2006 Reininger Cima

HOORAY!  It's March 1st, and you know what that means, it's the first official day of Washington Wine Month!  In celebration of my favorite wine month, I've committed to drinking only wines from Washington this month, and to start things off I've decided to go with a bottle of 2006 Reininger Cima, a super Tuscan (or in this case a super Wallan) blend of Sangiovese (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (25%) and Petit Verdot (25%) sourced from the Seven Hills and Pepper Bridge vineyards.  The wine was aged for five years in 100% French oak, and as you'll see in a moment, it was worth the wait.

I like great wines from Tuscany, but this blend is like nothing I've ever experienced from Tuscany, and that's a good thing!  The color is a rich ruby in the glass, and the nose is just a pleasure to drink in.  There are lovely notes of rich dark fruit, some faint floral notes, and a hint of leather (perhaps it's rich, Corinthian leather, RIP Ricardo Montalban).  My word, the taste of this wine is simply unbelievable, you start on your journey with a bit of tart cherry, and rich ripe berries that effortlessly transitions to rich mocha and dark chocolate notes midpalate.  The finish is just pure pleasure, with rich notes of cedar, tobacco and lush fruit, accented by a peppery spice that supports a finish that lasts and lasts.  It's one of those wines that has you practically begging for more, even though you're still enjoying the finish from your last sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, and I can't even remember how much I paid for it!  Tonight I am pairing this with some grilled chicken linguine along with a lovely arugula salad with crumbled bleu cheese, and topped with Tuscan herb olive oil and some local Cabernet vinegar I got for Christmas.  Though this sounds good, quite frankly you could pair this wine with a bowl of wet shredded cardboard and I don't think you'd even notice!  An auspicious start to Washington Wine Month, I can't wait to see where we go from here!