2018 Reininger Cima

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's been really hot here lately and right now a storm front is rolling through, so hopefully the power stays on so I can post this!  Tonight, based on my dinner choice, I've decided to open a bottle that's been in the cellar for a few years.  The 2018 Reininger Cima is a blend of Sangiovese (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (24%), Merlot (24%) and Petit Verdot (2%) from the Seven Hills, Pepper Bridge and XL Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  I have been a fan of the Reininger Cima since I first tasted the 2006 vintage, though I sometimes review the out of order since I've already reviewed the 2019, I think I have reviewed nearly every vintage in that period.  So. let's see how this one is tasting!

The wine is a bright ruby color in the glass, with a bit of depth owing to the influence of the Bordeaux varietals in the blend.  The nose presents aromas of leather intermingled with subdued fruit notes of strawberry and raspberry with hints of white floral over the top.  The first sip is classic Super Tuscan style with a rush of tart cherry and blackberry that gives way to notes of vanilla caramel, earthy tar and tobacco midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, providing for a very smooth dry finish that lingers into your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a great expression of the varieties of Washington wine, using a range of varietals expertly blended for a memorable sip.  This wine would pair well with a range of classic Italian dishes, from hearty pasta Bolognese to risotto alla Milanese.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a classic New Jersey Italian dinner of hot Italian sausage with onions and peppers served with linguine tossed with broccoli rabe, asparagus and garlic scapes.  Cheers!

2023 Precision Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  I spent the afternoon digging up my water meter (long story, don't ask!) and now I'm ready for a nice dinner and glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle I picked up at Costco a few weeks ago and I am hoping it is an under-the-radar wine that I can enjoy (but never find there again!).  The 2023 Precision Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a Napa Valley Cabernet and that's about all I know!  Let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is an inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, textbook for a Napa Cabernet.  The nose presents aromas of leather, smoke, dusty limestone and ripe black currant.  The first sip is a rush of ripe fruit, black cherry, currant and plum with a good bit of tart acidity before transitioning to some ripe plum and peppery spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are well behaved, providing for a wonderfully smooth dry finish that lingers until your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, not because it's a spectacular wine, but because it's a very good wine that was only $15!  This tremendous value wine will let you glimpse at how the other half lives as you sip a very solid wine on a random weeknight!  This wine would pair with a range of casual dinners, from pizza and tacos to burgers and brats.  Since it's Sunday, tonight I am enjoying this wine with something a bit more elevated, a grilled bone-in ribeye with oven roasted fingerling potatoes and cippolini onions and grilled asparagus.  Cheers!

2013 RJV Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, it's the first Saturday of a new month, which makes this Cellar Saturday, that magical time where I open a bottle from the cellar at least a decade in the making.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle that I bought from Wines Till Sold Out, but it's been in the cellar for nearly a decade since I bought it.  The 2013 Robert John Vineyard (RJV) Cabernet Sauvignon (RJV) Cabernet Sauvignon is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the D'Ambrosio Vineyard in the Coombsville AVA of Napa Valley.  So, let's see how this wine is shaping up!

The wine is an inky black at the center, with deep ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from a big Napa Cabernet.  The nose presents aromas of big jammy fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant amid notes of oak, tawny fruit and enticing spice.  The first sip is a clash of flavors, with earthy tar and limestone crashing against ripe blackberry and cassis amid undertones of tawny port before transitioning to some earthy limestone and mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat subdued yet still supportive of the long, smooth dry finish of a classic Napa Cabernet.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5 as I think it may be just a bit past its prime.  This wine would pair well with just about any big, hearty dish, from braised short ribs to rack of lamb, mushroom pasta to smoked beef brisket.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a classic pan seared filet mignon over béarnaise sauce with steamed asparagus and mushroom farro.  Cheers!