2011 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Syrah

TGIF!  Man I am ready for the weekend and a nice glass of wine, lucky for me I have plenty of nice wine available for me to try and tonight is no exception, as I've decided to open a bottle of 2011 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Valley Syrah!  So let's get right to it!

The wine is a rich, inky purple color in the glass, almost more reminiscent of a Cabernet than a Syrah.  The nose is perfumed with leather, blackberry and a hint of cinnamon.  The taste is a rush of rich, ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant that transitions into some dusty limestone, mocha and green acidity midpalate.  The finish is quite nice, with rounded tannins supporting the long, smooth and very dry finish that seems to last a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a fine example of the varietal and a food friendly wine.  I could see pairing this wine with a variety of dishes from barbecue to steak, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with some alder planked wild Alaskan sockeye with lemon pepper spice along with some linguine tossed with sauteed garlic scapes and broccoli rabe topped with shaved Parmesan.  The nice acidity in this wine is a perfect complement to the rich fattiness of the salmon.  Cheers!

Fruit Hills Winery Cabernet Franc

Happy Tuesday!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of local wine!  Local wine, you say?  But you live in Indiana?  Absolutely right, and I freely admit that I'm not a big fan of much of the red wine that's produced in Northern Indiana or Michigan, but I actually tasted this wine a couple years ago at a local art show and I liked it, so I bought a bottle.  So, I thought what the heck, Tuesdays are slow, so let's enjoy a bottle of non-vintage Fruit Hills Winery Cabernet Franc!  Fruit Hills Winery is a nice little winery in Bristol, Indiana, that's on an orchard that's been around since the 1850s and it's a pleasant place to stop by on your next visit to Amish country!  But what about the wine?  Here goes nothing!

The wine is somewhat lighter in color than many examples of Cabernet Franc, as this one looks more like a Pinot Noir.  The nose gives the impression of a wine produced in a much more sophisticated wine region, rich leather and smoke over ripe fruit notes of blackberry and plum.  The taste is a rush of ripe fruit up front, tart cherry, plum and boysenberry that transitions to some modest notes of Kirsch and limestone mineral midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat tight, but provide some bright acidity for the smooth, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as this is a local dry red wine that I enjoy and would have no qualms serving to guests.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from steaks to barbecue to chili, but tonight is Taco Tuesday, so I am enjoying this one with some chipotle rubbed sockeye tacos with a fresh red cabbage and cilantro slaw.  The acidity of the wine is a perfect foil to the richness of the salmon, cheers!

2014 Seven Hills Walla Walla Carmenere

Happy Sunday!  I had a somewhat productive day, given that I went grocery shopping to restock the fridge after being gone a week, and then I cut the grass and did laundry, and then I was pooped so I decided to open a bottle of wine!  Tonight's selection is a wine club wine from one of my favorite wineries, Seven Hills out of Walla Walla.  I have a nice dinner planned, so I've decided to open the 2014 Seven Hills Walla Walla Carmenere!

The wine is a deep inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is a symphony of spice with notes of red pepper spice and smoky chipotle intermingled with some ripe black fruit.  The taste is warm and inviting, with some green herb notes up front that cascade into some lovely ripe fruit notes of black cherry and plum over hints of dark chocolate.  The tannins are well developed and provide a nice foundation with some acidity and a hint of bordeaux "funk" on the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Well, it seems that I only review even years of Seven Hills Carmenere, as I've blogged on the 2010 and 2012, and now the 2014 (I checked and the streak will live on since the 2015 vintage is sold out!), and this vintage is by far my favorite, so I'll rate it a solid 9, well worth however much I paid for it!  This wine would pair well with a wide variety of dishes from tacos to steaks to pasta, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic summer dinner, first course a wonderful caprese salad with farm fresh tomato, 25-year aged balsamic and basil I grew myself, and the main course of alder planked Alaskan sockeye with lemon and dill along with some fresh grilled asparagus.  The lovely acidity of this wine just cuts right through the richness of the salmon.  Cheers!

2014 Mark Ryan Winery "Dead Horse" Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday!  Sorry it's been a while since I've posted, but last week I had a big travel week, hitting 5 cities on the west coast in 5 days, and unlike most work trips where I like to relax with a nice dinner after a long day, last week most of my dinners were at airports!  So tonight I am looking forward to a nice dinner at home with a great bottle of wine, and I have just such a bottle tonight, the 2014 Mark Ryan Winery "Dead Horse" Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (85%), Merlot (10%), Cabernet Franc (4%) and Petit Verdot (1%) from the Ciel du Cheval, Klipsun, Obelisco and Quintessence Vineyards in the Red Mountain AVA in Washington.  I have been a big fan of Mark Ryan since I visited the Walla Walla tasting room back in 2013, but since joining their wine club, I've been somewhat hesitant to open the wines since they pack them so nicely in wood cases, but tonight I gave in!  So let's see how this wine stack up!

The wine is a lovely deep, inky purple color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a quality Cabernet.  The nose is classic Cabernet, with notes of black cherry, cassis, graphite and leather.  The taste is classic Washington Cabernet, with a more old world style, smooth, voluptuous and elegantly styled making this about as smooth a Cabernet as I've ever had.  The tannins are soft and well integrated, to support the long, dry finish that's so smooth, you can't bring yourself to put down your glass!  I have theater tickets after dinner tonight, and I'm going to have a hard time not finishing this bottle before I leave!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as it's one of the best Cabernets I've had in a long time, and a classic example of how Washington does the varietal.  This wine would be great with big steaks, but it's versatile enough to pair with a wide variety of dishes, from a light salad, to wild mushroom risotto to grilled salmon.  Tonight, I am fortunate to be enjoying this with a rare grilled prime T-bone, with grilled leeks and asparagus, a perfect summer dinner.  Cheers!

2014 Sleight of Hand Cellars "The Psychedelic Syrah"

So a few weeks ago I happened to be speaking with Julie Titus at Seven Hills Winery, making sure I had the wines that I thought I had (after my hard drive crash, it seems there are wineries that have a better idea of what's in my cellar than I do!) and she mentioned that she had recently enjoyed "one of the best Syrah's" she had ever had.  Of course I was intrigued, and she was kind enough to give me the contact information for the kind folks at Sleight of Hand Cellars so that I could get a few bottles of their 2014 "The Psychedelic Syrah"!!!  Now I do love me some Syrah, and this one is crafted from fruit of the Stoney Vine  Estate Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA.  The folks at Sleight of Hand bill their wines as "Serious wines without the serious attitudes" so I think I could definitely get along with these guys!  I encourage you to check out their website (here: http://www.sofhcellars.com/) and see some of the interesting wines they are producing, but now let's get on with the show!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass.  The nose is just an explosion of everything that's great about Syrah, green grass, lavender, green olives, smoke and minerals with lovely undertones of ripe purple fruit.  The taste is like nothing I've experienced before, it just takes me right back to the many lovely tasting rooms in Walla Walla, with wild earthy flavors, bursts of ripe cherry, blackberry and blueberry, earthy limestone, licorice and smoke that just give you such a sense of the place that produced this wine.  The tannins are elegant, creating a velvety mouthfeel than envelops you creating a long, dry finish that's silky and very memorable.  This is appropriately names, as this was a psychedelic experience!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as it's one of the best examples of the varietal that I've ever had the pleasure to drink.  I could tell you about pairings, but why ruin the experience?  Just sip this wine on the patio with a group of friends and you'll forget all about dinner.  Of course I'm hungry though, so tonight I am pairing this with a lovely grilled lemon herb halibut filet with some grilled organic rainbow carrots, earth meet sea!  Cheers!

2014 Maison Bleue Voyageur Syrah

Happy wine Tuesday!  I know I'm a day early for Wine Wednesday, but what the heck?  Tonight I have decided to open a recent wine club selection from Maison Bleue Winery, one of my emerging favorite producers of Grenache, Syrah and GSM blends.  Now it's the 2014 Maison Bleue Voyageur Syrah, a blend of 100% Syrah from the Yellow Jacket Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley of Washington.  So let's see how this wine tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with just the heft you'd like to see from a nice Syrah.  The nose is chock full of violets, blueberry and blackberry overlaid with hints of smoke and black pepper spice.  The taste a rush of ripe berries, that transitions nicely to some fresh herbs and chipotle spice midpalate.  There is a bit of a reprise of fruit and a bit of kirsch on the finish, with the soft tannins supporting the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a pleasure to drink and a fine example of what this varietal can achieve on its own.  This wine would pair exceedingly well with a variety of hearty dishes, but could hold up just as well to some lighter fare for the summer.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a lovely cedar planked wild Alaskan Sockeye filet along with some garlic scapes and broccoli rabe sauteed in olive oil and tossed with linguine and parmesan.  The ripe fruit and spice notes of the wine play exceedingly well with the richness of good wild salmon.  Cheers!

2015 DaMa Columbia Valley Tempranillo

Happy Friday!  In a holiday shortened week, it's such a pleasure to get to the weekend so much sooner than normal!  To kick things off, I've decided to open a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from DaMa Wines in Walla Walla, the 2015 DaMa Columbia Valley Tempranillo.  This wine is a 100% Tempranillo from the Chene de Mille vineyard in the Columbia Valley.  So let's see how this one stacks up!

The wine is a lighter ruby color with great clarity, which is classic for the varietal.  The nose is chock full of spice, cardamom, nutmeg and lavender over lovely ripe fruit notes of strawberry and raspberry.  The taste is warm and inviting, with a vapor of fruit flavor at the outset that transitions to some lovely earthy mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are smooth and well structured, though young, providing for a lovely, warm and dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it really reminds me of some of the best Tempranillos of Spain, smooth fruit with a bit of a spicy edge.  This wine would pair well with a variety of summer dishes, from caprese salad to grilled salmon, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with some barbecued baby back ribs, corn on the cob and potato salad, it doesn't get more summery than that!  Cheers!

2012 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon

What the heck, it's Thursday so why not open up a good bottle of wine to enjoy?  Today I've decided to open a bottle of 2012 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, their 40th Anniversary bottling which I bought a few years ago and squirreled away.  Now when this wine was released there was some controversy as it seemed a bit different from the normal Caymus Cabernet, but hopefully it's had a chance to settle down over the past three years.  Let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep, inky purple in the glass, classic color for a Napa Valley Cabernet.  The nose presents lovely aromas of prune, black cherry, mint and oak.  The wine is somewhat subdued at the outset, with a bit of blackberry and cassis that transitions to some earthy notes of tar and oak midpalate, but then the finish is a sudden rush of prune and fig that just seems to explode in your mouth.  The tannins are nicely integrated, providing for a velvety smooth finish, but I think it must have been the rush of dried fruit at the end that so many found off-putting.  I'll admit I'm not the biggest fan of the fruit rush, but I can appreciate it.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a solid effort, but a bit too much concentrated fruit for my taste (call me crazy, but I'm more of the old world, dry red sort of wine fan).  This wine would be great with barbecue or a nice lobster mac & cheese, but tonight I'm enjoying it with a rare grilled prime ribcap, along with the last of my elephant garlic scapes, grilled purple cauliflower and a big baked potato.  Cheers!

2014 Reininger Walla Walla Syrah

Happy Monday to you all, and happy Independence Day eve!  I was fortunate to have the day off today thus creating a 4-day holiday weekend.  So tonight I am celebrating with some 4th of July classics, among them a nice wine from the Walla Walla Valley of Washington, the 2014 Reininger Walla Walla Syrah.  This wine came in a recent wine club shipment and is 100% Syrah from the Pepper Bridge and Seven Hills vineyards, so let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is an inky black color at the center with bright ruby along the edges, somewhat more reminiscent of a Cabernet than a Syrah.  The nose is a lovely combination of leather, blueberry and violet notes that practically grab you by the collar and force you to take a sip.  The taste is lush with ripe fruit, blueberries, blackberries and plum that transition smoothly to some wonderful mineral notes midpalate, ending with some nice white pepper spice.  The fine grain tannins are perfect to support the long, smooth and voluptuous dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's one of the nicest Syrahs I've had in quite a while.  This wine would be great with a variety of spicy Mediterranean or North African cuisine, but tonight I've pulled out the stars & strips and am enjoying this wine with some Kansas City rubbed barbecued baby back ribs, grilled corn on the cob and potato salad, a perfect Independence Day feast!  Cheers!

2015 Kirkland Signature Malbec

Happy Sunday!  I am about to start cooking my Sunday dinner and thought I'd open a bottle of wine I picked up at Costco yesterday, the 2015 Kirkland Signature Malbec from Mendoza Argentina.  Now I know that Malbecs are good value and Argentina is well know for the varietal, particularly Mendoza, so let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a beautiful ruby color in the glass, not as dark as a Cabernet, classic for a Malbec.  The nose is chock full of ripe fruit, blackberry, raspberry, strawberry and plum over some wonderful spice notes of white pepper.  The taste is quite nice and easy going, with some lovely black fruit notes up front that transition easily to some notes of toasted oak, white pepper and smoke midpalate.  The finish is smooth, with youthful tannins and some bright acidity on the smooth, dry finish.

Overall, this wine is a classic Mendoza Malbec, easy drinking and ideal with a variety of foods, so I give this one a solid 8, particularly given what a terrific value this was at just $6!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime ribcap (to make the gauchos proud), along with grilled elephant garlic scapes, orange cauliflower and broccoli rabe.  This wine is ideal for a nice rich steak, cheers!

2007 Seven Hills Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy 4th of July Weekend!  I know it's only the 1st, but it's also the first Saturday of the new month, which means it's Cellar Saturday, that magical day when I open a bottle that's been in the cellar for a while.  This month's selection came about by happenstance, as I was on the phone with Julie Titus from Seven Hills last weekend, looking all over my house for some 2014 Pentad that I ordered (yes, I found it!) but as we were looking I came across tonight's selection and Julie suggested that I open it, so here we have it, the 2007 Seven Hills Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon!

The wine is a deep, inky purple color in the glass, classic Cabernet.  The nose is a blast of leather, ripe berries and some earthy notes that remind me of the smell of the Seven Hills barrel room in Walla Walla!  The taste is just marvelous, with a rush of ripe blackberry, black cherry and currant overlaid with some smoky oak notes.  The fruit transitions to some wonderful mineral notes overlaid with dry herbs and a hint of mint midpalate.  The tannins are still firm but well integrated, providing a wonderful base for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Julie mentioned she thought this wine wouldn't be getting any better, and I agree in the sense that it couldn't have been much better than this!  This wine is really singing at this point, perfect for sipping on the patio or enjoying with a big steak.  Which of course is a good thing, since I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled USDA Prime T-bone with grilled elephant garlic scapes, grilled orange cauliflower and a big baked potato with sour cream and chives.  This wine is a perfect big prime steak wine, cheers!