2013 Result of a Crush

Merry Christmas!  It's been a remarkably relaxing Christmas Eve, as it's been snowing all day so I just decided to spend the afternoon lounging around the house, until it was time to get up and open a bottle of wine!  And tonight it's a special bottle that I brought back from my trip to Walla Walla last August, and a wine that ironically I didn't taste until I sat at the VinoVolo in Sea-Tac airport on the way home, the 2013 Result of a Crush Red Wine!  This wine is from a project by two sisters, Amanda and Angela of the Reynvaan Family Vineyards of Walla Walla, who in 2011 decided to focus on wines that are "distinctive, affordable, consistent in quality and showcase the owners' sometimes whimsical attitude toward wine."  So let's see what this one has to offer!

The wine is a lovely garnet color in the glass, very consistent with the predominance of Syrah in the blend.  The nose is an interesting array of earthy and savory aromas, with some vibrant green herbs along with earthy notes of dusty limestone and tar over undertones of ripe black fruit.  The taste is just a real treat, with some wonderful stone fruit notes up front, which transition to some stark mineral notes midpalate.  The flavors of the Rocks of Walla Walla really come through nicely on this wine.  The tannins as very well structured, providing just enough backbone for the velvety and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9 as it's just a pleasant drinking wine and a solid value (I believe this one was around $28).  This wine would pair well with a broad array of dished, from steaks and chops to hearty Italian dishes, but tonight it's Christmas Eve, which means it's time for a more special dinner.  So tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a giant cold water lobster tail along with some fusilli Napoletani sauteed with olive oil, garlic and broccoli rabe.  The wonderful fruit and mineral notes of this wine are a perfect foil to the richness of the lobster.  Merry Christmas!