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!