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!