2014 Seven Hills Walla Walla Valley Red Wine

Merry Christmas!  Yes, I know it's only Christmas Eve, but I am fairly certain I won't have any time for wine blogging tomorrow, so you take Christmas wishes when you can get them!  Tonight I am getting ready for a nice quiet dinner and to listen to our community theater radio production of "It's a Wonderful Life" which was recorded at an encore performance we did last Friday evening.  In the interim, I've decided to open a bottle I wine I recently bought from my favorite Walla Walla Winery, Seven Hills, their 2014 Walla Walla Valley red wine.  This inaugural vintage is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (85%), Malbec (10%) and Petit Verdot (5%) from the Summit View, Pepper Bridge, Cockburn, McClellan Estate, Stone Valley, Seven Hills Vineyard, Waliser Rocks and Fire Ridge vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley.  This wine is meant to highlight the terroir of the Walla Walla Valley AVA, so let's see how Casey did!

The wine is a deep, inky purple in the glass, classic for the concentrations of Cabernet and Malbec.  The nose presents earthy aromas of dusty limestone and leather, intermingled with some ripe black fruit, black pepper spice and a hint of violet.  The taste is a rush of ripe black cherry, blueberry and black currant up front that transitions nicely to some notes of caramel and dark chocolate midpalate.  The tannins are fine and provide an inviting structure to the long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as I think it's a new favorite for an everyday drinking wine.  This wine would pair very well with a variety of dishes, from braised short ribs, to prime rip or ham for Christmas dinner.  But tonight I am enjoying this wine with a prime New York Strip steak grilled Pittsburgh rare, grilled leeks and asparagus and a bit baked potato with butter, sour cream and scallions.  The velvety structure of this wine is a perfect foil to a hearty grilled steak.  Cheers!