Wow! This week has been one right from the crapper as far as work goes! It's 8:43 and I just got home from work (you know I just mistyped "for work" and I think that's more than a Freudian slip!). So I don't know if I'll even have time for dinner tonight, so I better open some wine! And to celebrate the last day of Washington Wine Month, I opened one of my 6-pack from Madwine.com, this one is the 2007 Januik Columbia Valley Red, what a treat! Unbeknownst to me, Mike Januik is a very consistent winemaker who according to Robert Parker "does is make good wine, year after year, without a lot of fanfare or glitz." This wine is a blend of 62% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Syrah, 6% Cabernet Franc 6% Petit Verdot, and 2% Malbec (but I won't hold that against it). And the grapes are sourced from some of Washington's great vineyards, including Klipsun, Stillwater Creek, Alder Ridge, Seven Hills, Lewis, Ciel du Cheval and Weinbau vineyards.
The wine itself is quite pleasing, with a deep ruby color and a nose exhibiting aromas of leather and cedar. The wine is nice and dry, with flavors of black currant and berries that really holds up remarkably well. With some initial spice, at the end, this wine has a wonderfully smooth finish. Although I appear to be drinking this one for dinner, I could imagine it holding up quite well to grilled steaks, but also going quite well with salmon or a nice dry rubbed pork tenderloin. I have no idea what this one cost me, since it was a 6-pack for $160, which averages out to $26.67 per bottle, so at that average cost it's not a great value, but still a solid red that I would rate an 8.0!
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