2011 DaMa Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday!  It's pretty much been raining here all day long, and it's not a pleasant spring rain, but a cold rain with temperatures barely reaching the 40s today.  So I spent much of the day running errands, like going to the dry cleaners, stopping at the hardware store and getting groceries.  So now I'll open a nice bottle of wine and prepare to enjoy my evening, perhaps with a nice fire in the fireplace!  Tonight's wine is the 2011 DaMa Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, which I think was a club shipment perhaps over a year ago (I reviewed the 2012 vintage here), and is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (80%), Cabernet Franc (10%) and Merlot (10%).

The wine looks like a classic Cabernet, with a black inky center and bright ruby along the edges.  The nose presents aromas of blackberry, currant and leather with a bit of smoke over the top.  The taste is lovely, with some ripe fruit and floral notes of blackberry and lilac up front that transitions nicely to some earthy notes of dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are rather subdued, but structured for the long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's a really nice Columbia Valley Cabernet that is just coming into its own.  This would be a classic big steak wine, and that's the ticket tonight as I'm enjoying this one with a big, thick Angus New York Strip grilled rare with some grilled asparagus and gemelli with creamy pesto.  The fruit of this wine really complements the hearty flavors of a nice charred steak.  Cheers!

2011 Helix Sangiovese

Happy Friday!  I just got back from the gym and now I'm ready for wine!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle from a recent wine club shipment from Reininger, the 2011 Helix Sangiovese, a pure blend of Sangiovese from the Stillwater Creek Vineyard in the Columbia Valley (quite a ways to the north and west of Walla Walla).  So let's see how this wine stacks up!

The wine has a classic reddish-purple coloration of a nice Sangiovese.  The nose presents aromas of sour cherry, pomegranate, tobacco and a bit of smoke.  The taste is vibrant, with a good bit of cherry cola and pepper up front that transitions into some tart cherry and earthy notes midpalate.  The tannins are exceptionally well integrated into the smooth, voluptuous dry finish.  This is not your standard Sangiovese, as it just appears to be a bit more influenced by the terroir of the vineyard.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as I think it's a terrific effort on the varietal and represents the heritage well.  I think this wine would be ideal with a broad variety of Italian dishes, but tonight I am enjoying it with some porcini mushroom and truffle triang0li from Trader Joe's, served with some creamy pesto (could anything be better with Sangiovese than basil?  Cheers!

2013 Le Grand Noir Cabernet Sauvignon

Ahhh...taco Tuesday, and what shall I drink?  Wine of  course, and I was thinking of a nice rose to preview for summer, but the weather has taken a turn toward the chilly, so I've decided to hold off and instead, tonight it's a bit of a bargain wine that I picked up a couple weeks ago at one of my favorite Grand Rapids wine and food retailers, G. B. Russo & Sons!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2013 Le Grand Noir Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (85%) and Syrah (15%) from France.

The wine looks like a classic Cabernet, with deep ruby color and nice clarity.  The nose presents lovely aromas of blackberry and cassis and a hint of green grass and tar over the top.  The taste is actually quite nice for a young Cabernet, with a rush of ripe fruit up front, raspberries, black cherry and plum with a nice transition to some Asian spice and mineral notes of basalt and limestone midpalate.  The tannins are young and vibrant, providing for a very smooth, long and bone dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's still young but drinking very nicely.  It was also a great bargain at just $10, which would make this an ideal, everyday wine that would pair well with grilled steaks, roasted meats and tacos!  Yes, tonight I am celebrating taco Tuesday with some chorizo tacos with fresh salsa verde and this wine is a great match.  Cheers!

2013 Reininger Carmenere

I can't even believe the weekend is already over!  It seems that we finally get a nice weekend (it was 80 degrees here today) and all I can do is catch up on yard work, picking up branches, pulling dandelions, changing the spark plug on the lawnmower, mowing the lawn, putting up a hummingbird feeder, it never ends!).  So at least I can end the weekend on a high note with a wonderful dinner and a great bottle of wine, and tonight it's the 2013 Reininger Carmenere, a wine made from 100% carmenere from the Seven Hills Vineyard in Walla Walla.

This wine should be allowed to breathe a bit, I opened this wine and let it breathe for an hour or so, though I didn't decant it.  The wine has a cabernet type appearance in the glass, with bright ruby along the edges and a black, inky center.  The nose presents aromas of cassis, leather and smoke, in a delightfully earthy bouquet.  The taste is just lovely, with a rush of ripe fruit up front, cherry, black currant, that gives way to some lovely spice notes of black peppercorn and a hint of smoke.  The finish is just perfect, as the smooth tannins provide the structure for the long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish that seems to go on until your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's drinking very well now, but is likely to improve with some time in the cellar.  This wine would be ideal for grilled steaks or a variety of great summer patio dishes, but tonight I've gone pacific northwest and am enjoying this with an alder planked wild Sockeye filet with blood oranges, some steamed rice and haricots verts almondine.  Cheers!

2013 Varej Piemonte Barbera

Happy Humpday!  To celebrate I've opened a bottle of 2013 Varej Piemonte Barbera, because who doesn't like a little midweek Barbera?  This little number was our office wine club selection for this month, and one I picked up from Wines Till Sold Out for a really great price!

The wine is a lovely deep ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity.  The nose presents aromas of leather, blackberry, zesty spice notes and a bit of olive tapenade.  The taste is quite nice with some ripe fruit on the outset, blackberry and cherry, which gives way to some black pepper spice and dried herb notes midpalate.  The tannins are still a bit tight, but they provide some nice backbone to the long, very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's a very nice everyday wine, and a particularly good value at just $10!  It would be a great first course wine to enjoy with some charcuterie on the patio.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some prosciutto perline pasta from Trader Joe's with some parma rosa sauce, and a spinach salad with olive oil and balsamic.  Cheers!

2008 Seven Hills Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

What a day!  It was gorgeous weather and I spend the afternoon in Grand Rapids where I visited one of my favorite wine merchants. G.B. Russo & Sons for a tasting and to buy some wine.  I happened upon some Walla Walla treasure there in the form of a bottle of 2012 Leonetti Cabernet Sauvignon, but since that will need a few years to mature, I decided to open another Cabernet favorite this evening when I got home, the 2008 Seven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon from the Seven Hills Vineyard in Walla Walla.  This one has been in my cellar for five or six years, so let's see if it was worth the wait!

The wine is a beautiful deep ruby color in the glass, with an inky black toward the center.  The nose presents delightful aromas of blackberry, cherry, prune and lovely spice notes of black pepper and a hint of leather and lilac.  This nose would fit perfectly on a high-end left bank Bordeaux (Margaux anyone?) even though it's 100% Cabernet.  The taste it just spectacular,with a bit of cherry cola up front that transitions to some lovely minerality of dusty limestone and basalt midpalate.  The finish is velvety smooth and exceptionally dry with just a hint of funk at the end.  I can't even describe how lovely and smooth this wine is, it's like sipping the gorgeous afternoon we had here today!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, and you know how seldom I rate any wines at 9 or above!  This wine is perfect for grilled steaks, rich French dishes from Provence, hard cheeses or just sipping!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a grass fed Filet Mignon grilled rare with a baked potato and haricots verts almondine.  Cheers!

2013 Helix Stone Tree SoRho

Happy Sunday!  It's time to get some Sunday dinner and a great glass of wine!  It's been snowy and then rainy all weekend here, so alas I got nothing done in the yard, so I tried to do some indoor projects.  Needless to say, I am the only person on earth that could possibly turn changing out the hinge on a toilet seat into a half-day project!  So tonight I need me a good glass of wine, and where else could I turn than the Columbia Valley of Washington.  I'm a big fan of Rhone blends, so I've opened a bottle of the most recent wine club selection from Reininger, the 2013 Helix Stone Tree SoRho, a southern Rhone style blend of Mourvedre (40%), Grenache (33%) and Cinsault (27%).  So let's see how this one stacks up!

The wine is a bright ruby in the glass with great clarity.  The nose presents aromas of blueberry, cherries, pomegranate and some lovely dried herb notes.  The taste is surprisingly isn't a rush of fruit I was expecting, but instead there were some delicate notes of blueberry and cherry cola that transitioned nicely to some notes of tobacco, black pepper, dried cherry and cinnamon midpalate.  The finish was quite nice, as the tannins pull you in for the crescendo of cherries and herbs that seem to linger on till you take your next sip.

I must admit, I've reviewed the 2010 vintage (see here) and the 2012 vintage (see here) and this has to be the best one yet!  I think this one ranks a solid 8.5, as it's such a pleasant drinking and food friendly wine.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some grilled pork tenderloin along with some steamed asparagus and grilled leeks.  This wine is ideal for savory meat dishes, whether port, beef or chicken, as the notes of fruit coupled with lively spice notes make this a sure Sunday dinner crowd pleaser!

2006 Laurona Montsant

Happy Sunday!  Time for a homemade Sunday dinner of comfort food, but always a question on what wine to serve with it.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2006 Laurona Montsant red blend from Spain.  This is a new wine for me, as Montsant is a region in Catalonia that produces red blends with many of the traditional Spanish varietals.  This particular wine is primarily Garnacha and Carinena with a bit of Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon to balance things out.

The wine is a lovely bright ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity.  The nose presents lovely aromas of black currant, anise and black cherry along with some Asian spice notes.  The taste is very fruit forward, with a rush of black cherry, currant and some blackberry that transitions nicely to some lovely notes of vanilla and cinnamon midpalate.  The finish is very nice, much bigger than your typical Spanish wine based on Garnacha or Tempranillo, as the tannins are robust, offering a lingering dry finish that evolves as the wine opens up.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a lovely, well structures wine and a solid value (I bought this one from Wines Till Sold Out for just $19).  It's ideal for rustic dishes from the Mediterranean (think paella) or some classic American comfort food.  Tonight I'm enjoying this wine with my Sunday dinner of stuffed cabbage!  The fruit and spice notes really pair well with the richness of the meat stuffing and spice of the tomato reduction.  Cheers!

2004 Spring Valley Vineyard Uriah

Well, it's supposed to be spring, but it's been snowing here all day!  At least it doesn't seem to be sticking, so hopefully all the latest blooms will survive.  It's also the first Saturday of April, and that means Cellar Saturday!  Today I have a special treat that I recently received from Spring Valley Vineyard, the 2004 Uriah, a blend of Merlot (60%), Cabernet Franc (31%), Cabernet Sauvignon (5%) and Petit Verdot (4%).  So let's see how this wine has developed of the past dozen years!

The wine is a beautiful garnet in the glass, with a slight hint of amber along the edges.  The nose presents aromas of blackberry, leather and mint, with just a bit of black pepper spice.  The taste is just lovely, with a good bit of black licorice and blackberry up front that transitions nicely to some notes of mint and black pepper midpalate.  The finish is lovely, as the still robust tannins provide nice backbone for the long, smooth dry finish that exhibits some very Bordeaux like qualities.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's mature and drinking marvelously right now (thankfully I ordered two bottles!).  This wine is a great steak wine, as it's depth of flavor and dry finish would perfectly complement a nice big hunk of beef.  Tonight I am enjoying this with an Angus Manhattan cut strip filet, with a baked potato and some steamed broccoli.  Cheers!

2013 Long Meadow Ranch Rutherford Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Friday!  And Happy April Fools Day!  Today a bunch of work friends and I are getting together to enjoy a Foolish Friday, where we can enjoy a variety of cheeses and a viewing of Office Space, so what could be more enjoyable?  In addition to some other wines, I've opened a magnum of 2013 Long Meadow Ranch Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, from a super Napa Valley vintage.  So let's see how this one stacks up!

The wine is a lovely deep ruby color in the glass.  The nose presents aromas of blackberry, leather and black pepper spice.  The taste is perfect Napa Cabernet, with a rush of ripe black fruit up front that transitions effortlessly to some notes of cherry cola and spice midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured to provide a lovely foundation for the long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5 with room to improve with a little time in the cellar.  Tonight we are enjoying this wine with a variety of cheeses, including some English Stilton, Camembert, Parmesano, pepperoncino Asiago and Kerrygold reserve Irish cheddar, along with a variety of olives, rustic Italian bread, truffle butter, and charcuterie, but it would also be great with a classic grilled steak!  Cheers!