2012 Helix Stillwater Creek Merlot

What a busy day I had today, this is the sort of day where I really need to relax with a nice glass of wine.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle from one of my favorite Washington wineries, Reininger, in this case from their second label, Helix.  I am a big fan of Merlot, and the 2012 Helix Stillwater Creek Merlot is a 100% Merlot from the Stillwater Creek and Bacchus Vineyards in the Columbia Valley.  So let's see if this wine can relieve the stress of my day!

The wine is a beautiful deep purple color at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from a nice Merlot.  The nose is a cascade of earthy aromas, leather, peat and oak intermingling with ripe black fruit notes of cherry, currant and blackberry.  The taste is just lovely, with a rush of black cherry and currant that envelop the palate, only to shift to some notes of dark chocolate and candied plum, before finishing with some lovely black pepper spice.  The round tannins are ideal for the base of the long, smooth dry finish.

In his description, Chuck Reininger described this wine as a "sturdy Merlot" and I certainly agree.  I would call it stout and rotund and overall I'd rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a wonderful Merlot and a terrific bargain at just $22!  This wine would pair exceptionally well with a nice steak, roast beef, London broil, any hearty meat dish, but tonight I'm enjoying this wine with some classic Midwest comfort food of a stuffed green pepper!  Cheers!

2014 Pepper Bridge Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Friday!  It's been a busy week, and in case you haven't heard, we've had some flooding issues here in Elkhart over the past week, with all the two feet of snow melting, combined with another few inches of rain.  Tomorrow I am heading over to a friend's to help him start the clean up efforts on his house, which still has 6" of water in the basement, but tonight there's time for wine!  I've opened a bottle of 2014 Pepper Bridge Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (83%), Merlot (9%), Malbec (4%), Cabernet Franc (2%) and Petit Verdot (2%), all from the Seven Hills, Octave, Pepper Bridge and Waliser Vineyards.  So let's see how this one tastes!

In color, the wine is a deep, inky consistency with garnet along the edges.  The nose is a rush of ripe black fruit, cassis and hints of strawberry and mint.  The taste envelops the palate with blueberry, blackberry and tart cherry that eases into some subtle exotic spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are nicely integrated, providing for a luxurious and very dry finish that seem to last a minute or more.  This is a wonderfully structured, old-world style of Cabernet that's just perfect for a relaxing evening.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's one of the best Cabernets of 2018 so far (yes, I know it's still early).  This is a wine that would pair well with a nice steak, venison or a hearty winter stew, but also would go well with a wild salmon.  Tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a rare grilled porterhouse, grilled asparagus and a big baked potato.  Cheers!

2015 Forgeron Zinfandel

Happy Taco Tuesday!  I bet you'll never guess what's for dinner tonight, but about the wine to pair it with... well tonight I've decided to open a bottle of a perennial favorite Zinfandel, the 2015 Forgeron Cellars Zinfandel.  This wine is produced from 100% Zinfandel sourced from the Alder Ridge Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA.  I've read a little about Zinfandel and how the large clusters of grapes tend to ripen unevenly, making this a challenging wine to make well, but when it's done right it's hard to resist!

This wine is a lovely deep garnet color in the glass.  The nose presents aromas of tobacco, licorice, mocha and smoke, just what you'd expect.  The taste is a rush of ripe black fruit, with undertones of fig and smoke that transitions effortlessly to some notes of mocha and spicy clove and white pepper midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured, providing for a wonderfully long and smooth dry finish with a reprise of tartness at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's one of my favorite Zinfandel's year in and year out.  And it's not your typically jammy Zinfandel, but more elevated.  This wine would pair so well with barbecue, pizza or tacos, which is what I'm having tonight, wonderfully blackened walleye for fish tacos with black beans and edamame corn salsa, all on my new taco plates!  Cheers!

2013 Angel's Landing Napa Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  I've had my usual Sunday afternoon of grocery shopping and laundry, so now it's time to have a bit of relaxation for the evening.  And for that I'm opening a bottle I stumbled upon in the cellar last week, the 2013 Angel's Landing Napa Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.  I can't recall where I got this bottle, but I figured with a decent vintage and a Napa Cabernet, it's likely to pair well with Sunday dinner, so let's see what it has to offer!

The wine is a deep inky color, with bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect for a Cabernet.  The nose is chock full of blackberry, prune and currant with earthy undertones of leather and green grass.  The taste is quite fruit forward, with a rush of blueberry and black raspberry that transitions nicely to some earthy mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are quite firm, adding some sharpness to the long and exceptionally dry finish that seems to last a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a really nice Napa Cabernet, but the finish could be smoother in my view.  This wine is practically begging to be paired with a nice steak, and tonight is its lucky night, as I'm enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime New York Strip along with grilled asparagus and a baked potato with sour cream and scallions.  Cheers!

2007 Lena di Mezzo Amarone della Valpolicella

Happy Valentine's Day!  I have to admit that this holiday always reminds me of the wonderful Italian Amarone, a wonderfully robust and intense wine made from the Valpolicella grape, dried on mats and pressed to extract the concentrated juice that becomes a most wonderful wine.  Like a lot of the great Italian wines, I am convinced that they really don't reach their prime until at least a decade after harvest, which is why I'm happy to be opening this 2007 Lena di Mezzo Amarone della Valpolicella.  So let's see how it tastes.

The wine is a beautifully deep ruby color in the glass.  The nose just overflows from the glass, spreading aromas reminiscent of an old Italian kitchen around the room, notes of dried Italian herbs, anise, peppery spice, ripe blackberry and kirsch that just feel classically old world.  The taste is delightfully complex, with a rush of blackberry, prune and kirsch that transitions to some spice notes and tart cherry midpalate.  The finish is just delightful, with structured tannins providing a base for the long, smooth and voluptuous finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's somewhat less fruit forward and sweet than the traditional Amarone, but one which I really enjoy.  This wine would be ideal with a variety of hard cheeses, wild mushroom risotto, or just about any classic Italian dish.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a more simple dinner of fusilli topped with a spicy Italian sausage marinara.  The rich black fruit of the wine is a perfect foil for the spicy sauce.  As one of my favorite TV chefs, Lidia Bastianich would say, tutti a tavola a mangiare!

2016 Gnarly Head Sauvignon Blanc

Happy Monday!  I have to admit, my wine tonight is somewhat of an accident, as I bought this bottle mainly to use in cooking some mussels in white wine over the weekend (you know I'm unlikely to buy a white wine just for drinking!) so I looked at Costco for the cheapest dry white wine I could find and settled on the 2016 Gnarly Head Sauvignon Blanc.  Now it's Monday and I'm cooking a completely different kind of seafood, so why not finish the bottle?

The wine is a very light golden color in the glass, classic for a Sauvignon Blanc.  The nose is cascade of citrus and tropical notes, grapefruit, passion fruit and just a hint of pineapple.  The taste is quite crisp, with a gradual buildup of fruit that starts with some citron, moves to some notes of melon and then reaches an apex of tart apple over some hints of minerality in the background.  The finish is crisp and refreshing and quite dry, a really ideal white wine for a dry red wine lover like me!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7, as it's a very refreshing Sauvignon Blanc that would be quite versatile with food, and it was a terrific bargain at just $6 at my local Costco!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some sea scallops seared in wasabi oil along with some steamed white rice and sugar snap peas.  The tart citrus aspects of this wine are a wonderful counter to the richness of the scallops.  Cheers!

2014 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday!  It's been and adventure the past couple days as we were totally walloped with snow, yesterday we had about 14 inches and after hours of shoveling, I think it's time for a break!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of wine I found at my local supermarket today as they were having a 15% off sale on all their wines, so I picked up a few bottles of the 2014 Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby color, just as you'd expect from a nice Columbia Valley Cabernet.  The nose is a pleasant combination of red fruit, green grass and light floral notes.  The taste is a pleasant rush of ripe red fruit up front, cherry, raspberry and currant that transitions nicely to some notes of cherry cola and pipe tobacco midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat soft, which gives rise to a smooth and supple dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's nothing spectacular, but it is a solid and pleasant everyday Cabernet.  It was also a terrific value, as the regular price at my market was $8, but with the sale I bought these bottles for less than $7, making this an ideal everyday red.  The wine would pair nicely with a broad variety of dishes, from pizza to tacos to steak.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled New York strip with grilled leeks, mashed potatoes and gravy and steamed asparagus.  All in, a wonderful Saturday evening dinner, cheers!

2014 V. Sattui Napa Valley Malbec

Happy Wine Wednesday!  I have to admit, tonight I'm merging Wine Wednesday with Taco Tuesday based on my dinner.  So since the cat's out of the bag, what would be a good wine to enjoy with tacos?  How about a nice Malbec?  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2014 V. Sattui Napa Valley Malbec that I brought back with me from my last trip to Napa, so let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, typical of a Malbec.  The nose is somewhat subdued with notes of prune, cassis, and floral notes of violets.  The taste is a rush of ripe black fruit up front that transitions to some earthy notes of dusty limestone overlaid with smoke.  The chewy tannins make a nice foundation for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

I have to admit, this wine is somewhat more domesticated that the typical Argentine Malbec, but it's quite pleasant.  So, I'd rate this one a solid 8.  It would pair well with steak, chili, tacos or pizza quite well, and tonight I'm enjoying this wine with some wonderful chipotle steak tacos, topped with a sriracha taco sauce, sour cream and avocado.  Cheers!

2010 Alienor Cellars Grand Vin

Happy Superbowl Sunday!  It's been snowing most of the day here, so I really haven't ventured out, opting instead to stay indoors and do laundry.  So now with the last load in the dryer, I figured it was time to prepare dinner and open a bottle of wine.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle that I bought recently from Wines Till Sold Out, the 2010 Alienor Cellars Grand Vin, a tribute to the classic Bordeaux blend, this one containing Merlot (51%), Cabernet Franc (48%) and Petit Verdot (1%) all from Lake County, in the North Coast AVA of California.  So let's see what this wine has to offer.

The wine has a wonderful deep ruby color in the glass, classic for a right bank Bordeaux style blend.  The nose evokes a sense of luxurious richness, with notes of leather, ripe black fruit and a hint of violets perfumed in the background.  The taste is a rush of decadent fruit, with ripe plum, blackberry and fig that transition quite effortlessly to notes of dark chocolate and licorice midpalate.  The finish is just lovely, with integrated tannins for backbone on the long, velevety smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a very pleasant drinking right bank style blend, and it was a terrific value as this wine was just $18 at Wines Till Sold Out (I should have bought more!).  This wine would pair well with a variety of cheeses, roasts, chops and wild game, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prim ribcap over a bed of grilled leeks, with some grilled asparagus and romanesco and a big ol' baked potato.  Cheers!

2008 Le Mura Saracene Montefalco Rosso

Happy Cellar Saturday!  It's the first Saturday of the month, and time to raid the cellar for a wine that's at least a decade in the making.  Tonight I've opened a wine that I fully admit was a victim of my lack of short, or even medium term memory.  I bought a couple bottles of the 2008 Le Mura Saracene Montefalco Rosso at G.B. Russo's in Grand Rapids back in 2012 or 2013, and I remember Dave Russo telling me that this wine would benefit from a couple more years in the cellar, and five years later I found it!  At any rate, for those unfamiliar with Montefalco Rosso, it's a wine from a region in central Umbria and is a blend primarily of Sangiovese (60-70%) along with Sagrantino (10-15%), which is a varietal that's very tannic.  The remainder of the blend is up to the wine maker, with many now employing more traditional varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center with bright garnet along the edges, a testament to the impact of the Sagrantino and other blending grapes on the otherwise lighter bodied Sangiovese.  The nose is a bounty of ripe red and black fruit, plum, cherry, currant along with earthy aromas of peat and olive.  The taste is at first a wave of earthy mineral and olive, that transitions to some more mellow hints of cherry and prune, before circling back to some rustic hints of cinnamon and mocha.  The tannins are quite robust despite their age, lending to a long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a wonderfully drinking wine, but I think it may be somewhat of an acquired taste that's quite different than a Chianti or Brunello.  This wine would pair well with roasts, wild game, and of course hearty Italian dishes.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some squid ink tagliatelle tossed with shrimp in a tomato basil cream sauce.  Cheers!