2012 Havens Black and Blue Napa Valley Red Wine

Well, the week is winding down, and I just need to open a descent bottle of wine to enjoy with dinner tonight.  I just picked up tonight's offering from Wines Till Sold Out as I saw a notice and couldn't pass of up nice red blend from the stellar 2012 vintage in Napa Valley, so let's see what we have!

The wine is a very deep ruby color in the glass, almost black at the center.  The nose is a pleasant combination of oak, leather, tobacco and a bit of cassis that is typical of modern Napa Valley red wine offerings.  The taste was quite nice, with tart cherry and blackberry exploding at the outset, with a smooth transition to some dried herb notes midpalate.  The tannins have some room to develop, yet they still provide a nice foundation to the long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's very pleasant drinking now, but will likely evolve a bit with a few years in the cellar.  This was also a very nice bargain at $18, making it a candidate for everyday drinking.  Tonight I am enjoying this with a classic Napa red wine pairing of a rare grilled bone-in Angus ribeye, baked potato and grilled heirloom beets and carrots.  The fruit really balances the heartiness of the steak, while the acidity is a nice complement to the sweetness of the root vegetables.  Cheers!