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!