2019 Forgeron Cellars Zinfandel

Let me be the first to wish you a Happy New Year, as this will likely be my last blog post of 2025!  Tonight, as I prepare for a relaxing New Year's Eve, I've decided to open a bottle of 2019 Forgeron Cellars Zinfandel to enjoy with my Taco Tuesday dinner!  This wine was sourced from the Alder Ridge Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA of Washington.  Let's see if I picked a winner for my dinner!

The wine is a bright ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a nice Zinfandel.  The nose presents aromas of toasted oak, ripe cherry and currant intertwined with hints of earthy basalt, suggesting a more subdued affair than the typical jammy Zinfandel that is so common.  The first sip is an complex and layered journey that starts with a rush of tart cherry amid a flood of oak that transitions into some earthy mineral notes and white pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are well structured, for the long, smooth dry finish with a bit of acidity at the end.

If you are a fan of jammy Zins, this wine is not for you, which is why I rate this one a solid 9, as it's a pleasing and complex wine that offers many avenues to explore.  This wine would pair well with a range of everyday dishes, from tacos on Tuesday to pizza or alder planked salmon.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with some steak fajita tacos with all the trimmings.  Cheers!

2021 Reininger Malbec

Merry Christmas!  It's been a rather subdued day, but now it's time for a beefy dinner, and what better wine to go with beef than a nice Malbec.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2021 Reininger Malbec, which contains mainly Malbec (98%) with a touch of Petit Verdot (2%) harvested from Pepper Bridge (82%), Stone Valley (16%) and Seven Hills (2%) Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  Let's see how this wine is shaping up!

This wine has the classic look of Malbec, inky black with bright ruby along the edges.  A gentle swirl of the glass and you're treated to aromas of green grass, olive tapenade and dusty limestone, with undertones of ripe blackberry and plum.  The first sip is a rush of earthy minerality, graphite, basalt and limestone that open up into some lovely floral notes dancing between hints of ripe black fruit and peppery spice.  The tannins are nicely structured, providing a long, smooth dry finish with a bit of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as I don't think it quite measures up to the 2019 vintage, but there is still time for this one to develop.  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from burgers to barbecue, braised short ribs to chorizo tacos, but more than anything, this wine demands a big steak.  And we're in luck, since tonight my Christmas dinner is a extra thick grilled ribeye along with wild mushroom farro and steamed asparagus with hollandaise.  Cheers!

2022 Mark Ryan Winery Lucia Rose Red Wine

Happy Sunday! Forgive my lack of posts but with the end of semester and getting ready for Christmas, time has been at a premium for me!  But tonight I submitted grades and my first semester is officially in the books, so it's time for a nice Sunday dinner and a bottle of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2022 Mark Ryan Winery Lucia Rose Red Wine,  This wine is a blend of Petit Verdot (35% from the Ciel du Cheval Vineyard), Cabernet Sauvignon (30% from block 16 of the Quintessence Vineyard), Merlot (25% from the Red Willow Vineyard) and Malbec (10% from the Henry Earl Vineyard).  So, let's see how this wine is shaping up!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, a testament to the heavy hand of these Bordeaux varietals.  The nose is chock full of ripe black fruit aromas, blackberry, currant and plum, with undertones of charred oak and meaty spice.  Take a sip and you're awash in black fruit, with a hint of sweetness that easily moves into some earthy notes of oak and peat, with anise and herbal notes.  The tannins are balanced, providing for long, smooth dry finish that lingers to you next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a wonderful expression of a classic Bordeaux style blend from the Columbia Valley of Washington.  This wine would pair well with the holidays, just sipping on a cold winter evening in front of the fireplace.  Thinking of Christmas dinner, this would be ideal with a prime rib and all the trimmings, but tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a grilled T-bone steak, baked potato and steamed broccoli.  Cheers!