2023 Pope Valley Winery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday!  I've been traveling, so it's been a bit since my last post, but I'm back!  Tonight, I am ready for a nice dinner and a bottle of wine.  After doing a bunch of leaf blowing today, I am ready to relax and given my dinner choice, I think I've opened the right bottle.  The 2023 Pope Valley Winery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (82%), Petit Verdot (11%) and Petit Syrah (7%) from the Napa Valley AVA of California.  I recently bought this wine from Wines Till Sold Out, so let's see how it's tasting! 

The wine is an inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from a nice Napa Cabernet.  The note presents aromas of leather, blackberry and currant amid undertones of basalt and dusty limestone.  Take a sip and you're treated to a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, currant and plum that is at once sweet but also savory.  The tannins are well structured, providing for a wonderfully smooth dry finish that lasts until your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as this is a great example of a classic Napa Valley Cabermet at a great value as I bought this one for just $25.  This wine would pair well with a range of hard cheeses and charcuterie, but it practically begs for a nice steak.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare pan seared New York Strip with a mushroom pan sauce, along with wild mushroom farro and steamed broccoli.  Cheers!

2021 Castelli del Grevepesa Sasso del Falco Chianti Classico Riserva

Happy Saturday!  We went from summer to fall this week, going from the upper 80s on Tuesday to the upper 30s this morning!  With the solid move to fall weather, it's time to start thinking more of hearty meals and nice red wines to go with them.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2021 Castelli del Grevepesa Sasso del Falco Chianti Classico Riserva that I recently purchased from Wines Till Sold Out.  As a Chianti Classico, this wine is 100% Sangiovese aged a total of 36 months in Oak.  Let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a lighter body, bright ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a nice Sangiovese.  The nose presents aromas of strawberry, bright cherry and currant amid some mineral notes and hints of nutmeg.  The first sip is classic rush of tart cherry, currant with a good bit of harvest spice notes, ideal for fall.  The tannins are fine and a bit tightly wound, providing for a smooth dry finish with a good but of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a classic example of a solid Chianti at a classic value price.  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from classic Italian pasta, sausage with onions and peppers or eggplant parmesan.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a classic Midwest fall dinner of roast pork tenderloin, mushroom farro and oven roasted poblanos and broccoli rabe.  Cheers!

2023 Browne Family Vineyards Forest Project Red Wine

Happy Sunday!  I had a rather relaxing day, did some chores, a little grading and now I'm ready for dinner and a nice glass of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle that I recently bought at Costco. The 2023 Browne Forest Project Red Wine is an undisclosed blend of red varietals from the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington, and what makes this wine interesting is the commitment to reducing resource use while engaging in reforestation projects around the country.  The bottle is lighter weight and the lack of paper labels further reduce demand for trees.  It's a very interesting project and laudable goal, but let's taste the wine!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, typical of a Washington Bordeaux-style blend.  The nose presents aromas of green grass, leather, black cherry and plum.  The first sip is a rush of cherry cola and baking spice that eases into some earthy notes of basalt.  The tannins are well structured providing a solid base for the long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate the wine a solid 8, but the project a 10.  The wine is just a pleasant drinking everyday wine that would pair well with a wide range of dishes, from burgers and brats to barbecue and steak.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with our last gasp of summer, spicy barbecued ribs along with a chile relleno casserole with roasted chipotle salsa.  Cheers!