2012 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Merlot

So yesterday I was at my local supermarket, looking at the wine section for anything interesting (and yes, only I can define interesting in my wine tastes!) and I happened upon a section of Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Merlot.  Having been to the winery in Napa, I've developed an appreciation for this mega producer, but what caught my eye was one lonely bottle of the 2012 vintage in an entire display of 2014 vintage.  Naturally, knowing what a spectacular vintage 2012 was, I had to grab this bottle and bring it home.  So let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, classic for Merlot.  The nose is a lovely combination of blackberry, cherry and currant intermingled with dried spices, oak and leather.  It almost has an old-world sort of nose, like a nice Bordeaux or even a super-Tuscan.  The taste is a rush of black fruit up front that transitions to some notes of cherry cola, mocha and tobacco midpalate.  The tannins are still fairly tight, providing a lot of backbone for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a lovely example of a Napa Merlot that's just starting to come into its own.  This wine would be excellent with some hearty pasta dishes, steaks and chops or even summer barbecue.  Tonight I'm enjoying it with a rare grilled porterhouse over a bed of grilled leeks and broccoli rabe.  Cheers!

2015 Dona Paula Estate Malbec

TGIF!  It's been a long week, and tonight it's supposed to get down into the 50s which means that it's perfect patio campfire weather!  So of course with a nice campfire, we need to have a nice bottle of wine and tonight it's one I recently picked up at Costco, the 2015 Dona Paula Estate Malbec from the Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina.  I have been a fan of Dona Paula for a while, and they make some exceptional Malbec at ridiculously bargain prices, so let's see what this wine has to offer.

The wine is a deep purple color at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, typical of the varietal.  The nose presents a lovely cascade of earthy aromas, green grass, earthy peat over ripe red fruit notes of cherry, raspberry and strawberry.  The taste is wonderfully fruit forward, but somewhat subdued, with a rush of strawberry and cherry that transitions to some earthy notes of leather and tobacco intermingled with white pepper spice.  The tannins are well structured, providing a nice backbone for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a wonderful Argentine Malbec and a terrific value for just $10.  Like the Gauchos of Mendoza, this wine needs a steak, which is a good thing as I'm enjoying this one with a rare grilled prime ribcap, along with some grilled rainbow carrots and baby bok choy.  Cheers!

2015 Colossal Reserva Red Wine

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Tonight I've decided to open a wine I bought at Costco recently that hails from Portugal.  I know I have at least one bottle of Portuguese wine in my cellar, but this one was such a bargain at $9, I couldn't resist (mental note, this could be a nice wine club selection).  The wine is a blend of Touriga Nacional (30%), Syrah (30%), Tinta Roriz (30%) and Alicante Bouschet (10%).  There are some unfamiliar names on those varietals, so let's get some education out of the way.  Touriga Nacional is known as one of the signature grapes of Portugal, characterized by small berries with high tannins, which typically adds structure to the wine.  It's been more used for port, but is becoming more common in table wine.  Tinta Roriz is the name for Tempranillo on the Portuguese side of the border.  And Alicante Bouschet is an interesting varietal (I reviewed one quite some time ago from Coppola here) that adds a lot of color and body as well as some jammy fruit.  So enough learning, time for drinking!

The wine is a lovely inky red color in the glass, a hat tip to the Alicante Bouschet in the blend.  The nose presents some delicate floral aromas intermingled with a peppery spice, but very little fruit.  The taste is just a complete 180, with a quick blast of ripe red fruit, cherry, raspberry and plum that transitions quickly to some wonderful earthy grass, basalt and tobacco notes midpalate.  The finish is exceptionally dry and smooth, with the big tannins of the Touriga Nacional providing the nice structure and big, velvety mouthfeel.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's such an interesting blend that defies the stereotypes of red blends.  It's a wonderful combination of great flavor with solid structure that make it a great steak wine, whether grilled steak, braised short rib tacos or a traditional roast, this is an ideal meat wine.  Tonight I'm enjoying this one with a rare grilled prime ribcap, big honkin' baked potato with all the fixin's and some steamed sugar snaps.  Cheers!

2015 Reininger Walla Walla Valley Carmenere

Happy Saturday!  I've been rushing around the house trying to get caught up on laundry and picking up branches knocked down in the recent storms that rolled through, and now I'm ready for dinner and a glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened up a bottle from one of my favorite Walla Walla producers, Chuck Reininger, a man that I really identify with in terms of winemaking style.  The 2015 Reininger Carmenere is a 100% Carmenere from the Seven Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA.  So let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, ideal for the varietal.  The nose is chock full of juicy ripe fruit, black raspberry, cherry and blackberry over hints of earthy leather and oak.  The taste is wonderfully fruit forward, but not an in-your-face fruit bomb, with rather delicate flavors of black cherry, raspberry and plum intermingled with a hint of vanilla that transitions nicely to some notes of dried herbs and white pepper midpalate.  The tannins are remarkably well structured for such a young wine, providing the ideal foundation for the long, velvety dry finish that practically compels you to take your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's consistently one of my favorite examples of the varietal.  This wine would pair very well with hearty meat dishes, from steak to smoked brisket to traditional barbecue, but tonight I'm enjoying this wine with some chorizo tacos.  The smokiness of the chorizo really pairs well with the dark fruit and earthy character of this wine.  Cheers!

2015 Pepper Bridge Vineyard

Happy Thursday!  It's been a busy day today, seems like I haven't had a moment to catch my breath, so it's definitely wine o'clock now!  And tonight I've opened a bottle of the most recent wine club shipment from Pepper Bridge Vineyards, the 2015 Pepper Bridge Vineyard red wine, a blend of Merlot (46%), Malbec (31%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (23%) from the estate vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep, brooding, inky color in the glass, classic for Pepper Bridge red wine.  The nose presents aromas of black cherry, interlaced with hints of cedar and baking spice.  The taste is a rush of blueberry and tart cherry up front that transitions to some wonderful notes of dusty limestone, cherry cola and black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are still a bit sharp in their youth, providing for a long, 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 drinking well now, but I can see this one developing into a lovely wine with a few years in the cellar.  This wine is ideal for big meals, steak, chops, classic pasta dishes.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare prime petit filet mignon, potato puree and steamed sugar snap peas.  Cheers!

2014 Honoro Vera Garnacha

Well, today I've decided to open a bottle that's been sitting in my kitchen for a while, I can't recall where I got it but I put it on my counter behind the coffee and it's sat there ever since, the 2014 Honoro Vera Garnacha from the Catalayud region of Spain, which is well known for its Grenache.  And of course another advantage of Spanish wines is that like this wine they are usually good values for the price.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep garnet color in the glass, a bit darker than some Grenache wines from France.  The nose presents aromas of ripe cherry, plum and currant amid spicy notes of white pepper and earthy green grass.  The taste is classic Spanish Garnacha, with a rush of ripe, lush fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant that transition effortlessly to some notes of fresh herbs and white pepper midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, providing a wonderfully velvety, long and very dry finish that beckons you to have another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's just a classic Grenache from this region of Spain.  This is also a very food friendly wine, perfect for summer as it would complement a broad range of patio dinners, from burgers and steaks to barbecued ribs and fresh caprese salad.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic dinner of chorizo and bean tacos with all the trimmings, the wonderful fruit in the wine really plays well against the spice of the chorizo.  Cheers!

2013 Murphy-Goode Red Wine

Happy Saturday!  It's been an odd day of running errands and not being able to do yard work as it can't seem to make up its mind whether it will rain or not.  Well maybe I'll have better luck tomorrow.  In the meantime, I've opened a bottle of wine to enjoy with dinner before heading out to enjoy a performance at the Elkhart Civic Theatre, tonight it's Disney's Beauty and the Beast.  So the wine, this is a bottle I picked up at my local market for only about $8, so I figured it was worth a try.  I think it's a blend of primarily Zinfandel, Merlot, Syrah and some other red varietals from Sonoma, but I couldn't find the exact blend.  So let's see how it tastes. 

The wine is a nice garnet color in the glass and the nose exudes aromas of leather, cherries, oak and a hint of anise.  The taste is a rush of warm, ripe fruit, cherry, plum, blueberry and a bit of raspberry that transitions to some mineral notes and earthiness midpalate.  The finish is somewhat subdued, with mellow tannins providing for a silky mouthfeel on the smooth, dry finish. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's a pleasant drinking everyday red wine and a terrific value if you can find it on sale for under $10.  This wine would pair very well with burgers, pizza or barbecue, but I'm enjoying it tonight with an alder planked wild sockeye filet, potato puree and some fresh green beans almondine that I bought fresh today.  The great cherry flavors of this wine make it ideal with a rich salmon.  Cheers!

2015 The Velvet Devil Merlot

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of Washington wine I recently picked up at my local market, the 2015 The Velvet Devil Merlot, a product of Charles Smith out of Walla Walla.  In general, I've viewed these wines and fairly good values and nice everyday wines, so let's see how this one stacks up.

The wine is a nice ruby color in the glass, typical for a nice Merlot.  The nose presents aromas of black cherry, raspberry, green grass and some subtle floral notes mixed in.  The taste is an odd combination of earthy notes mixed with ripe fruit up front, that could be considered a bit off-putting.  The fruit seems to be a bit more pronounced midpalate, with notes of black cherry, blueberry and plum.  The tannins are a bit tight, but do provide a nice backbone for the smooth and very dry finish, which seems a bit abrupt.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's not spectacular by any means, but it is a nice everyday Merlot and a good value at about $9.  This wine would be a nice summer patio sipper, but would also pair well with steaks, tacos, barbecue and pasta dishes.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with an Alder planked wild sockeye filet along with some wild rice and baby bok choy sauteed in sesame oil.  Cheers!

2008 Otis Kenyon Walla Walla Merlot

Happy Cellar Saturday!  It's the first Saturday of the month, that magical day when I raid the cellar to open a bottle that's at least a decade in the making.  So tonight I've decided that since I'm in the mood for Merlot, why not open a bottle from a solid Merlot Maker, Otis Kenyon.  I have other reasons for this choice as since it's supposed to get down near 50 degrees tonight, I also plan to have a fire on the patio, which makes sense given the history of Otis Kenyon.  According to the story I was told in Walla Walla last spring, the Otis Kenyon family patriarch moved to Milton-Freewater to establish his dental practice in the early 1900s.  With a struggling practice, a new dentist moved into town, and somehow James Otis Kenyon decided to burn the competitors office to the ground, resulting in his providing excellent dental care to the guests and guards at a local prison.  So today, as a nod to that story the labels of Otis Kenyon wines contain his silhouette are burned along the edges.  The 2008 Otis Kenyon Walla Walla Merlot is 100% Merlot from the Seven Hills and Pepper Bridge Vineyards.  So let's get to the wine!

The wine is a lovely, deep ruby color in the glass.  The nose is chock full of leather, cherry, raspberry and fig with an overlay of floral and juniper notes.  The taste is a perfect balance of old world and new world styling, with a rush of ripe fruit, blueberry, cherry and plum that transitions nicely to some wonderful mineral notes of limestone and basalt midpalate, a marriage of fruit and funk.  The tannins are quite subdued at this point, but still well integrated to provide nice structure to the long, very dry finish, that treats you to a reprise of some floral and cardamom notes right at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's a wonderfully structured Merlot that I could easily sip by itself on the patio, or enjoy with a broad range of dishes, from steaks to barbecue to tacos.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic Northwest pairing, cedar planked steelhead along with potato puree with chives and steamed sugar snap peas, in a perfect evening for a dinner on the patio.  Cheers!

2016 Les Vieilles Pierres Costieres de Nimes

Happy Independence Day eve!  Advanced warning: I will not be posting tomorrow since I will be busy much of the day getting ready for 4th of July rib fest at my house!  So, in honor of my last evening of relaxation, I've opened a bottle of wine that was a gift from a former boss who has very similar taste in wine to me, the 2016 Les Vieilles Pierres Costieres de Nimes.  Now this AOC was once part of the Languedoc region, but given they seem to have more in common with the Rhone Valley, they shifted to the Rhone region.  Which makes some sense with this blend of Syrah (80%) and Grenache (20%) from a region that's been making wine since before the Romans arrived in France.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, as you'd expect from such a Syrah dominant blend.  The nose is a wonderful cascade of ripe red fruit, raspberry, cherry, strawberry and cassis overlaid with lovely floral notes.  The taste is a rush of tart cherry at the outset that transitions to some notes of green grass and olive notes midpalate.  The tannins are a bit tightly wound, resulting in a somewhat sharp, but very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's a pleasant blend but still a bit young.  With a few years in the cellar this wine will no doubt improve.  As for pairings, this wine would go well with some nice chevre or perhaps with some steak or seafood.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a bit of an unorthodox pairing, with a big cold water lobster tail, mashed potatoes and chives and some steamed green beans.  The tart cherry in the wine is a nice foil to the richness of the lobster.  Cheers!

2015 Seven Hills Walla Walla Cabernet Franc

Happy Monday!  It finally cooled off a bit here today, so I think I might actually have my dinner out on the patio tonight.  To celebrate I've opened a bottle of wine from one of my all-time favorite Washington wineries, Seven Hills.  Tonight it's the 2015 Seven Hills Walla Walla Cabernet Franc, a very limited production from fruit at the southern end of the Walla Walla Valley.  So let's see how this one tastes.

The wine has a deep, almost inky color with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is wonderfully complex, with subtle notes of green herbs over earthy notes of leather and graphite intertwined with some wonderful fruit notes.  The taste is a rush of ripe fruit, raspberry and blueberry that is intertwined with some lovely floral notes and a hint of mint.  The early fruit transitions nicely to some notes of black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are robust but well integrated into the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as I think this is one of my favorite Cabernet Francs I've tasted this year.  This wine would be ideal with a variety of dishes, from steaks and chops to barbecue or hearty Italian dishes.  But tonight I'm going off script and enjoying this wine with some seared sea scallops on a bed of baby arugula and some pasta with creamy pesto sauce.  The bright fruit and acidity of this wine are a perfect balance for the richness of the scallops and pasta.  Cheers!

2014 Justin Isosceles

Ahh, Sunday fun day, but not much for me as I was working in the yard for much of it, trimming some tree branches and working on the roof over my screened in porch.  Of course, with the recent heat we've been having, after working in it I am ready to relax!  So tonight I've opened a bottle of wine that I first tried a few years ago when I was on the Napa Valley Wine Train, and I finally opened one of the bottles I've accumulated since that trip, the 2014 Justin Isosceles.  This wine has been the signature wine for Justin since 1987 and it's made of a blend of three varietals, and for the 2014 vintage it was Cabernet Sauvignon (73%), Cabernet Franc (15%) and Merlot (12%) all from Paso Robles.  So let's see how this one stacks up!

The wine has a wonderful, inky dark center with bright garnet along the edges.  The nose is a classically layered blend of ripe black cherry, black currant and leather with a hint of spice box at the back.  The taste is a rush of cool, ripe fruit up front, that's at first a bit sweet and then tart, which transitions nicely to some notes of vanilla, cedar and graphite midpalate, with a hint of black pepper spice at the end.  The tannins are chewy, giving nice backbone for the long, smooth and very dry finish. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's really everything a blend of these three varietals should be, with a big presence and lot's of bold flavor.  Although this wine is a little pricey (I bought this bottle at Costco for about $60), I think it's well worth it for Sunday dinner or any special occasion.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, but it practically begs to be paired with a big ol' steak, so tonight I am enjoying this wine with a big tomahawk ribeye, grilled Pittsburgh rare with some mashed potatoes and haricots verts almondine.  Cheers!