2014 Mark Ryan Lost Soul Syrah

Happy New Year!  Okay, maybe I jumped the gun by a few hours, but given my track record over the past few New Year's Eves, I will be lucky if I'm not asleep by 10 pm tonight, so enjoy my well wishes a bit early.  Tonight I've decided to make a special dinner since I was lucky enough to go to Chicago and bring back some wonderful meat and fish from Eataly, and given my dinner tonight is fish, I decided to go with a nice Syrah, the 2014 Mark Ryan Lost Soul Syrah, a 100% Syrah from the Red Willow Vineyard in the Yakima Valley of Washington.  So let's see how the last wine of the decade is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity.  The nose is a veritable party of ripe black fruit aromas dancing with violets, smoke, with an occasional romp of black pepper spice.  The taste is classic Syrah, with a rush of lush black fruit, blackberry, currant and cassis, that bows to some earthy flavors of tar, and pipe tobacco before a wave of peppery spice comes at you toward the finish.  The tannins are polished and well structured, providing for an elegant and very dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a classic representation of the varietal, and perhaps the nicest Syrah I've tasted this year.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from steaks and chops, to venison and short ribs or earthy mushroom dishes.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with an oven roasted filet of red snapper with a Meyer lemon sauce I read about on epicurious.com (get the simple recipe here), along with some oven roasted purple carrots and some mushroom risotto.  Cheers!

2015 Reininger Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It's been a rather lazy day for me, as it's been somewhat rainy and dreary I've spend the afternoon reading.  And now, it's time for a glass of wine before making dinner.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of next month's office wine club selection, the 2015 Reininger Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (76%), Merlot (21%) and Petit Verdot (3%) from the Pepper Bridge, Seven Hills and XL Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  I recall my visit to Walla Walla during the 2015 harvest (I was there in late August, but given this was such a warm vintage, the harvest started much earlier than usual), and I recall there were extensive fires in the area in that late summer as well, as evidenced by my harrowing drive through Hell's Canyon as I departed that trip!  So, let's see how this wine has developed!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center with bright garnet around the edges.  The nose is a rather elegant affair, bringing back reminiscences of leather bound volumes in my college library, intermingled with hints of rose petals and ripe black berry fruit.  The taste is a rush of cool black fruit, currant, blackberry, cherry and plum that dance around your tongue before transitioning to some lovely loamy mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are remarkably smooth and well structured to bring a balanced, long, smooth and very dry finish that lingers for what seems like a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it has to be one of my new favorite everyday drinking Cabernets.  This wine would be ideal with a variety of hearty winter fare, from grilled steaks and chops, to beef stew, pasta or chili.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled New York strip and garlic mashed potatoes with a red wine reduction and some Brussels sprouts oven roasted with bacon fat.  Cheers!

2016 Seven Hills Ciel du Cheval

Well, this is officially my 1,000th wine blog post, which is quite an accomplishment considering I started this thing on a lark nearly nine years ago!  And it's come a long way (please don't go searching for those early posts, it's quite embarrassing!) as we now routinely feature lots of photos and additional color on the wines and foods I'm enjoying.  And now, for such a momentous occasion, I've decided to open a bottle from one of my favorite Walla Walla producers, the 2016 Seven Hills Ciel du Cheval, a classic Walla Walla Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot from the Red Mountain AVA of Washington.  So let's give it a shot!

The wine is a deep inky black at the center, a tribute to the heavy hand of Cabernet in the blend, with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is a delightful array of earthy aromas, leather, graphite and oak under-girding a virtual basket of ripe black fruit aromas, cherry, plum and currant.  The taste is cool rush of fruit, blackberry, plum, currant and a hint of cherry cola that washes over your palate before transitioning to some subdued mineral notes and peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat gritty, but I suspect they might mellow a bit with a few years in the cellar, in support of the long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's still young but clearly not as good as some of the better vintages like the 2009, 2010, or 2014 but I still enjoyed it.  As for pairings, this wine paints with a fairly broad brush, and I could enjoy it with anything from steaks and chops to pizza or pasta.  But tonight, I am enjoying this wine with some classic tacos!  Cheers!

Reininger CPR Third Edition

Happy Boxing Day!  Well as with all the holiday rush, I confess I've been sorely neglecting the wine blog, and for that, I apologize.  Now that the rush is over, I have time to do more, though don't get too excited as it seems I'm also battling a cold which could hamper my wine blogging efforts.  To make up for that, I've opened up a bottle of very unique wine to share with you tonight, the Reininger CPR Third Edition.  Of course, the CPR represents Chuck Reininger's initials, and this wine comes in editions rather than vintages, as you see, this wine was inspired by the Solera blending tradition, where each year they bottle 20% of the wine and replace it with wine from the new vintage.  As a result you have a wine consisting of eight varietals from nine different vintages!  I reviewed the inagural edition here: CPR First Edition and had a chance to barrel taste the third and fourth editions on a visit to Walla Walla in 2017 (see: here), and since I was in an odd mood, I decided to skip the second edition and go right to the third tonight.  This edition is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (26%), Syrah (19%), Cabernet Franc (16%), Petit Verdot (10%), Merlot (9%), Malbec (7%), Sangiovese (7%) and Carmenere (6%) from the Ash Hollow, Pepper Bridge, Phinny Hill, Seven Hills, Stone Tree and XL Vineyards in the Columbia Valley AVA from vintages spanning 2005-13.  So let's see how this intriguing blend is tasting!

The wine is a deep garnet color in the glass, with nice clarity.  The nose exudes a cascade of wild berries, amid earthy aromas of leather, cardamom and some delicate floral notes.  The taste is a rush of cool black fruit, black raspberry, cherry and plum that excites the senses before transitioning to some wonderful notes of vanilla bean, a hint of cedar accentuated by some white pepper spice.  The flavors just dance around the palate until the fine grain tannins and delightful acidity cut in to establish a dramatic finish that lingers for what seems like hours.  This is certainly a wine that could pair exceedingly well with a variety of food, but it's also the kind of wine that will continue to develop nuances of flavor as you sip it throughout an evening.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a delight to drink and experience the evolution of flavor over an evening.  It's also a very food friendly wine as I could see myself enjoying this wine with everything from steak to barbecue, tacos to oven roasted salmon, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled petit prime New York strip, with some grilled asparagus and mashed potatoes with a merlot reduction.  Cheers!

2017 Seven Hills Pentad

The holiday season can be such a busy time I hardly even have time to enjoy a bottle of wine!  Today was a whirlwind of activity as I completed my Christmas decorations, including decorating three trees, hanging up the Edison lights and setting up the big train set around the big Christmas tree in the family room (I haven't done that in at least four years!) and now I'm ready for dinner and then tacking the Christmas card list!  So tonight I've opened up a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from Seven Hills Winery and normally I wait at least a year or two to open a Pentad, but I recently had a conversation with my friend Jacque at Seven Hills and she told me that a local wine professional gave her a hint to open the wine in the morning and just leave it all day and then decant it about an hour before you plan to drink it.  So, I've used this trick for the 2017 Seven Hills Pentad I've opened tonight, though since this is the first time I've tried this wine I'll have no way of knowing if it worked!  At any rate, the Pentad for 2017 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (55%) with the balance divided nearly equally between Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carmenere, so now off to the wine!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from such a blend.  The nose is chock full of leather, oak, ripe black fruit, spicy pepper and a hint of tobacco, that signals your brain it's in for a treat.  The taste is a rush of blackberry, cherry and plum that easily give way to some wonderful spice notes of white pepper.  The tannins are gracefully smooth providing nice balance and structure for the long, smooth and very dry finish that lingers with a reprise of cherry cola.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a pleasure to drink now but will surely mature and really shine over the coming decade.  This wine is perfect for the holidays as it would pair well with everything from Christmas ham to prime rib.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a New York strip grilled rare on top of some grilled leeks
along with a big baked potato with all the trimmings and some bacon roasted purple Brussels sprouts.  Cheers and now it's time to make out Christmas Cards!

2017 Pepper Bridge Merlot

Well, the holiday season is progressing nicely, recently the city came by and picked up the last of the leaves, so it seems autumn is quickly fading as I prepare for my annual hunting trip to get my Christmas trees this weekend.  So as a little respite, I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from Pepper Bridge Winery, the 2017 Merlot.  This wine is a blend of Merlot (76%), Cabernet Franc (12%) and Malbec (12%) from the Seven Hills, Pepper Bridge and Octave Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this most recent vintage is shaping up!

The wine is a deep garnet color in the glass, just as one might expect from a quality Merlot with a bit of Malbec in the blend.  The nose is a rather elegant affair, with some light floral notes over ripe plum and graphite with a touch of green cedar over the top.  The taste is a rush of black cherry that gives way to some spice notes of clove and cinnamon before easing into vanilla bean and a hint of white pepper.  The tannins are expertly structured, providing the base for a long, velvety dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's drinking wonderfully now, but is sure to improve with a bit of time in the cellar (I confess, I got three bottles and this is my second, so I'm not so sure on my ability to age this one!).  This wine would seem to be very food friendly and versatile, as I could enjoy this one with anything from steaks to pizza to tacos and barbecue, but tonight I've decided to take the road less traveled.  I am enjoying this wine with a citrus stuffed oven roasted rainbow trout, with thyme, blood orange and Meyer lemon along with some porcini mushroom farro and bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2007 Grgich Hills Estate Napa Valley Zinfandel

Happy Cellar Saturday!  It's that magical first Saturday of the month, where I peruse the cellar to find something to open that's at least a decade in the making.  Tonight I've opened a bottle that a friend gave me quite a few years ago, so it literally has been in my cellar for a while, the 2007 Grgich Hills Estate Napa Valley Zinfandel.  Normally, Zinfandel is not seen as particularly age-worthy, certainly not as much as a fine Cabernet, but since I've opened this bottle, it will be interesting to see how the wine has progressed over the past dozen years.

The wine is a bright garnet color in the glass, with a hint of auburn along the edges.  The nose is an interesting affair, with some earthy notes of leather, charcoal and spice interspersed with hints of floral aromas.  The taste is a rush of jammy ripe fruit, blackberry, cherry and plum, classic for a Zinfandel, that transition nicely to some flavors of smoke and tart cherry midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat mellow, leading to a rather soft, but very dry finish with a bit of peppery spice at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's drinking nicely now, but I expect it would have been just as good a decade ago.  This wine would pair well with a variety of causal dinners, from pizza and tacos to barbecue.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic barbecue of slow cooked beef back ribs, finished off on the grill, with some Bourbon molasses baked beans and freshly made mustard potato salad.  Cheers!

2016 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Syrah

So yesterday was Black Friday and I have to admit, I didn't partake in all the shopping mania, though I did get in to the Christmas spirit.  I slept in, did some yard work and did my best Clark W. Griswold impersonation in putting up the garland and lights on the fence and by the front window.  And today, building on the spirit, I went up to Owosso, Michigan to ride on the North Pole Express, behind the Pere Marquette 1225 locomotive that was the locomotive behind the "Polar Express" movie.  So now that I'm fully immersed in holiday joy, I thought it was appropriate to open up a bottle of a recent wine club selection from L'Ecole No. 41, the 2016 Walla Walla Syrah, from the Seven Hills Vineyard.  So, let's have a taste!

The wine s a deep ruby color in the glass with nice clarity.  The nose is an interesting combination of earthy notes along with some rich fruit notes, olive, black pepper and violets intermingle with notes of ripe blackberry and currant.  The taste is more classic old world syrah, with a rush of blackberry, cherry and smoky oak that eases into some notes of dark chocolate and classic peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are velvety smooth, providing nice balance for the long, dry finish.  This syrah seems more the classic variety, and less avant guard than some of the heavy mineral examples coming from the Rocks district of late, and for me that's a good thing, as I think it makes this wine more approachable and food friendly.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as this is an easy drinking wine that I could enjoy with a broad range of dishes, from pizza and tacos, to seared tuna or hearty steak.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a simple dinner of grilled Zahtar seasoned Angus chuck eye steak with some grilled asparagus and oven roasted purple potatoes.  Cheers!

2016 L'Ecole No. 41 Apogee

Well, I think I may have finally come to an end of leaf blowing season at my house, and it couldn't come too soon as I have 100 feed of garland and Christmas lights to hang next weekend!  After the final day of blowing, raking and piling at the front of my yard, it's time for a nice glass of wine to make my dinner and evening more enjoyable.  Tonight I've opened a recent wine club shipment from one of my favorite Walla Walla wineries, L'Ecole No. 41!  The 2016 Apogee is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (25%), Malbec (11%) and Cabernet Franc (4%) from the Pepper Bridge Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this vintage is shaping up!

The wine is a deep garnet color in the glass, a testament to the heavy blend of Cabernet.  The nose is wonderful deep breath of leather, fresh herbs and a bit of black licorice over the top.  The taste is a rush of ripe berry fruit at the outset, blackberry, currant and blueberry that transitions nicely to some notes of dark chocolate and hints of baking spice midpalate.  The fine grain tannins amplify the smoothness on the finish, with a reprise of blackberry on the long, velvety dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would easily rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a bit better than some previous vintages of Apogee (those who know me know my preference for the Perigee blend of the two signature Bordeaux style blends that L'Ecole produces).  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty fall and holiday dishes, from prime rib roast, to cedar planked salmon to Christmas ham.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled petite Angus porterhouse with Bearnaise sauce, oven roasted purple potatoes and grilled asparagus.  Cheers!

2016 Seven Hills Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's been a while since I've posted on Wednesday, so I figured it would be a good idea to open a nice bottle from one of my favorite Washington producers before I head out to my play rehearsal (have I mentioned I'm playing Ebeneezer Scrooge in the Elkhart Civic Theatre production of A Christmas Carol as a radio play?).  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2016 Seven Hill Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon, a 100% Cabernet sourced from the Seven Hills Vineyard.  So let's see how this one tastes.

The wine is an inky black at the center with bright garnet along the edges, just as you'd expect for a nice Cabernet.  The nose presents aromas of leather, oak, balckberry and plum with just a hint of floral notes over the top.  The taste is a rush of black cherry at the outset that envelopes the palate before transitioning to some notes of dark chocolate, cassis and eucalyptus midpalate.  The tannins are velvety, and wonderfully integrated to support the long, voluptuous dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a marvelously structured, but approachable big red wine.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from steaks and chops to stews and pastas.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with an old school homestyle favorite comfort food, swiss steak with stewed tomatoes along with some roasted garlic mashed potatoes.  Cheers!

2017 DaMa Winery Tempranillo

Happy Sunday!  I had the best of intentions today, with plans to get some work done, go to the gym, and...well at least I started making dinner!  Tonight I've decided to pair my upcoming feast with a recent wine club selection from DaMa wines, the 2017 Tempranillo, a 100% Tempranillo from the Alder Ridge Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA of Washington.  I think the producers in the Columbia Valley are doing some wonderful things with some Spanish varietals like Tempranillo, so I'm excited to see how this one tastes. 

The wine is a bright ruby in the glass, somewhat darker at the center than I might have expected.  The nose is a lovely old world breath of fresh air loaded with ripe berry fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant, intermingled with notes of tobacco and dried sage and a hint of leather over the top.  The taste is a refreshing rush of rip fruit up front, cherries, blackberries and strawberries that evoke a bit of sweetness before transitioning on to more rustic notes of green cedar and dark chocolate midpalate.  The tannins are sturdy, providing for a robust yet velvety smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a lovely example of an old world varietal taking root in the new.  This wine would be ideal for a broad range of dishes, from paella to taco Tuesday, from pizza to steaks.  But tonight, after the snowstorm earlier in the week, I needed a reprise of summer, with some barbecued beef back ribs, red skin potato salad, cole slaw and corn muffins.  Cheers!

2016 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday!  Thanks to the snow this past week, my yard is full of snow topped with leaves still, which meant I got a break from leaf blowing and raking today!  So instead I did a bunch of errands around town, and am now ready for a relaxing evening.  And what better way to relax than opening a nice bottle of wine to enjoy, tonight it's a recent wine club selection from L'Ecole No. 41 in Washington.  The 2016 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon is a 100% Cabernet from five different vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA, including the Estate Ferguson, Pepper Bridge, Seven Hills, Summit View and Stone Valley Vineyards.  So let's see how this classic Cabernet is shaping up!

The wine is a deep indigo at the center with bright garnet along the edges.  The nose is a beckoning array of blue and black fruit, intermingled with lavender and a a bit of cocoa powder.  The taste is an interesting balance of new world and old world styles, with a new world rush of ripe fruit at the outset, blueberry, blackberry, plum and cherry that break through the door, followed by distinct mineral notes of basalt mixed with tobacco and dark chocolate.  The tannins are nicely polished providing an ideal backing for the long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish that reminds me of a classic Bordeaux.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's a great example of the varietal and truly highlights the differences between the more elevated Cabernet of Walla Walla compared to the more aggressive, in your face Cabernets of Napa.  This wine is an ideal one for fall, pairing nicely with a broad range of dishes from beef short ribs to pasta, steaks and chops to hearty stews.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime New York strip, topped with Bearnaise sauce, some grilled asparagus and a big baked potato.  Cheers!

2016 DaMa Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, it's been a crazy busy Saturday, as I spent the entire day in the yard doing my best to recreate the giant pile of leaves that filled two dump trucks yesterday when the city came to pick them up and now the pile is back!  And the worst part is I didn't finish by dark, so now I'll have to do it again tomorrow!  Well at least there is wine before I head out to the theater tonight (see I told you this was a crazy busy day!), so I've opened a bottle of the latest wine club shipment from DaMa Wines, the 2016 DaMa Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Walla Walla Valley of Washington.  So let's see how this wine is shaping up!

The wine is an inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from a pure Cabernet.  The nose exudes class with notes of dark chocolate, cassis, ripe black fruit and rich leather and spice.  The taste is a rush of ripe blackberry, plum and cherry that transition nicely to notes of cocoa powder and a hint of white pepper spice.  The robust tannins are the ideal foundation for a smooth and voluptuous finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as Mary and crew have done a fine job crafting this Cabernet that's just perfect for fall.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from roast prime rib to chili to lamb, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime New York strip with some red beet farrow and grilled leeks and romanesco.  Cheers!

2017 Pepper Bridge Winery Seven Hills Vineyard Blend

Happy Monday!  Yeah, I feel the same way, I rarely get excited by Mondays unless they are coming to an end, which this one is!  And to cap it off I've decided to open up a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from the Pepper Bridge Winery in Walla Walla, the 2017 Seven Hills Blend!  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Cabernet Franc (19%), Merlot (11%), Malbec (11%) and Petit Verdot (4%) all sourced from the Seven Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington. So let's see how this vintage is shaping up!

The wine is a vibrant garnet color in the glass, somewhat lighter than a full Cabernet.  As you raise your glass, you're greeted by an array of earthy aromas, sage, tobacco and dusty limestone underlying aromas of cassis, raspberry and a hint of dark chocolate.  The first taste is a rush of raspberry, currant and cranberry that transition almost unnoticed to notes of dark chocolate and a hint of white pepper spice midpalate.  The bright acidity and balanced tannins make for a lovely combination on the long, and wonderfully dry finish that lingers on the tongue.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it seems to be a bit of a step up from the 2016 vintage (see here).  This is a classic Bordeaux style blend that would pair well with a variety of hearty fall dishes, from shepherd's pie to lamb chops to alder planked salmon.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a grass fed New York strip grilled rare with some grilled romanesco and steamed red potatoes with butter and parsley.  Cheers!

2006 Raymond Merlo Estate Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Well it's the first Saturday of November, which means it's Cellar Saturday!  That magical time when I dig into the cellar for a wine that's been waiting to be tasted for a decade or more.  Tonight, after spending nearly seven hours working in the yard blowing and raking leaves, I could use a nice dinner and glass of wine to relax, maybe I'll even have a fire tonight!  Tonight's Cellar Saturday wine is the 2006 Raymond Merlo Estate Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, from the Oak Knoll district of Napa Valley.  So let's see what we've been waiting for!

The wine is a deep, inky color at the center, with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is an interesting combination of smoke, candied plum and a hint of lavender over the top.  The taste is quite interesting, with a rush of blueberry and currant, that transitions nicely to some notes of vanilla bean midpalate.  The tannins are silky smooth, providing for a soft, voluptuous and very dry finish.  With the sweet fruit notes and vanilla, this wine is just perfect for fall, ass at least it will help balance out all the pumpkin spice!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a wonderfully structured wine that's so very different from the typical, big and bold Cabernets from Napa Valley.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty fall dishes, from mushroom risotto to chili and stew.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled New York strip with some Bearnaise sauce, grilled leeks, steamed Brussels sprouts and a baked potato.  Cheers!

2013 Reininger Cima

Well this has been a sunny Sunday, so I took advantage and spent the last five hours blowing and raking leaves!  Ironically enough I think that may be more time than I spent enjoying the shade of said leaves this past summer!  So after that fun I am ready to relax with a nice glass of wine, and tonight it's a wine that's been six years in the making, though it only arrived within the last couple weeks, the 2013 Reininger Cima.  Cima means peak in Italian, and this super Tuscan style wine is an ode to Chuck Reininger's mountaineering days and is crafted of Sangiovese and Bordeaux varietals with an extended time aging in barrel before release, similar to many of the best known Italian wines.  This vintage is a blend of Sangiovese (41%), Cabernet Sauvignon (27%), Merlot (27%) and Petit Verdot (5%) from the Pepper Bridge, Seven Hills and XL Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley of Washington.  I had a chance to barrel taste this vintage on a visit to Reininger in 2017 (see here: 2017 Vacation to Walla Walla Wine Country - Day 2) and it's been waiting six years, let's see how this wine tastes!

The wine is a lovely ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity, a tribute to the heavy emphasis of Sangiovese in the blend.  The nose is a lovely tribute to Tuscany, with aromas of leather, smoke, dried violets and pipe tobacco amid ripe berry fruit.  The taste is a rush of cool fruit, cherry, plum, black raspberry and loganberry that just dance around your palate before easing into notes of Asian spice and vanilla bean midpalate.  The soft tannins and bright acidity provide for a velvety mouthfeel and an elegant dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as this one is certainly on par with the 2006 and 2007 vintages, and extends the streak from 2011 and 2012.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty fall dishes, from roast beef to stew to hearty steaks and mushroom risotto.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a wonderful Italian dinner of linguine with mussels simmered in red wine and San Marzano tomatoes.  Cheers!

2016 Forgeron Cellars Imaginarium Red Wine

Well, it's been raining since lunch time, so I've been doing a lot of indoor chores today with hopes of getting out to do yard work tomorrow.  In the meantime, I've decided to open a bottle of wine that I've been looking forward to trying for a while, the 2016 Forgeron Cellars Imaginarium Red wine, the first in their Artist series (and you can see from the label, the artwork is very impressive!).  This wine (which will be a future wine club selection for my peeps) is a blend of Merlot (65%), Syrah (15%), Grenache (15%) and Malbec (5%) from the Columbia Valley of Washington.  So let's see how the wine compares to the art!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass with nice clarity, classic with the heavy hand of Merlot in the blend.  The nose is a somewhat subdued affair, with a bit of smoke, cassis, cocoa and a hint of floral notes over the top.  The taste is a rush of ripe red berries, cherry, raspberry and currant that transitions to some interesting mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are nicely integrated, supporting a velvety smooth and dry finish with a reprise of Bordeaux-esque funk at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's a remarkably consistent and interesting, but approachable and all at a price that could easily make this an everyday wine (if not for the limited production of just 503 cases!).  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty fall dishes, from lamb to beef stew to braised beef ribs.  Tonight I am taking a completely different approach and enjoying this wine with a classic moules frites!  Cheers!

2017 Concha y Toro Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, it's been a relatively quiet week so far, but I think things are going to get busier soon!  I found out over the weekend that I've been cast as Ebeneezer Scrooge in the Elkhart Civic Theatre's radio play of "A Christmas Carol"!  Last year I had such fun playing Henry F. Potter in the radio play of
"It's A Wonderful Life" that I thought I'd try again (maybe I really am a warped frustrate old man after all?).  In any case, tonight I'm enjoying a wine I bought at a wine bar in Grand Rapids about a year ago, the 2017 Concha y Toro Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, a lovely wine from Chile!

The wine is classic Cabernet color, with an inky center and bright garnet along the edges.  The nose is a delightful combination of ripe cherry, blackberry and currant with hints of cedar over the top.  The taste is cool at first, with notes of blackberry, cherry and currant that transition to some notes of dark chocolate and peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated providing some nice backbone for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a very nice, easy drinking everyday red wine at a price well under $20.  This wine would pair well with grilled steaks, lamb or hearty stew, but since it's taco Tuesday, tonight I am enjoying this with some classic beef tacos along with some black beans with fire roasted poblano peppers and white rice.  Cheers!

2016 Duckhorn Napa Valley Merlot

Well, my long week is over and it's time for a bit of relaxation.  I have to admit I didn't do much today beyond a few chores, so hopefully I'll be more motivated to do some yard work tomorrow.  But tonight it's time for dinner and a nice glass of wine and tonight it's a wine from Napa Valley's outstanding 2016 vintage (I've been reading a significant amount of praise for this vintage recently), the 2016 Duckhorn Napa Valley Merlot. This wine is a blend of Merlot (77%), Cabernet Sauvignon (22%) and a touch of Malbec (0.5%) and Petit Verdot (0.5%).  So let's see if this wine lives up to the praise!

The wine is a deep inky black at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, a bit more like a Cabernet than a pure Merlot.  The nose is a lofty combination of blackberry, vanilla, leather and a hint of anise.  The taste is a rush of ripe fruit, bing cherry, blackberry and currant, with just a hint of strawberry to throw you off balance.  The tannins are silky smooth with bright acidity that provides a bit of a twang on the lingering dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's certainly a solid effort for a Merlot, but I'm interested to see how this might develop over the next few years.  Unlike a the seemingly singular food pairing focus of Napa Cabernet with steak, I would enjoy this wine with a broad range of dishes, from beef stew to chili to pasta to salmon, and of course steak.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a Zahtar spiced Angus New York strip, with some parsley buttered red potatoes and steamed Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2017 Stolen Horse Syrah

Happy Wine Wednesday!  This week has gone by fast, but at least there are often new wine club shipments to enjoy mid-week, as I am doing tonight.  I received two wines in my fall shipment from the Bledsoe Family Winery, the 2017 Flying B Cabernet Sauvignon and tonight's wine, the 2017 Stolen Horse Syrah.  This wine is made from Syrah (96%) co-fermented with Viognier (4%) from the Lefore and Kenny Hill Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this wine is shaping up.

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, a bit darker than you might expect from a Syrah.  The nose is chock full of sweet berry fruit, cherry, raspberry and marionberry with floral notes lingering over the top.  The taste is at first cool, with blueberry and cherry up front that gives way to some warm spice notes and earthy minerality that is characteristic of the Rocks District.  The tannins are chewy, creating some nice textural balance to the fruit and sets up perfectly for the long, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a bit of a departure from previous vintages, with a more pronounced expression of Rocks fruit.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, which shouldn't be a surprise as I find Syrah to be a very food friendly varietal.  I could easily enjoy this wine with steaks, chops, stews, salmon or pasta among other dishes, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with some barbecued beef ribs along with some oven roasted root vegetables and steamed baby Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2017 Flying B Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  This should be a relaxing day, but alas I have been working on setting up my upcoming half semester class I am teaching and getting ready for an audition at Elkhart Civic Theatre tonight as well.  So, I guess I can fit in a glass of wine amid all that activity and tonight's wine was in a recent wine club shipment from the Bledsoe Family Winery, and one which has some big shoes to fill as the last vintage was just stunning (see here: 2016 Flying B Cabernet).  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (75%) and Syrah (25%) from the Bob Healy, Lefore, Seven Hills and Loess Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this year's vintage is tasting!

The wine is a classic inky black Cabernet with nice garnet at the edges.  The nose is a rich combination of leather, cherry, blueberry and plum with a hint of vanilla.  The taste is remarkably smooth, with ripe black fruit that sort of eases up on you, blackberry, currant and plum, that fade as easily as they came, revealing hints of vanilla bean and mocha midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured, with a bit of tightness at the end of the long, smooth and wonderfully dry finish that seems to last a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's just a classic Walla Walla Cabernet, but not quite to the level of the 2016 vintage.  I have no doubt this one will remain a classic in my cellar, so I'll have to ration it accordingly!  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty fall dishes, from braised short ribs to ratatouille to hearty pasta or risotto.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare Angus New York Strip along with grilled leeks and some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts and a baked purple potato, which is a first for me! Cheers!

2015 Anvil Dionysus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

It's been a long and busy week for me and I'm glad it's supposed to be a rainy weekend so I can finally get some stuff done around the house, in addition to blogging of course!  Tonight's post is hot off the presses as I am opening a bottle of a wine club shipment that the Fedex guy literally delivered several hours ago!  The 2015 Anvil Dionysus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (89%) and Petit Verdot (11%) from blocks 11 and 13, respectively, of the Dionysus Vineyard in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this warm harvest Cabernet is shaping up!

The wine is a deep, inky purple at the center, with bright garnet along the edges.  The nose is very Bordeaux-esque with aromas of leather, oak, ripe plum and fennel.  The taste is rich and luxurious, with flavors of ripe blackberry and cherry up front, cascading to notes of baking spice and white pepper midpalate.  The tannins are velvety smooth and expertly integrated to provide for a wonderfully long and dry finish that seems to linger for several minutes.

Once again, I am impressed with Marie Eve and her team as their efforts on the Anvil Cabernet has consistently created rich wines with a distinctively old world style.  This wine would feel at home on the streets of Paris as easily as it would be fit in the tasting room in Walla Walla.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty fall dishes, from roasts and lamb to seared steaks.  Tonight I am going rustic Italian with some hot Italian sausage with onions and peppers and a bit of pasta on the side.  Cheers!

2016 Helix Cabernet Franc

It seems as I get older, time passes by more quickly, particularly weekends as it seemed it was just Friday and suddenly Monday is at my doorstep.  Well to help soothe the apprehension of a new work week, I've decided to open a bottle of a wine club shipment from Reininger Winery that arrived last week, the 2016 Helix Cabernet Franc.  This wine is a 100% Cabernet Franc sourced from the Weinbau and XL Vineyards in the Wahluke Slope of the Columbia Valley of Washington.  I'm looking forward to tasting this wine, as I have experienced some of the fantastic Cabernet Franc that Chuck and his team have created from the XL Vineyard, so let's see how this vintage is shaping up!

The wine is a warm garnet color in the glass, quite characteristic of the varietal.  The nose presents rich aromas of leather and sandalwood intermingled with ripe red berry fruit.  The taste is a rush of cherry, raspberry and currant up front, with a hint of vanilla bean and caramel midpalate.  The tannins are nicely rounded, providing for a long, velvety and very dry finish, with a bit of acidity at the end.  This wine just reminds me of having a nice evening of dessert and coffee with friends, very pleasant to be around and it leaves you satisfied at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as I think this is just a fabulous example of a pure secondary varietal that is so often overlooked outside of a Bordeaux style blend.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of dishes, from hearty roasts and stews, to glazed pork tenderloin to cedar planked salmon.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a more simplified dinner of beef tacos with all the trimmings.  Cheers!

2008 Frog's Leap Napa Valley Merlot

Happy Cellar Saturday!  That magical first Saturday of a new month when I choose to raid the cellar for something interesting to open that's at least a decade in the making.  On this Cellar Saturday, I am pretty well spent after an afternoon of yard work, leaf vacuuming, then mowing then the winter fertilizer, boy I can use a good glass of wine!  Lucky for me I opened up a bottle of 2008 Frog's Leap Napa Valley Merlot from the Rutherford AVA in Napa.  So let's see what this wine has been up to for the past 11 years!

The wine is a lovely ruby color in the glass, with great clarity, a bit lighter than you might expect for a Merlot.  The wine has an incredible nose, exhibiting ripe plum, fig, leather and smoke, that just make you feel like you're about to sip some wine in a vintage library.  The taste is lush, as your palate is envloped in soft tannins that feel like a warm blanket on a chilly day.  The rush of blackberry, cocoa powder and cassis dance around your tongue as you enjoy a cascade of ripe fruit leading to a long, smooth and voluptuous dry finish that is just the right length.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just developed exceptionally well over the past decade, leading me to believe it may be just about peaking.  This wine would be perfect with a range of dishes, from barbecue to steak to pasta, just about anything that would make a nice autumnal dinner.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a grilled bacon wrapped sirloin filet, grilles asparagus and some pesto pasta.  Cheers!