2014 L'Ecole No. 41 Grenache Rose

Happy Easter!  I've spent much of the afternoon relaxing and enjoying this wonderful holiday.  Now most people do traditional things like ham or lamb for Easter dinner, but I decided to go a bit off the beaten path, but more on that in a minute.  For those traditionalists that go for a nice glazed ham, this wine might be an ideal solution to please both those who prefer a red and those who prefer a white, the 2014 L'Ecole No. 41 Grenache Rose.  I recall the 2009 vintage of this wine was the one that got me fully onto the rose bandwagon for the summers, so let's see what five years have done to improve this already great rose.

The wine is a lovely orange peach color in the glass.  The nose presents aromas of strawberry, pink grapefruit and papaya, with just a hint of green grass over the top.  The taste makes me long for summer on the patio, with a nice rush of fresh fruit, strawberry, citrus and some tropical notes that transition to some lovely notes of honey and lavender midpalate.  The finish is quite nice, very dry, yet still presenting a reprise of the sweet fruit notes from the beginning.  A summer afternoon in a glass!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it continues to be one of my favorite roses of all time (something about Grenache makes it ideal for rose).  Tonight I am pairing this wine with my non-traditional Easter dinner, as I bought an extra piece of corned beef at St. Patrick's Day and decided to do another round of corned beef and cabbage for dinner today!  The lovely fruit and acidity of this wine makes it perfect to cut through the richness of such a fatty dinner.  Cheers!

2011 Spring Valley Vineyard Frederick

So, the last weekend of Washington Wine Month and I've decided to go out with a bang!  Tonight I've opened a bottle I bought in Walla Walla last year, the 2011 Spring Valley Vineyard Frederick, named for Frederick Corkrum, the second son of Uriah and Nina Lee, the farmers who came to the Walla Walla Valley in the nineteenth century.  This particular vintage is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Cabernet Franc (30%), Petit Verdot (6%) and Malbec (4%).

The wine is a lovely deep ruby color in the glass.  The nose presents aromas of strawberry, marionberry, some white floral notes and hints of baking spice and clove, just the type of aromas that signal to your body that you're about to taste something really good!  The taste is just lovely, with a rush of ripe fruit up front, berries, cherry and plum that transitions to a bit of green herb and mineral notes midpalate. The finish is wonderful, as nicely structured tannins support the long and velvety dry finish that reprises some of the subtle floral notes from earlier.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's one of my personal favorites from Walla Walla, and surprisingly available (though somewhat pricey) throughout the country.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with what it begs to be paired with, a rare grilled prime sirloin, with some steamed organic rainbow carrots and a baked potato.  Here's to Washington Wine Month!

2013 Forgeron Zinfandel

Oh happy Monday!  I just returned from the gym and now I'm ready for a glass of wine before dinner.  Tonight I've decided to help celebrate Washington Wine Month with a bottle of 2013 Forgeron Zinfandel (and you know how I love a good Zin!).  This wine is a blend of Zinfandel from the Alder Ridge Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills (83%) and Primitivo from the Stone Tree Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope.  So let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, with nice clarity.  The nose presents aromas of cedar, anise, clove and allspice with an underlying layer of black fruit.  The taste is lovely, with a rush of ripe fruit up front, plum, blackberry and cassis, that transition nicely to some mineral and spice notes intermingles with cocoa powder midpalate.  The finish is quite rustic, with supple tannins supporting a long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.  This is way beyond the fruit bomb style of many Zinfandels, this one is well structured and well thought out in blending.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's one of my all-time favorite Zinfandels from the Columbia Valley.  Although I'm enjoying this wine with leftovers tonight, it would pair very nicely with a variety of easy favorites, from grilled steak to pizza to barbecued ribs.  Cheers!

2011 Chateau de Portets Graves

What a wonderful Saturday, the last day of winter!  I was doing a lot of yard work this afternoon and now I'm ready for some relaxation and of course a glass of wine!  Tonight I've decided to go back to France, since it's been so long since I've had a nice Bordeaux, so I've opened a bottle of 2011 Chateau de Portets Graves.  For those unfamiliar with Bordeaux, the Graves appellation is on the left bank of the Garonne, upstream from the Gironde (where so many famous appellations like Margaux and Medoc come from) and the city of Bordeaux.  This particular wine comes from one of the oldest vineyards in Graves, originally planted by the Romans about 2,000 years ago, and it is a blend of Merlot (55%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (45%).

The wine is a lovely deep ruby color in the glass, with an inky purple toward the center.  The nose presents aromas of ripe red fruit, raspberries and red currant, along with some leather and lovely mineral notes.  The taste is a blast of red fruit up front, with cherry and raspberry that transitions almost subliminally to some lovely spice and mineral notes of basalt and dusty limestone midpalate.  The finish is just gorgeous, with some firm tannins from the Cabernet supporting the long, supple and exceptionally dry finish, with just a hint of classic Bordeaux funk at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's still a bit young but is drinking very nicely now, and like so many Bordeaux, this one was a terrific value at just $17 from Wines Till Sold Out.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic French bistro dinner of steak frites!  A grilled petite ribeye with some fresh cut fries and Bearnaise!  Bon appetit!

2015 Seven Hills Dry Rose of Cabernet Franc

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  I know this is traditionally a holiday marked by corned beef and cabbage and green beer, but I'm not much of a beer drinker, so what to pair with my lovely dinner that's been simmering all day long?  Thankfully I received a case of 2015 Seven Hills Dry Rose of Cabernet Franc with my wine club shipment last week and that should be perfect!

The wine is a lovely, light peach color in the glass, and at certain angles it almost appears to be a white wine.  The nose presents aromas of peach, mango and a hint of orange blossom.  The taste is just wonderful, with a blast of floral notes up front that transition nicely to some flavors of grapefruit, watermelon and a hint of spice midpalate.  The finish is crisp and refreshing as I am not imagining how this wine will be on the patio during a pleasant July evening.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it one of the nicest roses I've had from Washington, and they keep getting better every year.  As mentioned earlier, I am enjoying this wine with my traditional corned beef and cabbage with red potatoes and cabbage, as the fresh fruit and acidity cuts nicely through the richness of the corned beef.  Cheers!

2014 Seven Hills "Along for the Ride" Dolcetto

Happy Pi Day!  It was a banner day today, we had free burritos at Qdoba's soft opening here in Elkhart (this will definitely be long-term trouble!) and now I've come home from the gym ready to relax with a glass of wine.  Tonight's is a fun one, a wine I just received from a wine club shipment last week and I immediately fell in love with the label, the 2014 Seven Hills "Along for the Ride" Dolcetto, which is 100% Dolcetto from the Lonesome Springs Vineyard and meant to be enjoyed young!  So here goes nothing!

The wine is a lovely deep garnet color in the glass.  The nose presents a lovely variety of black fruit aromas, blackberry, black cherry and plum overlaying a bit of floral and spice notes.  The taste is wonderfully fruit forward with a blast of ripe berries and cherry cola that transition effortlessly to some wonderful white pepper spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are young and firm, supporting a wonderfully smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5 as it's a perfect everyday drinking wine that I wish I ordered more of!  It would pair well with pizza, a variety of Italian pasta dishes, or even barbecue.  But tonight I am enjoying this wine with some tacos!  The fruit marries so well with a bit of chorizo in the tacos, yum!  And how could you not love that label?

2012 Clos du Val Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Well it's Saturday and ever so close to springtime, after all, we "spring forward" tonight!  So after working in the yard all afternoon, I've decided to relax a bit before having dinner and heading to the theater tonight.  So I've opened a bottle that I just picked up from my supermarket this morning, as they were having a 15% off wine sale and I bought a couple bottles of 2012 Clos Du Val Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

The wine is a deep inky purple at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from a nice Napa cab.  The nose presents aromas of leather, blackberry and a hint of lilac.  The taste is just wonderful, with a blast of fresh black fruit up front, blackberry, cherry and plum that transition nicely to some mineral notes of basalt and limestone midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat tight, but very supportive of the warm, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a lovely example of a Napa Cabernet from the stellar 2012 vintage.  It was also a good value as I picked this one up for less than $25 today!  It would pair well with a big steak or a variety of hearty beef dishes, but tonight I am opting for a little surf and turf, with a petit filet mignon grilled rare along with a grilled lobster tail, baked potato and some grilled white asparagus.  Cheers!

2013 The Federalist Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Hump Day!  Tonight I have a special treat, a bottle of wine that I confess I totally bought for the label, the 2013 The Federalist Cabernet Sauvignon from Lodi!  I saw this in the supermarket a few months back and with the lettering and the engraving of Ben Franklin, I thought I have to buy this, even if the wine isn't good, I'm a big history fan and this is big history!  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (87%), Merlot (6%), Cabernet Franc (4%), Petit Sirah (2%) and Sangiovese (1%).  Besides, although I really like the Zinfandels from Lodi, they do all right with Cabs as well.  So let's see how this stacks up to history!

The wine is bright ruby in the glass with nice clarity.  The nose presents aromas of leather, green grass, black currant and boysenberry.  The taste is quite nice, with a rush of black fruit up front, currant, plum and cassis that transitions nicely to some lovely mineral notes of limestone and tobacco midpalate.  The finish is very nice, with well structured tannins supporting a long, smooth and very dry finish that seems to last a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's surprisingly good for a mass market wine, and it was a solid value as I think I bought this on sale for less than $10!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic midweek dinner of chorizo and black bean tacos, as this wine complements the flavors and doesn't make you feel bad for enjoying it midweek!  Cheers!

2013 Anvil Columbia Valley Chardonnay

Ok wine peeps, it's Sunday, time for a wonderful classic Sunday dinner, and given my menu this evening I've decided to go rogue!  Yes, not only am I reviewing a non-red wine, I'm reviewing a Chardonnay!  Well, even though it seems that this varietal has become pretty boring over the past decade or so, tonight's wine is anything but, as it's a special wine in many ways.  First, it was produced by one of the best Chardonnay producers in Walla Walla, Marie-Eve Gilla, founder of Forgeron Cellars, and in this case it was a bottle signed by her that was available this past Christmas (how fun!).  Second, it was sourced from the French Creek Vineyard, one of Washington's oldest Chardonnay vineyards, planted in 1981.  So this should be a treat even for the non-Chardonnay lovers among us!

The wine is a light gold color in the glass, while the nose presents aromas of fresh citrus, peach, green grass and floral notes.  The taste is quite unusual for a white wine, it has some lovely citrus fruit notes on the outset, but then there is a hearty mineral quality or iron and basalt that brings strength and rounded mouthfeel midpalate.  The dry finish brings a reprise of citrus and a hint of butter and smoke that just makes you want another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's just a wonderfully executed example of the varietal, and one that even a red wine fan like me can enjoy!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic Sunday dinner of oven roasted chicken with corn bread stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy and of course, green bean casserole!  This is a perfect wine for such a heady feast, almost makes me wish I had a bottle last Thanksgiving!  Cheers!

2005 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Valley Merlot

Happy Cellar Saturday!  Of course, it's the first Saturday in March, so that means it's the day that I explore the cellar, looking for something fun to try and tonight I've decided on the 2005 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Valley Merlot, a wine that's been in my cellar for about nine years!  This wine is a blend of Merlot (82%), Cabernet Sauvignon (12%) and Cabernet Franc (6%) sourced from the Seven Hills Vineyard in Walla Walla.  As with older wines, sometimes they can be unpredictable, and in this case, the cork disintegrated as I was opening the bottle, so that meant pouring into the decanter to try to limit my cork consumption this evening!

The wine is a beautiful ruby color in the glass, with a bit of opacity at the center.  The nose presents aromas of blackberry, leather, cedar and cassis.  The taste is just a pleasure, with some warm fruit notes up front, blackberry, plum and cherry cola, that transition nicely to some warm spice notes midpalate.  The finish is generous, with mellow tannins supporting a reprise of ripe cherry on the long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just an ideal example of a great, mature Merlot.  This wine would be ideal with a variety of hearty dishes, from roasts to stews or spicy pasta dishes.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled porterhouse, along with a baked potato and some grilled white asparagus, though I'm sure I'll be sipping this one all evening, even after the food is gone!

2013 Maxwell Creek Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Hump Day!  Time for a nice bottle of wine to celebrate getting through half a week, and tonight I've decided to open a recent purchase from Wines Till Sold Out, the 2013 Maxwell Creek Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. This wine is a blend of primarily Cabernet Sauvignon (80%) along with Petit Verdot (8%), Merlot (6%), Cabernet Franc (3%) and Malbec (3%).  So let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is an inky purple in the glass, with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose presents aromas of blackberry, plum, leather and tar, with a hint of lilac.  The taste is quite nice, with a rush of ripe fruit and cherry cola up front, blackberry, raspberry and black currant, that transitions nicely to some notes of mocha, vanilla bean and toasted oak midpalate.  The finish is very nice, with fine grained tannins supporting a long, smooth and very dry finish that seems to last a minute or more.  This wine is a very nice example of a Napa Cabernet from a stellar vintage.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's drinking beautifully now but will likely improve a bit with some time in the cellar.  This wine would be great with steak, but tonight I am enjoying this wine in an unconventional pairing with some alder planked wild Alaskan Coho salmon along with some linguine tossed with garlic and olive oil and some steamed white asparagus (don't you love asparagus season?).  Cheers!