine kick lately, and tonight I've continued the trend, opening up a bottle of 2013 Seven Hills Walla Walla Valley Merlot.  I just got this bottle about a week or so ago with my latest wine club shipment, so why shouldn't I enjoy it?  Particularly since I love Merlot and Washington wines!  This particular Merlot is a blended with Cabernet Sauvignon (3%) and Cabernet Franc (3%) just to take the edge off.

This wine is a beautiful deep ruby color in the glass, with very nice clarity.  The nose presents aromas of ripe fruit, cherry, blackberry, raspberry and plum, overlaid with a bit of tea and leather.  The taste is wonderful, with a rush of ripe fruit, blackberry, cherry and plum that transition effortlessly to some cherry cola and dark chocolate notes midpalate.  The finish is wonderfully smooth with some rather mellow tannins supporting a long, voluptuous and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's really a beautiful young Walla Walla Merlot that's drinking very well now, but could easily be put down for a decade to mature.  This wine would be so ideal for a variety of hearty fall dishes, but tonight I am going with the old standby, a bacon-wrapped filet grilled rare with a baked potato and steamed asparagus.  Cheers!

2013 Seven Hills Reserve Petit Verdot

Happy Sunday!  I've been crazy busy today, getting the last of the leaves raked, doing laundry and making a vat of mashed potatoes for my office Thanksgiving carry in tomorrow, so now it's time to relax with a glass of wine and tonight it's a special one, the 2013 Seven Hills Reserve Petit Verdot.  Now I really like Seven Hills Petit Verdot, and like the regular version, this one is from the McClellan Estate, but the reserve was made from the fruit of some fan-trained blocks of the vineyard, resulting in a limited production of about 75 cases.  So let's see how special this one is!

The color is a deep inky black in the glass with garnet around the edges.  The nose presents aromas of ripe black fruit, blackberry, earth and tobacco with just a hint of rose petal.  The taste is wow, just WOW!   I don't think I've had a Petit Verdot like this before.  The fruit explodes on your palate, with flavors of blackberry, plum and cherry that gradually transition to some lovely notes of anise, vanilla and mocha midpalate.  The finish is divine, the tannins though young are exceptionally smooth, giving a nice balance to the long, smooth and very dry finish.  This is the kind of wine where you don't just wait for flavors to develop, it's really just a complete symphony of flavors that present a remarkable harmony with every sip.

Overall, I would rate this a solid 9.5, as it's by far the best example of a pure Petit Verdot varietal that I've ever tasted.  As I mentioned, this one is extremely limited, so if you want some you'd better call the winery and order because I can't imagine a wine like this lasting very long in inventory.  For pairings, who cares?  This is the kind of wine you could just sip all evening long, but if you must know I've opened this wine for taco night!  I'm sure it will be great with chorizo and frijoles, though I'm sure I'll be sipping this one long after my meal is done.  Cheers!

2011 DaMaNation

Happy Wednesday!  We've reached hump day and now it's time to open up a little delicious wine to celebrate the middle of the week.  Tonight, given all of the recent and various wine club shipments that seem to be delivered almost daily, I've decided to open a bottle of 2011 DaMaNation GSM blend from DaMa wines in Walla Walla.  You know how I love me some GSM, and this one is 45% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 15% Mourvedre, so let's see how she stacks up!

The wine is a gorgeous ruby in the glass with bright clarity.  The nose evokes perfumed aromas of blackberry and cassis along with some lovely violet and rose petal notes.  The taste is a rush of ripe fruit, blackberry, strawberry and plum that transitions nicely to some earthy mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is divine, with velvety smooth tannins providing the structure for a voluptuous and dry finish that beckons another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's really a nice example of a domestically produced GSM blend that would stack up well with the wines of the Rhone Valley.  Although this wine would be perfect with many Mediterranean dishes, tonight I am enjoying it with a rather uncharacteristic dinner of rare grilled filet mignon, baked potato and grilled Brussels sprouts.  The smooth fruit of this wine is a perfect balance for a hearty meal.  Cheers!

2009 Chateau St. Jacques La Croix Lalande de Pomerol

Well, I've been raking leaves for six hours straight and by all accounts I should be passed out somewhere, but alas I am really looking forward to Sunday dinner, so why not open a nice bottle of wine to enjoy as well?  Tonight it's the 2009 Chateau St. Jacques La Croix Lalande de Pomerol, an appellation just north of Pomerol with lots of clay soil ideal for Merlot.  And that's a good think since this wine is a blend of Merlot (90%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (10%).

The wine is a deep garnet in the glass with very nice clarity.  The nose presents aromas of ripe fruit, blackberry, plum and cassis along with some earthy mineral notes.  The taste is quite nice, a nice bit of fruit up front, blackberry, plum and cherry that transition nicely to some earth notes of cedar and dusty limestone midpalate.  The fine tannins support a velvety mouthfeel and a long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I rate this wine a solid 8.5 as it's drinking quite nicely and it was a tremendous value at just $19 from Wines Till Sold Out.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a special Sunday dinner treat of surf & turf!  I am having a petite prime filet mignon with snow crab legs, baked potato and steamed asparagus.  The fruit and mineral aspects of this wine are a perfect balance to the richness of the crab.  Cheers!

1998 L'Ecole No. 41 Columbia Valley Merlot

Well, today was another busy day of leaf gathering, after last week's adventure the city came and picked them all up on Monday morning.  Unfortunately they didn't wait for the remaining leaves to fall from the maples, which means I have plenty to do this weekend!  And hopefully after this we will be officially done with leaves.  Although I'm tired now, I realize it's the first Saturday of the month, which of course means it's Cellar Saturday!  And tonight I have a nice treat to celebrate the conclusion of Merlot month, the 1998 L'Ecole No. 41 Columbia Valley Merlot!

I decanted the wine for about an hour before my first pour and it's a nice garnet color with a hint of amber along the edges and great clarity.  The nose presents lovely aromas of ripe berries, blackberry, cherry and raspberry over some earthy notes of leather and cedar.  The taste is reminiscent of a fine Bordeaux, with some ripe black fruit up front and a hint of mint that transitions nicely to some earthy elements of peat and oak midpalate.  The finish is surprising, as the tannins are mellow beyond belief, yet the long, smooth and very dry finish seems to go on forever with a final reprise of black fruit minerality.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a lovely example of the varietal at its peak maturity.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic Merlot meal of rare grilled Angus New York Strip with a baked potato and some grilled Brussels sprouts.  The dark fruit and mineral notes are a perfect complement to such a rich meal.  Cheers!

2010 Chateau Brun Saint-Emilion

Wow, it's been a while since I've had a nice Bordeaux that was actually from Bordeaux!  Tonight I've opened a wine that I bought recently from Wines Till Sold Out, a Saint-Emilion from a small, 25-acre vineyard that's been planted with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and owned by the same family since 1571.  Fortunately for me, the 2010 vintage was such a nice one that shortly after release the Chateau achieved Grand Cru status, which is kind of a big deal!  This particular wine is a classic Saint-Emilion blend of Merlot (80%) and Cabernet Saugivnon (20%).

The wine is a perfect deep ruby color in the glass, with very nice clarity and just a hind of blackness at the heart.  The nose evokes springtime in Paris, lovely bright berry aromas of black currant and cherry over some earthy notes of anise and cedar.  The taste is just divine, everything a nice Bordeaux should be, with some lovely ripe black fruit up front that transitions nicely to mineral elements of basalt and green cedar midpalate.  The finish brings out the still rather tightly wound tannins supporting a long, smooth and very dry finish that's so classic.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's drinking quite nicely now but will certainly improve over the next decade.  It was also a terrific value at just $20!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare bacon-wrapped filet with some sweet potato mash and haricots verts almondine, an ideal wine for steak, but it would also pair nicely with a variety of hearty autumn dishes like cassolet or wild mushroom risotto.  Bon appetit!

2011 Reininger Walla Walla Valley Merlot

Ahhhh...it's autumn but it sure doesn't feel like it this week, it was sunny and 72 here today!  In any case, warm or cool, it's time for Merlot and tonight I've opened a bottle of 2011 Reininger Walla Walla Valley Merlot, which was part of my recent wine club shipment!  The one happens to be 100% Merlot from the Pepper Bridge Vineyard and just 387 cases produced.

The wine is a beautiful bright ruby color in the glass, with great clarity.  The nose exhibits aromas of rich, dark, ripe fruit, blackberries, plum, currant over some earthy elements of oak and leather.  The taste is quite nice, with a blast or ripe berries up front that transition nicely to some cherry cola and mocha notes midpalate.  The tannins are wonderfully smooth and well integrated, leading to a long, lush finish that dares you to ask for more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, with ample room to improve with some time in the cellar.  In fact this one reminds me a lot of a nice Bordeaux, which could be put down for your kids to enjoy!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic rare Angus T-bone, some home fries with onions and some steamed green beans (oh, the last of the fresh green beans!).  The wine provides a lovely fruit forward complement to such a savory meal.  Cheers!

2013 Mockingbird Hill Reserve Petit Verdot

Well, the leaves are all done, with the exception of those still up on the trees, but it seems like fall is quickly coming to a conclusion, which means that winter can't be too far behind!  And with cooler weather and shorter days, it's the perfect time for some big, bold red wines.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2013 Mockingbird Hill Reserve Petit Verdot from Napa Valley.  Now it used to be that the Bordeaux blending grapes like Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, were relegated to behind the scenes work of giving structure to the great Bordeaux blends, but in recent years more wineries have been experimenting with bottling these varietals on their own.  Lucky for us!

This wine is a deep, inky purple in the glass, reminiscent of a strong Cabernet.  The nose presents aromas of blackberry, tart cherry, dried red flowers and oak.  The tastes offers some lovely fruit notes up front, with blackberry and cherry cola that transitions to some earthy notes of oak and dark chocolate midpalate.  The tannins are very tightly wound, but still offer a solid foundation for the exceptionally long and very dry finish.  This wine is still young and will probably improve further with some time in the cellar, but in my view it's drinking quite nicely now.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, most likely due to how well the varietal holds up, as well as the terrific value of this wine - I bought this one from Wines Till Sold Out for just $17!  Again, this is a perfect fall wine, ideal for sipping by the fire on a chilly evening.  It's also a good steak wine and tonight I am enjoying this one with a rare grilled bone-in ribeye, with a baked potato and some steamed green beans.  Happy Sunday Dinner!