2011 Helix Columbia Valley Syrah

Happy Halloween!  It certainly was a scary day for me today, what with the intense efforts to clear my yard of endless leaves, carving a pumpkin and handing out candy to all manner of ghouls and monsters.  While I'll enjoy my evening and fall asleep early, so we can start leaf blowing again tomorrow, at least I'll enjoy a nice bottle of wine and tonight it's the 2011 Helix Columbia Valley Syrah which I recently received as part of my wine club shipment from Reininger.

The wine has a lovely deep garnet color in the glass, classic for a nice Syrah.  The nose presents aromas of raspberries, cherries, cassis and just a hint of green grass.  The taste is quite nice, a blast of ripe fruit at the outset, raspberry and black cherry that quickly subsides into some nice mineral elements of basalt and earthy peak midpalate.  The finish is quite nice, somewhat reminiscent of a great burgundy, as the fruit reprises the finish, with well integrated tannins performing a supporting role for the long, smooth and very dry finish that makes you reach for more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a very nice Syrah, perfect for everyday drinking and ideal for when you're exhausted as I am tonight.  As for pairing, this would be a nice wine for a variety of hearty fall dishes, but tonight I am enjoying this one with a classic tuna casserole (after all, who wants to cook when there is so much work to do?).  Cheers!

2013 Michel-Schlumberger Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon

Since I've been on a bit of a Napa kick since visiting the valley, why not open another fine Napa Valley Cabernet?  Tonight it's the 2013 Michel-Schlumberger Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon from the Spring Mountain District of Napa Valley.  This one I happened to buy recently from Wines Till Sold Out.

The wine itself it a bright ruby color, with nice clarity, a little different than many of the big brooding Cabernets from Napa.  The nose presents lovely black fruit aromas of blackberry, cherry and raspberry over a bit of vanilla and smoke.  The taste is formidable, with lovely notes of cherry cola and earthy notes of peat and basalt, it's a big cabernet that doesn't just show off it's heft, but rather displays a quiet confidence knowing just who is boss.  The tannins are young but very well structured, supporting a long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, I really enjoyed it, and it was a terrific value at just $25 from Wines Till Sold Out.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled Angus porterhouse, with some grilled brussels sprouts and rainbow carrots.  The wine really provides a nice counterpart to the rich flavors of the steak, for a classic pairing.  Cheers!

2012 Raymond Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

What a fantastic day trip through Napa Valley I had last weekend.  The lovely food and wine on the Napa Valley Wine Train was fantastic, and the opportunity to visit two wineries along the Silverado Trail as awesome as well.  So tonight I've opened a bottle of 2012 Raymond Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvigon, a wine from the second vineyard we visited, one which has some definite character involved! 

It was certainly a fun visit, mannequins and all!  Of course the wine was quite nice as well, from the 2013 Frenchie Napoleon Cabernet Sauvignon to the 2012 District Collection St. Helena Cabernet, the wines were all quite nice.  This particular wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (96%) and Petit Verdot (4%).  Now they talked a lot about their organic and biodynamic techniques, but when they got to the part about burying cow horns with compost on the winter solstice they really just lost me completely.

Back to the wine, it's actually a very nice, classic Napa Cabernet, with deep inky black color with ruby along the edges.  The nose presents aromas of ripe black fruit, blackberry, plum and cherry with hints of rose and leather.  The taste is classic Cabernet, with rich ripe fruit that transitions effortlessly to some flavors of tobacco and dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured, offering a great foundation for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a very nice wine and a good value at $45.  Tonight I am just sipping this wine with a bit of dark chocolate after dinner.   This wine would certainly pair well with a classic big steak, or a hearty pasta dish.  Cheers!

2012 Charles Krug Generations

Given that it was impossible to ship wine home to Indiana, I settled for buying a couple of bottles of wine on my tasting visits that I'd be able to consume before getting on a plane to go home.  So the first wine I brought back was a remarkable Cabernet Sauvignon from one of the oldest wineries in the Napa Valley, Charles Krug, founded in 1861, the 2012 Family Reserve Generations, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (83%), Malbec (7%), Merlot (5%) and Petit Verdot (5%).

The beautiful tasting room at Charles Krug.

I brought this bottle back and met a colleague at a restaurant for dinner so we could enjoy this wine with dinner.  The wine was a lovely deep inky purple in color with a nose that exhibited aromas of rich black fruit, cedar and dried herbs.  The taste was classic Napa Valley Cabernet, lots of blackberry, cherry and plum, that transition to some nice mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins were firm offering a nice foundation for the long, smooth, voluptuous finish. 

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's a wonderful example of a classic Cabernet blend, though it's still a bit young and might improve with a bit of time in the cellar.  I enjoyed this wine with a lovely appetizer of Scottish salmon crudo followed by Bouillabaisse as a main course.  The wine was perfect with the spice of my dinner, but also paired well with the rare filet mignon that my colleague orders.  Overall, a great wine with food from a wonderful winery, cheers!

This is "Big Red" made from redwood back in 1944, no longer used for wine making.



My day trip to Napa Valley

So last week I had to be in San Francisco for a day of meetings for work, and since I was going to be taking such a long flight, I thought why not go a day early and spend the weekend in the Bay area?  Better yet, why don't I spend a day in Napa Valley!  A few google searches later and I had tickets for the Napa Valley Wine Train, combining two of my favorite things, wine and trains!

The interior of the dome car where I enjoyed lunch with a view!

I opted for the wine ambassador tour, so I was able to have lunch in the dome car, cooked to order along with some wonderful wines,  I have to admit, having taken the Acela express between New York and Boston, I was not expecting the food to be this good!  I had an appetizer of grilled shrimp, an green and red apple salad, and the rack of lamb, all cooked on board.  A wonderful opportunity to get your foodie and wine fix all at once.  It's also such a social experience, since I was by myself, I sat at a small table across from two lovely couples celebrating a birthday, and we explored the train while they were kind enough to share some of the wine they brought on board (did I mention you could bring your favorite wine for a $15 corkage?).

My place setting and menu along with a glass of Napa sparkling wine to start the meal.

Of course, riding through Napa Valley to St. Helena, you see some marvelous scenery, and with some new friends we enjoyed the views from the dome as well as from the observation car at the end of the train, which featured and open platform to enjoy all of the sight, smells and fresh air of the valley.

You just couldn't beat the scenery on the train!

After lunch, we arrived in St. Helena, and the train would soon head back to the town of Napa Valley, but I was on a different route, boarding a charter bus to tour and taste at two very interesting wineries in Napa, Charles Krug, which traces its roots back to the gold rush days and its founding in 1861, and Raymond Vineyards, which is a leader in sustainable vineyard practices and a few other odd things.  More on these two visits on my next post!

Another option for next time is a stop for a tasting at Grgich Hills, a wonderful winery.  Maybe next time!

2012 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Valley Merlot

It's hump day and boy can I use a nice glass of wine with dinner!  And since it's Merlot month, why not open a bottle of my favorite under-appreciated varietal?  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2012 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Valley Merlot, which is actually a blend of Merlot (80%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) and Cabernet Franc (10%) from the Seven Hills and Ferguson estates.

The wine is a beautiful ruby color in the glass with great clarity.  The nose presents aromas of ripe dark fruit, green grass and coffee.  The taste is as smooth as it gets, with some subdued fruit notes up front that quickly give way to some smoky notes and cherry cola.  The earthy mineral notes of basalt really come through midpalate, surely the influence of the estate Ferguson fruit.  The tannins are vibrant, making a nice combination with the earthy minerality on the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, and it was a very nice value even at the full retail price of $36.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a perfect mid-week dinner of a petite porterhouse (yes there is such a thing in my world!) along with some grilled asparagus and sweet potato mash, what a perfect way to end an Autumn evening!  Cheers!

2013 Castlebank "Vivian's Vineyard" Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

It's Sunday afternoon, and of course I didn't get nearly what I wanted to accomplish around the house done today, but at least I did laundry and prepped for dinner...it's the little things!  So since I'm already disappointed in my weekend accomplishments, why not open a bottle of wine and enjoy my evening?  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2013 Castlebank "Vivian's Vineyard" Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that I got a couple weeks ago from Wines Till Sold Out.  Now a little over a year ago I tasted the 2012 vintage (which you can see here), so let's see how the new one stacks up.

The wine is a lovely deep ruby color in the glass, with a dark indigo at the center.  The nose presents aromas of leather, blackberry and plum, with just a hint of smoke.  The taste is just what you'd expect from a nice Cabernet, blended with just enough Bordeaux varietals to take the edge off.  At first you have a rush of ripe fruit, that transitions effortlessly to some mineral notes, mocha and dark chocolate midpalate.  The tannins are refined and well integrated, providing the foundation for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

This is a very nice Cabernet that I would rate a solid 8, and it's a terrific value as well at just $14!  Tonight I am pairing this with a rare Angus porterhouse along with some oven roasted fingerling potatoes with cajun spices and some steamed broccoli.  The dark fruit and minerality of this wine make it perfect for steak.  Cheers!

2013 Sullivan Family Vineyards Rutherford Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

It's a lovely Saturday in autumn, with bright sunshine and crisp, cool air, perfect college football weather and perfect Cabernet weather!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2013 Sullivan Family Vineyards Rutherford Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, one which a number of critics have described as a wine for the ages.  Now call me skeptical, but I am still hearing critics raving about how awesome the 2012 Napa Valley Cabernet vintage was, and in my experience I haven't been all that impressed with the '12s, they certainly are no match of the '07s which are now
reaching their prime.  And now I'm hearing critics rave about the '13 vintage, it was even better than '12! (in my opinion that's not such a feat, but I digress).  So before I go full on cynical, let's give this one a try.

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity and a classic inky center.  The nose is nice, with some nice smoky mineral note over a thin layer of ripe black fruit.  The taste is quite nice, with some ripe blackberry and cherry up front that transitions to some notes of rhubarb, spice box and dark chocolate midpalate.  The finish is quite nice, with the fine grained tannins providing a nice foundation for the long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, this was a very nice example of a quality Napa Valley Cabernet that I rate as an 8.5, with opportunities to improve with some time in the cellar.  It was also a good value for $30 from Wines Till Sold Out.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic pairing of thick Angus New York Strip grilled Pittsburgh style, with some grilled purple asparagus and a baked potato.  A nice big Cabernet like this one is the perfect complement to a nice steak.  Cheers!

2012 L'Ecole No. 41 Columbia Valley Merlot

Since this is Merlot month and I am a huge fan of this under-appreciated varietal, I thought it would be nice to open a bottle for my Sunday dinner!  Tonight, it's the 2012 L'Ecole No. 41 Columbia Valley Merlot, a blend of Merlot (80%), Cabernet Franc (17%) and Petit Verdot (3%) sourced from some of the premier vineyards in the Columbia Valley,

The wine is a bright ruby color in the glass, with great clarity.  The nose presents aromas of blackberry, cherry and plum overlaid with some earthy notes of violet, leather and oak.  The taste is a blast of ripe black fruit up front, cherry, blackberry and a hint of plum that transitions to some lovely dark chocolate and espresso notes midpalate.  The fine tannins offer a solid backbone to the long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish, just the way a good Merlot should come off.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's just an ideal Columbia Valley Merlot and a solid value at the full price of $26, but with the wine club discount this one comes it at just $23 and change.  This one would pair well with a variety of hearty autumn dishes, from stews and chili to a classic Yankee pot roast.  Tonight I am going a little more simplistic, with a grilled prime ribeye that I bought from Allen Brothers Steaks out of Chicago, some roasted Yukon gold fingerling potatoes and some steamed broccoli.  The lovely fruit notes and smooth dry finish make this an ideal wine for steak.  Cheers!

1998 L'Ecole No. 41 Apogee

Well, it's the first Saturday in October, which of course means it's Cellar Saturday, that wonderful day when I open up a bottle of wine that's had ample time to mature.  And being the first Saturday in October that means it's starting to feel like Autumn, with a chill in the evening air and plenty of leaves coming down all around me.  So tonight I've opened a special bottle from one of my favorite Washington wineries, L'Ecole No. 41, in this case the 1998 Apogee, a classic Bordeaux style blend of Merlot (60%), Cabernet Sauvignon (34%) and Cabernet Franc (6%) sourced from the Pepper Bridge Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley.  Full disclosure, I decanted this bottle for about an hour before pouring.

For being nearly old enough to vote, this wine seems quite vibrant, with a lovely garnet color in the glass with just a hint of amber at the edges.  The nose presents aromas of leather, cedar, oak and just a hint of musty peat reminiscent of a classic Bordeaux "funk."  The taste brings forth some bright fruit flavors of blackberry and cherry cola which transition to some wonderful mineral and dark chocolate notes midpalate.  The finish is divine, with well structured tannins supporting a long, velvety and exceptionally dry finish that leaves you wanting another glass!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's definitely one of my favorite vintages of Apogee, which shouldn't be surprising given it's reliance on Merlot and my affinity for the oft disparaged varietal.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic pairing of a rare cowboy cut ribeye grilled Pittsburgh style along with a baked potato and some fresh green beans from my Amish farmer friends.  This is a wine that just makes steak taste even better!  Cheers!