2016 Reininger Walla Walla Carmenere

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! This is one of those tough wine pairing holidays as I always have trouble trying to figure out what wine to pair with corn beef and cabbage.  So I guess the cats out of the bag and that’s what I’m having for dinner tonight, so don’t rush to the last paragraph to see what I’m eating! As for what to pair with a challenging dish like corned beef and cabbage tonight I’ve decided on the 2016 Reininger Carmenere. This wine is 100% Carmenere from the Seven Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington. So let’s see how this wine tastes.

The wine is a deep inky indigo color of the center with bright Garnet along the edges. The nose presents a variety of fresh floral notes of violet as well as some sharp notes of smoke, leather, savory herbs and a bit of "twang." The taste is classic Reininger Carmenere with the rush of black fruit up front the transitions nicely and just some notes of earth, peat and savory herbs that transitions to some white pepper spice midpalate. The tannins are smooth and expertly integrated, providing a great base for the long smooth and very dry finish.

Overall I would rate this wind a solid 8.5 as it is really great example but just not quite as good as the 2015 vintage (you can see that review here). This wine would pair well with a wide variety of dishes, from pizza and burgers to steaks, chops and barbecue ribs.  But of course tonight I am pairing this wine with classic St. Patrick’s Day dinner of corned beef and cabbage, along with some red potatoes, carrots and soda bread. The spice and fruit in this wine pair really well with such a salty dish. Cheers!