2012 Boyd Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Friday!  I finally made it to the weekend and I just got home from getting new tires for my truck, and it's time to relax with a nice glass of wine.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of wine that my boss gave me a month or two ago, and I've been excited to try this one, the 2012 Boyd Cabernet Sauvignon from the Oak Knoll district of Napa Valley.  This one is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Mogambo vineyard.  As Napa is famous for big, bold Cabs, this one should fit the bill quite nicely!

The wine is an inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose presents aromas of blackberry, cherry and currant over leather and oak, with just a slight floral hint over the top.  The taste is wonderful, with a rising cascade of black fruit, that culminates in some mocha and spicy black pepper notes midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat chewy but an excellent foundation for the long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this one a solid 9, as it's just what you'd expect from a big, bold Napa Cabernet from an outstanding vintage.  This is clearly a red meat wine, which is good since I'm enjoying this one with a rare grilled Angus New York Strip, grilled Brussels sprouts and a big old baked potato.  Cheers!

2013 Forgeron Barbera

It's almost hump day and I can start to feel the weekend approaching...how sad is that?!?  At any rate, it's been a busy week already and I've been fighting a cold, so why not open up a nice bottle of wine?  This time its from one of my favorite Washington producers, Forgeron Cellars, and their 2013 Barbera!  Who doesn't love an easy sipping, food friendly Barbera?  I sure do!

The wine is a nice rich ruby color in the glass.  The nose presents nice aromas of leather, blackberry, raspberry jam and a hint of rose petals.  The taste is simply wonderful, with a rush of ripe black fruit, with a hint of sweetness on the outset, blackberry, cherry and currant, that transitions to some lovely black pepper spice midpalate, that hints at a bit of butter at the end.  The finish is quite nice, with youthful tannins providing the base for a long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a great example of the varietal and a wonderfully food friendly wine.  This would pair well with hearty Italian dishes, nice grilled steaks, or even seafood, which is a good thing, since tonight I'm enjoying this one with some sesame seared sea scallops (say that five times fast!) on a bed of spring greens, some linguine with garlic and olive oil and some steamed rainbow carrots.  Cheers!

2012 Clos du Val Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Hooray for Sunday afternoons!  I finally had a chance to get caught up on yard work, picking up branches, mowing the grass and sweeping up a wheelbarrow full of acorn shells from the sidewalk, but now it's time to relax with dinner and a glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened up a bottle I picked up at the local wine store maybe six months ago, the 2012 Clos du Val Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  So let's see how this one stacks up!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with an inky center.  The nose is classis Cabernet, with aromas of leather, blackberry, black cherry and oak.  The taste is wonderful, with a bit of sweet black fruit up front, blackberry, cherry and cassis that transition effortlessly to some notes of tobacco and peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are firm, providing a wonderful foundation for the long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.  This is just how a wonderful Napa Valley Cabernet should taste.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's a great bottle of wine that at just $25 would compare favorably to many Napa Cabernets selling for double that price.  This is a great steak and potatoes sort of wine, which is fortunate since that's what's for dinner tonight!  I am enjoying this one with a rare grilled prime filet mignon, a home grown baked potato I picked up at my Amish farm stand yesterday, and some grilled asparagus.  Cheers!

2011 Clos du Tue-Boeuf La Caillere Cheverny

Happy Friday!  It's been a very busy week and I am ready to relax!  So what's more relaxing than opening a bottle of wine?  Tonight I've decided to open up another bottle of by boss' reject wines, this one a Pinot Noir from the Loire Valley of France, the 2011 Clos du Tue-Boeuf La Calliere.  So let's see what this one has to offer.

The color is very light in the glass, typical of an old world Pinot Noir.  The nose presents aromas of tart cherry, fresh strawberry, dried herbs, tamarind and musty earth.  The taste is a good bit of tart cherry up front that transitions into some smoke and earthy notes midpalate. The tannins are fairly mellow, leading to a fairly long, smooth, dry finish with just a bit of a reprise of red fruit at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7, it's nothing spectacular, but keep in mind that I am not a huge Pinot fan.  This would be a nice summer sipper, to enjoy on the patio, and would pair well with a variety of lighter dishes.  Tonight I am enjoying this one with a grilled chicken breast over mixed greens with some oven roasted Yukon Gold fingerling potatoes.  Cheers!

2011 Clos du Tue-Boeuf La Guerrerie Touraine

Happy Sunday!  It's been a rough day as I found that my water heater was leaking, but at least it wasn't too back (plumber coming tomorrow) and then I looked out the window this morning and saw a groundhog wandering around, next the critter control will be out.  It just seems like these things come in bunches, but thankfully there is wine to help us though the challenges of life!  Tonight I've decided to open another of my boss' reject wines, the 2011 Clos du Tue-Boeuf La Guerrerie Touraine, a nice Gamay from the Loire Valley of France.

The wine is a nice light ruby color in the glass with great clarity.  The nose presents aromas of black licorice, cherry and a hint of leather.  The taste is light and refreshing, with a rush of ripe red fruit up front, tart cherry, cassis and currant that transitions nicely to some smoke, mint and mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is quite nice, with some soft tannins supporting a long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's a very pleasant wine, but I'll be the first to admit that Gamay can be an acquired taste.  This would be a nice wine with many lighter summer dishes, but tonight I am enjoying it with a classic Autumn Sunday dinner, of roast chicken with cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes and green bean casserole.  Cheers!

2013 Farmers of Wine Italian Red Blend

So today was interesting for a variety of reasons.  I went to Illinois this morning to visit with my uncle who is undergoing rehab for a stroke, then I went to his house to pick up a few things for him and take some photos of his old pickup truck that I am contemplating restoring.  By the time I was ready to come home, I stopped at a beer and wine store in Beecher, Illinois called "Tubby's" how could I resist a name like that?  They had a decent selection of wine for a town of 4,200 residents, but one bottle caught my eye, the 2013 Farmers of Wine Italian Red Blend.  Now I'm a sucker for interesting packaging and since this was a farm town and the wine was presented as though it was in a burlap feed sack, I had to buy a bottle!  It was only $10, so let's see what it has to offer!

The wine is a nice ruby color in the glass with great clarity, similar to a lot of Tuscan blends.  The nose presents aromas of cedar, black fruit, anise and graphite.  The taste is very nice, with a rush of ripe black fruit up front that transitions to some wonderful mineral notes and peppery spice midpalate.  The finish is exceptional, with firm tannins at the base and a hint of sweet fruit for the long, voluptuous dry finish that seems to last a minute or more.  As I reviewed their website (http://www.farmersofwine.com/) I learned that this wine is a blend of Primitivo and Negroamaro from Puglia, which all makes sense now!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a pleasant drinking wine and a great value.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled Hereford New York Strip, with some steamed broccoli and a baked potato.  This would be great with a variety of Italian dishes as well, or just sipping on the patio which I intend to do later.  Salut!

2011 Charles Krug 150th Anniversary Napa Valley Merlot

Happy Friday!  It's been a busy week at work and about 6:00 pm I was at the office and developed a splitting headache, so I figured it was time to head home and open a bottle of wine.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle I found at my local wine store from a winery I had a chance to visit last Fall, the 2011 Charles Krug Napa Valley Merlot, which is the 150th anniversary vintage from the winery's founding in 1861.  You know I love me some good Merlot so let's see what this one has to offer!

The wine is a deep inky purple in the glass with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose presents aromas of leather, boysenberry, dark chocolate and mocha, ideal for a good Merlot.  The taste is quite nice, with a rush of ripe black fruit up front, blackberry, plum and cherry that transitions gradually to some lovely notes of tobacco and some mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is lovely, with some well developed tannins supporting the long, smooth and very dry finish that lingers nicely.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a really nice example of the varietal from a less hyped, but I would argue still a quality vintage.  This is a perfect steak wine, which is ironic since I am enjoying this wine with a nice rare grilled filet mignon with grilled Brussels sprouts and a baked potato.  Here's to the weekend!

2012 Sottano Malbec

Happy Sunday!  It's been a busy weekend, and now at long last, at the very end I have a chance to relax with a glass of wine.  Tonight I've decided to open a nice bottle I bought at a local wine store, the 2012 Sottano Malbec from Mendoza Argentina.  I'm not a big Malbec fan, but this one was inexpensive and from Argentina so let's see what it has to offer!

The wine is a nice inky black color at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect for the varietal.  The nose presents aromas of leather, blackberry and mint with some earthy undertones.  The taste is rather subdued with some modest fruit notes at the outset that transition to some mineral notes midpalate.  The black fruit makes a bit of a comeback at the finish, but it's still rather lackluster overall.

I'd rate this wine a 7, as it was a descent value at just $12, but even at that price point I think there are some better Argentine wines out there.  This would be easy to pair though, as like many Malbecs, this would be a good red meat wine, and tonight I'm pairing it with a rare grilled New York strip, along with some grilled leeks and Brussels sprouts and a baked potato.  Cheers!

2013 Bacaro Nero D'Avola Terre Siciliane

Happy Friday!  It's been a long week (despite the holiday) and I really need to relax.  And what better way to relax than to open up a nice bottle of wine to enjoy!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of wine that I bought at a local restaurant when they were revamping their wine list and selling every bottle in the cellar for just $20 each.  The wine is a favorite varietal from Sicily, the 2013 Bacaro Nero D'Avola!

The wine is an inky black color in the glass, just as you'd expect from the "black grape of Avola." The nose presents aromas of leather, black plum, pepper and anise, classic for this varietal.  The taste is a muscular Italian, with some subtle black fruit notes up front, blackberry, plum and a hint of currant that transition nicely to some mineral notes and black pepper midpalate.  The tannins are still a bit tight on this one, but they make a nice foundation for the long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a wonderful and easy going example of an underappreciated varietal from an underappreciated region.  This wine is also a terrific food wine, and tonight I'm enjoying this with some hot Italian sausage with onions and peppers along with some linguine with garlic and olive oil.  The acidity of this wine really cuts thought the fat of the sausage for a wonderful balance.  In the words of my favorite TV chef, Lidia Bastianich, "Tutti a tavola a mangiare!"

2001 Resalte de Penafiel Gran Resalte Ribera del Duero

OK, I know I've been a total slacker lately, but the end of August was a big travel week for me at work, and Saturday I was driving to Chicago so I totally missed Cellar Saturday, but I'm making up for it tonight with a delayed Cellar Saturday, and for this one I have a special treat, something I rarely have a chance to enjoy, a mature Spanish wine!  In this case the 2001 Realte de Penafiel Gran Resalte Ribera del Duero, a 100% Tempranillo that was aged for 32 months in new French oak, and now I'm tasting it today!

The wine is rich ruby color in the glass with great clarity.  The nose presents pleasant aromas of blackberry, ripe plum, leather and tobacco.  The taste is simply breathtaking, a building crescendo of black fruit at the outset, blackberry, plum and cherry that transitions effortlessly to some meaty notes of mocha and dark chocolate midpalate.  The finish is punctuated by smoke, dried herbs and a subtle pepper spice even as the subdued tannins support the long, supple and very dry finish.  This wine is truly a pleasure to sip!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as I can't recall the last time I've opened a wine and enjoyed it this much.  I bought this one from Wines Till Sold Out, and although it was a bargain it was not inexpensive at $48.  Tonight I am pulling the classic move of pairing an expensive and wonderful wine with a cheap date of a dinner, after all it is Labor Day and what else could I eat but classic barbecue baby back ribs with some baked beans, mustard potato salad and Asian slaw?  The fruit and spice of this wine just pair beautifully with barbecue.  Cheers!