2014 Forgeron Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday!  I hope your day before Easter is sunny and wonderful, unfortunately around here it's been chilly and rainy today.  In other words, it's been an ideal day to open up a nice bottle of wine!  Tonight I've decided to open a recent wine club shipment from Forgeron Cellars, the 2014 Forgeron Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, a 100% Cabernet from the Klipsun Vineyard in the Red Mountain AVA.  Forgeron kept six barrels of this wine aged separately for just a little longer than their other Cabernet wines, so let's see what resulted!

The wine is a deep, inky purple in the glass, with magenta along the edges, just as you'd expect of a Klipsun Cabernet.  The nose is a wonderful combination of black licorice and dark chocolate overlaying some floral notes and a hint of oak.  The taste is wonderful cascade of black fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant, that transitions to some wonderful flavors of anise and white pepper spice midpalate.  The subdued tannins provide for a perfectly smooth, dry and velvety finish that is just a pleasure to experience.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a wonderful example of what can be done with a big Cabernet when a winemaker allows the fruit to truly express itself.  This wine would pair well with a lot of big, beefy dishes, hearty stew or shepherd's pie, but tonight I am going classic with a rare grilled prime ribcap, with mashed potatoes topped with an onion demi glace along with some fresh grilled asparagus.  Cheers!

2012 Ardente Select Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Taco Tuesday!  I bet you'll never guess what's for dinner...in any case you don't have to guess the wine as tonight I've opened a bottle that was just delivered today from Wines Till Sold Out, the 2012 Ardente Select Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (92%), Merlot (6%) and Cabernet Franc (2%) from the Atlas Peak district of Napa Valley.  We know what a solid vintage Napa had in 2012, so let's see how this wine stacks up!

The wine has the classic Cabernet look, deep inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is a luxurious combination of leather, oak, smoke and spice notes over subtle layers of black fruit.  The taste is a subdued rush of blackberry and black cherry up front that evolves into notes of dark chocolate, Asian spice and dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat subdued, presenting a nice complexity that's so often missing from big Napa Cabernets, while the finish is long, voluptuous and very dry.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a wonderful, high-quality Cabernet that was also a great bargain at just $25.  This wine would be perfect with a rare bone-in New York strip, prime rib or braised short ribs, but tonight is Taco Tuesday, so I'm enjoying this wine with some steak tacos!  The richness of the fruit is a perfect foil to the earthy spice of my taco meat, cheers!

2012 Orin Swift Abstract

Happy Saturday!  I spent much of my day at a Board meeting in Chicago, so of course that meant a quick stop at Eataly before heading home (more on that later on in this post!) and now I'm ready for a nice glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle that I found in the cellar recently, I remember buying it but don't remember drinking it, hence I've opened it tonight, the 2012 Orin Swift Abstract.  This wine is a Rhone style blend of primarily Grenache, Petite Sirah and Syrah from Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino Counties in California.  I find that Orin Swift produces some interesting blends, so let's see what this one has to offer.

The wine is a deep inky color at the center with bright ruby along the edges that reminds me more of a Cabernet than a Grenache heavy blend, no doubt a nod to the Petite Sirah in the blend.  The nose is chock full of blackberry, plum and some wonderful dried sage.  The taste is a rush of black cherry, plum and kirsch that transitions nicely to some notes of black tea and dark chocolate midpalate.  The tannins are soft but well structured, providing for a lingering and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a lovely blend that would resonate with anyone that appreciates the art of getting varietals to play well together.  It was also a very good value at just $30.  This wine would pair well with steaks and chops, barbecue or pasta, but tonight I've gone down south and am pairing this with a pan-seared, cajun spiced veal loin chop, some red beans and rice and steamed asparagus.  The wine is just a great combination with the spice and wonderful earthy flavor of the veal.  Cheers!

2013 Camatta Creek Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of last month's wine club selection, the 2013 Camatta Creek Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles.  I got this wine from Wines Till Sold Out, and since it was a wine club selection, you know it was a bargain, so let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby color, somewhat lighter than the more robust Napa Valley Cabernets.  The nose is a wonderful combination of earthy aromas, smoke, green grass and oak over some subdued fruit notes of blackberry and cherry with just a hint of anise.  The taste is refreshingly fruit forward, with a rush of black cherry and currant over a base of dark chocolate, that transitions nicely to some notes of dusty limestone and black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are well structured, providing for a long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's a pleasant, easy drinking wine, but it really didn't knock my socks off.  It was also a wonderful bargain at just $13, so it could be a nice everyday wine.  This would pair well with steaks and chops, barbecued ribs or pasta, but tonight I'm just enjoying it with that great American dinner of leftovers!  Cheers!

2014 Cellier des Princes Reserve Chateaunneuf du Pape

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  This is always a challenging holiday for wine, what with all the green beer floating around, but I figured since this is a Catholic holiday I might as well go right to the top and try the wine of the pope on this St. Patty's Day!  Tonight I've opened a rather young bottle, the 2014 Cellier des Princes Reserve Chateaunneuf du Pape, a blend of Grenache (90%), Syrah (5%) and Mourvedre (5%) in this father of GSM blends.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a lighter ruby color in the glass with great clarity, just as you'd expect from a wine so heavy on Grenache.  The nose presents aromas of fresh strawberries, rhubarb, floral notes of violets and a bit of green grass.  The taste is mindblowingly different that what you'd expect from the nose, this is a rush of ripe red berries, currant, strawberries, raspberries and tart cherry that just envelop your palate before transitioning ever so gently to some mineral and green tea notes midpalate.  The tannins are soft, providing for a very smooth, dry finish with just a small reprise of tart cherry.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's drinking surprisingly well right now, but will no doubt improve with another few years in the cellar.  This wine would be ideal with many of those dishes that are so hard to pair with red wine, like chicken, turkey, milder fish and of course, corned beef and cabbage!  Given the holiday, this is my one day of the year to stink up the house with a crock pot full of corned beef, carrots, red potatoes and cabbage.  The fruit in this wine offers just the right amount of sweetness to counter the salty, fatty richness of the corned beef.  Cheers!

2015 Forgeron Cellars Primitivo

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Not only is it Wine Wednesday, it's also March 14th, or "Pi Day" which means you can easily guess what's for dessert tonight. But before we get there, I've decided to open a bottle of my recent wine club shipment from Forgeron Cellars, the 2015 Primitivo, from the Stone Tree Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA.  I am a big fan of Marie Eve's efforts in Primitivo especially, so let's see how this year's vintage stacks up!

The wine is a deep inky color in the glass and the nose presents some striking aromas of blackberry, plum and currant with earthy notes of leather and violets intermingled throughout.  The taste is a wonderfully expressive combination of black fruit up front that gently transitions to some hearty dark chocolate and spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are remarkably smooth and well structured, providing for a velvety, long and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as I think it's a fine expression of the varietal and the terroir of the Wahluke Slope.  This wine strikes me as incredibly versatile as I could easily enjoy it with anything from tacos to pizza to steaks and classic Italian dishes.  But tonight I am once again taking the road less traveled and enjoying this with some maple glazed steelhead, roasted garlic and pecan rice and steamed asparagus.  And of course, a slice of blueberry pie for dessert!  Cheers!

2015 Doubleback Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Selection Sunday!  I'm excited as my Bucknell Bison are heading to the NCAA Basketball Tournament, and we're moments away from learning who they will play.  So to celebrate and to continue my enjoyment of Washington Wine Month, I've decided to open a bottle of a new wine club selection that I received on Friday, the 2015 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon, a work from winemaker Josh McDaniels at Drew Bledsoe's signature label.  This wine has one of the highest amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon (98%) of any previous vintage, with the balance Malbec all from the McQueen, Bob Healy, Lefore and Pepper Bridge vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley.  I was in Walla Walla at harvest time (you can see my first day's post here) and I recall during that trip two big events, first that harvest was incredibly early, as the warm growing season resulted in harvest starting the third week of August and the fires all around that would result in days there the smoke was almost unbearable!  So now I'm finally beginning to taste some of the results of that vintage!

This wine is a classic Cabernet, with a deep, inky color at the center and bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is just a wonderfully earthy experience with layers of leather, oak and a bit of smoke over dried herbs and dusty limestone.  The taste is youthful, but remarkably complex, with ripe blackberry and cassis up front that transitions smoothly to some earthy mineral and spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are youthful but remarkably well structured, providing for a velvety mouthfeel and a long, voluptuous finish with a reprise of tart cherry on the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's drinking wonderfully now in it's youth, but has ample potential to improve with a few years in the cellar (lucky I bought a few extra!).  This wine practically begs to be paired with a big, honkin' steak, ideally a richly marbled prime tomahawk ribeye, but tonight I have to go with my second choice, a nice thick Angus New York strip grilled rare with grilled asparagus and a big baked potato with sour cream and chives.  Cheers!

2009 Château Tour des Termes Saint-Estephe Cru Bourgeois

Well, tonight is a bit of a retread, but one that I think is worthwhile as I first reviewed the 2009 Château Tour des Termes Saint-Estephe when it was just released back in 2012 (you can see that review here) and back then I mentioned I'd put the remaining bottles in the cellar and see how they matured.  Well tonight I was looking for a nice Bordeaux to enjoy with dinner and I happened upon a bottle and I thought, why not see how the last few years have treated this blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from a classic vintage?

The wine is a lovely deep purple color in the glass, with bright ruby along the edges, belying the Cabernet in the blend.  The nose is a rich display of ripe black fruit with distinctly floral overtones that present an earthy richness so characteristic of a nice left bank Bordeaux.  The taste is refreshingly fruit forward with a burst of black cherry, plum and strawberry that transitions to some spicy pepper notes midpalate.  The tannins have definitely matured in the past 5 years or so, resulting in complex structure on the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Last time I rated this wine based on it's youth, but today I'd rate this wine a solid 8.5 as it's just starting to hit its stride.  This wine would be ideal with a variety of roasts and chop, rich classic French dishes and seafood.  Tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a more subdued dinner of oven roasted chicken breast served with mashed potatoes and some grilled asparagus.  Cheers!

2014 14 Hands Kentucky Derby Columbia Valley Red Blend

Happy Taco Tuesday!  Bet you'll never guess what's for dinner...but as for the wine, tonight I've opened a bottle of 2014 14 Hands Kentucky Derby Red Blend which I picked up at my local market a few months ago, well after the Derby which is why it was likely on sale.  In any case, 14 Hands does make some nice, inexpensive and easy drinking wines, and this one is a blend of Merlot (50%), Cabernet Franc (48%) and Barbera (2%) all from the Columbia Valley of Washington.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a nice ruby color in the glass, very characteristic of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.  The nose is a pleasant combination of ripe red berries, plum and a bit of peppery spice.  The taste is a wave of cherry, currant and plum up front that transitions smoothly to some notes of white pepper spice and just the faintest hint of mint midpalate.  The tannins are still a bit tight, adding some sharpness to the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this win a solid 8, as it's really just a pleasant drinking everyday red blend that I'm sure was well under $20.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from steaks and chops to pizza, but tonight I'm enjoying this wine with some chicken tacos and a side of black beans for Taco Tuesday!  Cheers!

2010 Genium Celler Priorat

You know, it's been a while since I've enjoyed a nice Spanish wine, so tonight I've opened a bottle I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out, the 2010 Genium Celler Priorat, a blend of Garnacha (45%), Syrah (20%), Merlot (20%), Carinena (10%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (5%).  I've often viewed Priorat and similar wines from Spain as the poor cousins of Chateauneuf du Pape and the classic GSM blends of France, but in reality, these wines are in a style and class of their own.  So let's see what this one has to offer!

The wine is a deep purple in the glass, with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is a blend of earthy aromas, leather, oak and spice box intermingled with some soft fruit notes and hints of floral undertones.  The taste is a rush of black fruit, cherry, blackberry and plum that transition to some notes of anise and peppery spice midpalate.  The chalky tannins can be somewhat of a challenge, but in this wine they work, providing nice balance to the rich fruit and setting up the long, very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's pleasant to drink, but also somewhat versatile when it comes to food pairings.  I rely on Spanish reds for more challenging dishes to pair, like my dinner tonight, an Indian spiced oven roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and steamed asparagus.  The rich fruit and balanced spice on the finish make a nice pairing with the herb spice of the chicken, a protein that can be a challenge with red wine.  Cheers!

2006 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Cellar Saturday!  It's the first Saturday of the month, that magical day when I raid the cellar for something at least a decade old to enjoy.  Well tonight it was literally a bottle I stumbled upon in the cellar, as several weeks ago I was looking for a bottle of French wine and happened upon this bottle misplaced in the section where all the Bordeaux are sitting, the 2006 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon, so given that this is the first weekend of Washington Wine Month, it seems like an appropriate choice.  So let's see how this one has matured since I got it about 10 years ago!

Now keep in mind, I decanted this wine for about an hour before tasting.  The wine is a lovely color in the glass, with deep, inky purple at the center, garnet along the edges with just a hint of brown.  The nose is such a smack in the head, as it instantly brings back memories of tasting this wine when it was new, wonderfully earthy notes of leather, grass and peat over some start minerality, but then layered on that is some clear signs of maturity, roast meat, olive tapenade and rich herb notes.  How amazing that I feel like I'm done and I haven't even had a sip yet!  The taste is nothing like the aromas, you're greeted with a rush of ripe black fruit, cherry, plum and currant that transitions effortlessly to some earthy spice notes and olive midpalate.  The tannins are mature and well balanced, providing for an exceptionally smooth, voluptuous dry finish.

I was expecting this wine to be a nice cabernet, but man this was just a sensory experience that bordered on overload!  Overall, I'd rate this wine a solid 9.5 easy, as it's just a phenomenal Cabernet, and it wasn't even the top of the line wine from L'Ecole back in 2006!  This wine would pair exceptionally well with steak, wild game, roasts, or as I'm enjoying tonight, some wonderful Italian dishes!  I'm enjoying this wine with some pasta I picked up at Eataly a few weeks ago, topped with some Italian sausage marinara, but who am I kidding, I'll be enjoying this wine for the rest of the evening, long after dinner is through!  Cheers!