Happy Sunday! It was a stormy day here today, so I mostly stayed inside and did laundry and a few other chores around the house and now I'm ready for a nice dinner and a glass of wine. Tonight, I've opened a bottle from one of my long-time favorite Walla Walla producers, Seven Hills Winery. The 2021 Seven Hills Founding Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the old vines of the original Seven Hills Vineyard planted by founder Casey McClellan and his father back in the 1980s. Let's see how this wine is shaping up!
The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass with great clarity, just as you'd expect from a nice Cabernet. A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of sweet blackberry, currant, spice box and a hint of floral. The first sip is a surprising rush of tawny earthiness, with notes of leather, peat and cedar, that easily transition to some notes of white pepper spice midpalate. The tannins are chewy and coat your mouth as you head for a delightfully long, dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a wonderful wine, but just not quite up to the level of the 2020 vintage. This wine would pair well with a range of hearty dished, from classic grilled steaks to seared lamb chops, braised short ribs to wild mushroom risotto. Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with an Angus ribeye grilled rare with grilled leeks and broccolini, along with a big baked potato with sour cream and chives. Cheers!