2013 Reininger Malbec

Happy Saturday!  I have my foodie creativity going which means dinner tonight should be pretty good, but it also means I need to open a good bottle of wine to go with it!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2013 Reininger Malbec sourced entirely from the Pepper Bridge Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley.  I reviewed the 2012 vintage almost a year ago and really enjoyed it (you can see that review here) so I'm hoping this one will impress too.  I've had this bottle for a few weeks, so I'm looking forward to it!

The wine is a deep, inky purple in the glass, with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose presents some lovely aromas of leather, blueberries, currant and a hint of tobacco.  The taste offers a rush of fruit, ripe berries, black cherry and a hint of mocha that transitions nicely to some mineral and herb notes midpalate.  The smooth tannins support, the long. voluptuous and very dry finish that seems to last a minute or more and practically begs you to take another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, I'm not a big fan of Malbec, but this is one I could drink all evening long with nary a second thought.  The wine would be a terrific accompaniment to a variety of hearty winter dishes, from steak to braised short ribs to hearty stews, but as usual, tonight I am charting a different course.  I am enjoying this wine with some sea scallops pan seared in sesame oil over a bed of baby spinach and arugula along with some steamed rainbow carrots.  Yum!

2012 Forgeron Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Friday!  This weekend couldn't come fast enough in my opinion, I've been battling a cold all week, then on Wednesday we had a foot of snow which is all supposed to melt this weekend.  So man I need a break and a nice glass of wine or three!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of a recent wine club selection from Forgeron Cellars in Walla Walla, the 2012 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon!  This wine happens to be a blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (90%) and a but of Petit Verdot (10%) added for good measure.

The wine is a lovely bright ruby in the glass with nice clarity.  The nose presents aromas of black raspberry, cherry cola and leather, which tells me this is going to be good!  The taste is very fruit forward with ripe berries and plum that transitions to some wonderful herb and mineral notes midpalate, with some notes of tarragon and mint intermingled with some dusty granite.  The finish is a delight, with some white pepper spice accenting the firm tannins, providing for a long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, after being on a Napa kick, I'd forgotten how lovely a nice Columbia Valley Cabernet can be!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic Friday night pairing of a rare grilled Angus New York strip along with some grilled gold beets and steamed asparagus.  Cheers!

2013 Bell Canyon Cellars Napa Valley Signature Reserve

Well good evening!  It's time for a mid-week dinner and of course a glass or two of wine.  Tonight I've decided to open a recent purchase from Wines Till Sold Out, the 2013 Bell Canyon Cellars Signature Reserve from Napa Valley (have I mentioned I've been on a bit of a Napa kick lately?).  This wine is an interesting blend for Napa in that it has no Cabernet!  This one is a blend of Syrah (56%), Malbec (29%), Merlot (11%) and Petit Syrah (4%), so let's see what cooks!

The wine is a lovely deep ruby color in the glass with nice clarity.  The nose presents aromas of oak, blackberry and dark cherry, with just a hint of vanilla bean.  The taste is quite pleasant, with flavors of blackberry and licorice up front that transitions to some wonderful peppery spice notes midpalate.  The finish is very nice, as the spice lingers with the young tannins for a long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's drinking wonderfully now, but will likely improve with some time in the cellar.  My only complaint is the use of an artificial cork, as you know I'm a fan of natural cork.  The wine was also a very good value at just $15.  Tonight I am pairing this wine with a rare grilled, black pepper bacon wrapped filet mignon with a baked potato and some grilled Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2012 Black Stallion Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, lately I must admit I've been on a bit of a Napa Valley kick, enjoying a number of wonderful wines from the superb 2012 and 2013 vintages as I enjoy fond memories of my visit to the region last fall.  And tonight the trend continues as I've decided to open up a bottle of 2012 Black Stallion Cabernet Sauvignon, a nice wine from a boutique producer located in the Oak Knoll district along the Silverado Trail.

The wine is a lovely deep, inky purple color in the glass with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose provides lovely aromas of black cherry, cassis and leather with some mild hints of cocoa powder and baking spice.  The taste is very nice, with a blast of jammy fruit up front, blackberry, cherry and cassis that transitions nicely to mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are rounded and supple, providing for a long, smooth and very dry finish.  All in all, a classic Napa Cabernet!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's a very nice wine and it was a good value as I found this at my local market for about $23.  As for pairings, this would be ideal with a variety of grilled meats, hearty stews or roasts, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a simple rare grilled New York strip, roasted potatoes and steamed broccoli with red peppers.  Cheers!

2012 Stag's Leap Artemis

Ahhh...a happy Sunday, time for a great Sunday dinner and a nice bottle of wine to go with it (I won't even mention that it's also Valentine's Day, but rest assured, you can certainly enjoy tonight's selection with your lover or anyone else you choose!).  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of one of my favorite Napa Valley wines, from a very solid vintage, the 2012 Stag's Leap Artemis, named after the Greek goddess of the hunt (see I told you I'd get you a Valentine's Day reference!).  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (89%), Merlot (9%) and Malbec (2%).

The wine is a classic Cabernet in the glass, with an inky black center leading to bright ruby along the edges.  The nose presents inviting aromas of black cherry, plum and a hint of vanilla over soft notes of leather and smoke.  The taste is a blast of ripe fruit up front, cherry, red currant and berries, that transitions nicely to some mineral notes of dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are round and supple, supporting the long, elegant and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's a classic Napa Valley Cabernet and it was a decent value as I scored this bottle from wineshopper.com for just $40.  I will also confess, the wine took some time to open up, as it was very tight after opening, but it really began to sing about an hour or so after opening.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic pairing, of a rare grilled New York strip topped with grilled onions along with grilled Brussels sprouts and a baked potato.  An ideal wine with steak, cheers!

2013 Forgeron Primitivo

Well happy Saturday!  It's been snowing off and on all day here in northern Indiana, but at least that's a good excuse for cooking indoors and enjoying a nice glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened a new bottle that just arrived last week from my wine club shipment at Forgeron Cellars, the 2013 Forgeron Primitivo.  Now you know how much I enjoy a good Zinfandel, and I have similar feelings about Primitivo, which shouldn't be surprising since they are so closely related, but I still feel that Primitivo is just a bit more elevated.  So let's see how this one stacks up!

The wine is a beautiful deep ruby color in the glass, with an almost black inky color at the center.  The nose offers stunning aromas of leather, black cherry. anise and just a hint of lilac.  The taste is just lovely, with a subdued bit of candied black fruit up front that transitions effortlessly to some warm spice notes of white pepper and tarragon midpalate.  The finish is warm and supple, as the firm yet well integrated tannins set up the long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as it's one of the best Washington wine's I've had in quite some time.  It would be perfect with any number of dishes, from a nice steak to a rich Italian pasta to barbecue.  But tonight, like always. I am going against the current, enjoying this lovely wine with some king crab legs, roasted potatoes with parmesan and asiago, and some steamed asparagus.  The warm spice is just the perfect foil to the richness of crab, cheers!

2012 Oberon Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Hump Day!  It's been a long, cold, snowy day here.  I got home from work, finished shoveling snow, then went to drop off dry cleaning and go to the gym.  Now I am certainly ready for a nice glass of wine as I make dinner.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2012 Oberon Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa County that I picked up at my local supermarket a couple weeks ago. I've been on a bit of a Napa kick lately, so let's see how this one is!

The wine is a bright ruby color in the glass with nice clarity.  The nose presents aromas of leather, limestone and a hint of blackberry and violet.  The taste is presents some floral notes up front before the ripe black fruit kicks in, blackberry and plum, which transition to some notes of black pepper spice midpalate.  The finish is somewhat subdued, with mellow tannins leading to a smooth, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a nice Cabernet, but nothing that causes me to get too excited, though this was also a decent value at just $24.  I'm also not a big fan of the artificial cork, but that's just a personal preference.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic pairing, a black pepper bacon wrapped Angus filet mignon, baked potato and grilled asparagus.  This is a very nice steak wine, I will say that!  Cheers!

2012 Charles Krug Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Oh Mondays...such an abused day of the week!  Well despite all the complaints about Mondays, I am celebrating them tonight by opening a bottle of 2012 Charles Krug Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  I had a great visit to this winery back on my trip to Napa Valley in October of 2015 and I was very impressed with the winery and the wines (you can see that post here), particularly the history as this winery dates back to 1861.  This particular wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (90%), Merlot (5%) and Petit Verdot (5%) and as I recall from my tasting at the winery I liked this one!

The color is classic Napa Cabernet, with an inky, almost black color at the center with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is very inviting, with aromas of leather, black plum, black currant and a hint of vanilla.  The taste is a blast of ripe black fruit, blackberry and currant and a hint of cherry cola that transition nicely to some rustic notes of cocoa powder, baking spice and oak midpalate.  The tannins are youthful and elegant, providing for a lovely smooth and long dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as this is a great example of the stellar 2012 Napa vintage, and it was a good value as I found this one on sale at my local market for $23, not including the 10% discount for buying 4 or more bottles!  Tonight I am enjoying this one with a classic pairing of a rare grilled Angus Kansas City bone-in New York Strip, baked potato and steamed broccoli. What a delightful steak wine!  Cheers!

2000 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Valley Merlot

Happy February!  It's the first Saturday of the new month and of course that means it's Cellar Saturday, where I raid the cellar for something old and cool to open.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle from one of my favorite Walla Walla producers, the 2000 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Merlot.  This particular vintage is a blend of Merlot (75%), Cabernet Sauvignon (19%) and Cabernet Franc (6%). Now I've let this one decant for about an hour, so let's see what she's got!

The wine is a nice garnet color in the glass with a bit of brown along the edges.  The nose presents lovely aromas of leather, basalt, blackberry and prune, sort of the classic aroma of a mature Bordeaux.  The taste is surprisingly mellow and pleasant, with a rush of cherry cola up front that transitions to some notes of white pepper and mint midpalate.  The finish is very smooth and bone dry, though the tannins were quite mellow.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's a beautiful example of a mature Walla Walla Merlot, but my sense is that it might be just on the downhill side of its life.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic pairing of black pepper bacon wrapped filet mignon grilled rare, along with a baked potato and grilled asparagus.  The earthy flavors of this wine are perfect with the lovely grilled beef.  Cheers!