2022 Mount Veeder Winery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, after a break of spring-like weather, we were back to shoveling snow today!  That's all right, at least now we get to enjoy some wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of wine from Mount Veeder Winery that I recently picked up at my local market on clearance sale for only $30!  I have enjoyed wines from this producer for a while (see my reviews of the 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2016 vintages), so I've been looking forward to this one.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (82%) and Merlot (18%) from a number of Vineyards in Napa Valley.  Let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose presents aromas of ripe plum, cedar and baking spice with just a hint of floral undertones.  The first sip bursts forth with ample red fruit, cherry, currant and plum that ease into some smoky notes of charred oak and hints of dark chocolate midpalate. The tannins are rather supple, making for a delightfully smooth, dry finish that seems to linger for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a pleasant drinking wine that at the price is an ideal everyday sipper.  This wine would pair well with a range of hearty dishes, from lasagna to mushroom risotto, braised short ribs to classic steak.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with my Sunday dinner of a tomahawk ribeye grilled Pittsburgh rare, oven roasted purple potatoes and steamed sugar snap peas.  Cheers!

2022 Mark Ryan Long Haul Columbia Valley Red Wine

Happy Saturday!  I admit, I am finally catching up on some older wine club shipments, this time from 2024 (and no worries, I am sure I have some in the cellar lingering since 2016 or so!).  The 2022 Mark Ryan Long Haul Columbia Valley Red Wine is a blend of Merlot (70%), Cabernet Sauvignon (21%), Cabernet Franc (8%) and Petit Verdot (1%) from the Quintessence, Red Willow and Ciel du Cheval Vineyards in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  Let's see how this wine is tasting a few years on!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with a bit of darkness at the center.  The nose presents aromas of black cherry, leather and hints of green grass.  The first sip is a surprising rush of tart cherry that eases into some flavors of vanilla bean, savory herbs and toasted oak midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat subdued, but still provide enough backbone for a wonderfully smooth dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a classic expression of the great Bordeaux style blends coming from Washington.  This wine would pair well with hard cheeses and charcuterie, beef  bourguignon, or a classic grilled steak.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a pan seared Angus New York Strip over a bed of sautéed onions and mushrooms, steamed asparagus and a big baked potato.  Cheers!

2019 Beaulieu Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Valentines Day!  I hope you are enjoying the evening with the love of your life!  Tonight I am enjoying a fabulous dinner (as always) and have decided to open a wine that I recently purchased from a local market, from a big producer that I have not tried before.  The 2019 Beaulieu Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is the 119th year that this producer has been crafting fine Napa Valley wines, so let's see what this one has to offer.

The wine has the classic look of a big Napa Cabernet in the glass, bright ruby, with a dark brooding center.  The nose presents aromas of leather, sweet cherry, aged oak and hints of baking spice.  The first sip is a rush of ripe black fruit, with distinctly tawny elements, blackberry, cherry and cassis, amid undertones of oak and earthy minerals.  The first rush of fruit easily transitions to some classic earthy notes of tar, dusty limestone and peat, before some acidic notes at the finish.  The tannins are well structured providing for a long, voluptuous finish that lingers until your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a prime example of a classic Napa Valley Cabernet, without the big, punch-in-the-face tannins that you often see.  This wine would pair well with a range of hearty dishes, from braised lamb to grilled steak, hearty pasta to classic pot roast.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a classic surf and turf, a rare grilled bone-in ribeye along with a grilled lobster tail and some grilled asparagus (by the way, if your man didn't make you a dinner like this, it might be time for a conversation!).  Cheers!