2016 DaMaNation

Happy Saturday!  Have you ever had one of those projects around the house that should have been quite simple but suddenly it completely spun out of control?  That happens to me a lot, which probably says a lot about my home improvement skills.  Today it was a fence post that rotted and needed to be replaced, but it was more complicated since it was also the post where the gate was attached.  No problem I thought, I got a post, bought some new screws for the hinge, this should be easy.  Then I found the concrete that the old post was mounted in, and I proceeded to break it up with a sledge hammer and a wedge.  I made it down about two feed and couldn't swing anymore, so I borrowed a 30-pound hexagonal bar that my friend had, apparently it was once used on the railroad for laying track.  So another quick job that will last until tomorrow, but tonight I really could use a glass of wine.  I've decided to open a bottle of 2016 DaMaNation, a wonderful blend of Grenache (48%), Syrah (36%) and Mourvedre (16%) from the Lonesome Spring Vineyard in the Columbia Valley of Washington.  So let's see if this one will provide some relaxation after a frustrating day in the yard!

The wine is a lighter ruby color in the glass with nice clarity, classic for a quality GSM blend.  The nose presents inviting floral aromas of rose petals and lavender with undertones of ripe black fruit and basalt.  The taste is a rush of cool fruit, black plum and blueberry with a bit of tart cherry that transitions almost unnoticed to earthy flavors of olive, white pepper spice and a hint of rosemary.  The tannins are quite smooth, providing a great start to the velvety smooth and very dry finish that seems to linger.  This wine is to my mind very comparable in old world style to the many high quality GSM blends from the Southern Rhone Valley of France.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's an approachable and easy drinking wine that's quite versatile from a food pairing perspective.  I actually brought a bottle of this to Thanksgiving dinner and we enjoyed it with classic turkey dinner (something that's a challenge to pair with a red wine), but it would also pair well with hearty stews, lamb or risotto.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some panko crusted center cut pork chops, cheese risotto and steamed broccoli and red peppers.  Cheers!