2013 Casa Natal Malbec Reserva

Good evening!  It's been a remarkably rainy week so far, and I just got back from the gym so I'm ready for a nice glass of wine with dinner.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle that I bought from Wines Till Sold Out last fall, the 2013 Casa Natal Malbec Reserva from Mendoza Argentina, a blend of Malbec (90%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (10%).  We know many of the best Malbecs come from so let's see how this one stacks up!

The wine is a deep, inky indigo at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you might expect from the varietal.  The nose is a luxurious combination of leather, blueberry, violet and graphite that just makes you sit up and take notice.  The taste is a rush of blueberry, blackberry and plum, that transition to some notes of cocoa powder, oak and a reprise of candied plum on the finish.  The tannins are voluminous but well structured, providing for a pleasant, velvety dry finish that doesn't share the sharpness that can be found in Malbec.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a very pleasant drinking wine and a terrific value for only $15.  This wine practically stands like a gaucho ready to carve up a steak, so it would be perfect with almost any cut of steak, from filet to porterhouse, but tonight I'm taking a slightly different and decidedly old school approach and enjoying this wine with a pan seared veal loin chop along with parsley buttered red potatoes and some steamed asparagus.  Cheers!

2016 Reininger Walla Walla Valley Syrah

Well, it's been a busy weekend, and just like that it's almost over!  Well at least there is still food and wine and tonight I've decided to open a bottle of wine I barrel tasted back in 2017, the 2016 Reininger Walla Walla Valley Syrah.  This wine is a 100% Syrah from the Pepper Bridge and Seven Hills Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley.  I remember tasting this wine on my visit and it was impressive, so let's see if it remains so!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect for the varietal.  The nose is a layered affair, with a bit of leather and cedar on top of blackberry and currant with a hint of lilac in between.  The taste is a rush of black fruit, blackberry, currant and cherry that transitions effortlessly to some earthy notes of peat and cedar midpalate.  This finish is supported by some tight tannins that gives you a rush of Bordeaux style funk before easing into a long, smooth and deliciously dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's drinking nicely now, but will likely get better with a year or two in the cellar.  This wine is a perfect wine to pair with some Mediterranean cuisine, whether great fish stews from the southern Rhone, or a wonderful linguine alle cozzi from Sicily, the earthiness and fruit would pair well.  But tonight I am enjoying this wine with food from an entirely different continent as I made some chicken and vegetables with masala curry sauce over basmati rice.  Cheers!

2016 Anvil Boushey Vineyard Syrah

Well, the week is finally starting to wind down, so I've decided to open a nice bottle of wine to enjoy with dinner tonight.  I've decided on a Yakima Valley wine since I recently saw an article about halibut season in the northwest and I wanted to at least enjoy it vicariously!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of Forgeron's 2016 Anvil Boushey Vineyard Syrah, This limited production (210 cases) wine is 100% Syrah from the Boushey Vineyard, which sits upon basalt and silt deposits from the Missoula floods at an elevation of about 1,400 feet.  This wine was carefully crafted and then barrel aged for an extended period of nearly two years before it's release this spring.  So let's see how it's tasting!

The wine is a deep, inky indigo at the center, with bright ruby along the edges.  The wine casts aromas of blackberry, leather and mint in a striking layered approach.  The taste is a wonderfully complex combination of blackberry and cherry fruit up front that cascades into notes of violets, oak and a bit of earthy mushroom midpalate.  The tannins are precisely structured to provide a long, smooth and very dry finish that dances on your palate enticing you to another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's clearly one of my favorite syrahs of the 2016 vintage.  The great fruit and layered complexity of this wine are sure to make this one a crowd favorite for years to come.  I also consider this wine extraordinarily food friendly, and although it makes an easy pairing with lamb or other game, it would also be a great wine to accompany robust fish or even vegetarian dishes.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with the steak of the ocean, a wonderful fresh halibut filet pan seared in rendered Berkshire bacon fat along with some gemelli tossed with broccoli rabe sauteed in olive oil and garlic.  What a remarkable meal!

2015 L'Ecole No. 41 Estate Ferguson

Happy Monday!  It's been an uneventful start to the week, though it was in the mid-70s today which means I need to grill and enjoy a glass of wine on the patio, and not necessarily in that order.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2015 L'Ecole No. 41 Estate Ferguson, which is officially last year's vintage as I just got a few bottles of the 2016  in my recent wine club shipment.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (56%), Merlot (30%), Cabernet Franc (7%) and Malbec (7%) from the Ferguson Vineyard in Walla Walla.  So let's see how this vintage stacks up!

The wine is a deep purple color at the center, with bright garnet along the edges, a testament to the concentrations of Cabernet and Merlot.  The nose presents aromas of dusty basalt, with hints of leather, mocha and blueberries throughout.  The taste is a rush of black cherry with a bit of tartness that transitions to notes of tobacco, espresso and dark chocolate midpalate.  There is quite a bit of minerality in this wine, a testament to the varietals in this Bordeaux style blend.  The tannins are refined and well structured, providing for a lingering dry finish that holds the mouth for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's quite impressive, but just a bit short of the 2014 vintage in my view.  In any case this is still a fantastic wine and perfect for a big honkin' steak, which is a good thing since tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a gigantic cowboy cut bone-in ribeye grilled Pittsburgh rare along with some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts and grilled leeks.  And no, I could not finish the whole steak but there's always tomorrow!  Cheers!

2015 Mark Ryan Dead Horse Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday! I must admit tonight's wine lead me to a bit of housecleaning, or "reorganization" if you will.  So yesterday I received my "Big Dissident" wine club shipment from Mark Ryan Winery, and I started feeling a bit guilty as I realized in addition to the two boxes I received Friday, I had eight boxes in my cellar that I still hadn't opened!  So I committed to rotating my stock and opening a box to drink tonight, alas I opened a box that contained the 2015 Dead Horse Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (88%), Merlot (8%), Cabernet Franc (3%) and Petit Verdot (1%) from the Ciel du Cheval, Klipsun, Obelisco and Quintessence Vineyards in the Red Mountain AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this tastes!

Ok, I have to admit that I poured a glass of this wine and went out to the deck to just enjoy it and my first thought was, "Wow..."  This is the sort of Washington Cabernet that will make all those Napa Valley Cabernet Snobs just crap themselves (pardon my French).  The nose is a cascade of leather, graphite, green grass and black fruit that signals to your brain that something special is coming right at you.  The taste is a rush of blackberry, cherry and smoky elements that just elevate your senses, like a splash of cold water on you face where you exclaim, "What just happened?!?"  The tannins are velvety smooth and expertly integrated, making for a long, velvety smooth and exceptionally dry finish that rivals m view of perfection.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, though I could go higher as I just thoght this wine was fantastic (so glad I let it sit for a couple years!).  This wine would pair well with the biggest of steaks (and tomorrow I'll be enjoying another bottle with friend and a prime rib roast) but tonight I'm enjoying this wine with some crispy fish tacos along with some mango sriracha slaw and jalapenos!  Cheers!

2016 Barkan Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Palm Sunday!  It's been rainy all day here and I'd planned on getting a bunch of work done around the yard, but alas it was not to be.  But I did get my laundry done and had time to open a bottle of wine for my dinner.  Tonight's wine is an interesting choice given the holidays coming up, the 2016 Barkan Cabernet Sauvignon from the Gallilee region of Israel.  Now, I've never tried an Israeli wine before, in fact I've never given the region much thought when it comes to wine, but I suppose they've been drinking it longer than even the French, after all Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana, so it make sense that the folks in Israel might know a bit about wine.  So let's see how this one tastes. 

The wine is a deep inky black at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, just what you'd expect from a Cabernet.  The nose is an interesting combination of green grass, cedar, lavender and black cherry, not exactly what I was expecting but interesting nonetheless.  The taste is very fruit forward with a rush of blackberry, currant and tart cherry at the outset that transitions to some notes of dark chocolate midpalate.  The tannins are chewy, providing a nice base for a long, very dry finish that lingers on for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's not a spectacular wine, but it is a terrific value for an everyday drinking wine.  In fact, Wine Enthusiast ranked this wine #54 in their top 100 best buys of 2018 and I picked this one up at Costco last week for just $9!  This wine is versatile with food, and I could see this being a weeknight staple with anything from steaks to pasta to pizza or tacos.  Tonight I've set up a rather ironic pairing for an Israeli wine, as I'm enjoying this wine with some barbecued pork country ribs, mashed potatoes and baked beans.  It still feels like winter here and I'm anxious for a bit of summer on my plate tonight!  Cheers!

2015 Charles Krug Napa Valley Merlot

I have been a fan of Charles Krug since my first visit to Napa Valley on the wine train a few years ago.  They were one of the wineries we visited and I was impressed with their facility, tasting room and history, but was most impressed by the quality and value represented by their wines. You can routinely find their Napa Valley Merlot for less than $20, I bought this bottle at Costco for $17 and thought it was a no brainer for a fan of the winery and varietal like me.  So let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a classic inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose presents earthy aromas of leather, smoke and a hint of mint that suggest subdued elegance.  The taste is a rush of cherry cola, blackberry and blueberry that transitions to some notes of pipe tobacco and dark chocolate midpalate.  The tannins are well structured and integrated, creating a wonderful backdrop for the long, voluptuous finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a solid, food friendly Merlot at a terrific price that will have you choosing this as an everyday wine.  This wine would pair well with a variety of casual dinners, from burgers and steaks to pizza and barbecue, but tonight I've gone a bit high end.  I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime filet mignon, grilled asparagus and a big old baked potato with sour cream and scallions.  Cheers!

2009 Cayuse Armada Vineyard Syrah

Happy Saturday!  Given it's the first Saturday of the month, it's also Cellar Saturday, when I dig into the cellar and find a more mature bottle to open.  It's also Cayuse weekend in Walla Walla, which is a rather interesting festival where Cayuse winemaker Christophe Baron releases the new vintage of his wines.  Given this convergence of events, I've decided to open a bottle of 2009 Cayuse Armada Vineyard Walla Walla Syrah to help celebrate.  I've let this wine decant for about two hours thus far, so let's see how it tastes.

The wine is a deep garnet color in the glass with a tinge of auburn along the edges.  The nose is a complex layering of ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and cassis, along with some leather, smoke and dusty limestone gravel, with some mild floral undertones.  The taste is a rush of blackberry and eucalyptus that transitions to some mineral notes of dusty limestone midpalate before a reprise of funk at the finish.  The tannins are velvety smooth and nicely structured for the wonderfully smooth and dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, with the caveat that this is the type of wine that's a bit of an acquired taste.  It has some definite Bordeaux style funk going on with a good bit of earthiness, so if that's not a style of wine you enjoy, you might want to look elsewhere.  This wine might be a bit tough to pair, as it's very distinctive, so perhaps it's best just to pick a meal that can come along for the ride!  Tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a prime New York strip grilled Pittsburgh rare along with some linguine tossed with olive oil, fresh garlic and broccoli rabe.  Cheers!

2016 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Merlot

So yesterday I had two good things happen, the first was receiving my wine club shipments from L'Ecole and Seven Hills, the second was stopping at Costco on my way home and finding a terrific deal on prime filet mignon.  So as they say, two plus two equals a fabulous dinner and wine pairing!  Although my dinner won't be much of a surprise, I had about eight different wines to choose from given the club shipments, so I settled on a 2016 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Merlot.  This wine is blend of Merlot (76%), Cabernet Franc (18%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (6%) sourced from the Estate Ferguson (50%) and Seven Hills (50%) Vineyards.  So let's see how it tastes!

The wine has the look of a classic, old world style Merlot, with a deep garnet hue in the glass.  The nose presents a characteristic earthy array of aromas of basalt, cedar and smoke that lingers over the glass.  The taste is surprisingly fruit forward, with a blast of ripe black cherry that subsides into notes of pipe tobacco and ends in some wonderful notes of peppery spice.  The tannins are nicely structured providing a solid foundation for the velvety smooth and dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a solid, easy drinking Merlot.  This wine would pair well with a variety of foods, as I could see myself enjoying this with burgers, barbecue, pizza, pasta or steaks.  But of course tonight I'm enjoying this wine with steak, a rare grilled prime filet mignon with some grilled asparagus and a baked potato with sour cream and scallions.  Cheers!

2017 Forgeron Anvil Chardonnay

Happy Wine Wednesday!  This time we have a special treat, one of those rare events when I taste a white wine (dun dun dun!).  Yes, I am really just a red wine drinker, but my friends at Forgeron keep trying to convert me with the annual Anvil Chardonnay shipment.  So tonight I've opened a bottle of 2017 Anvil Chardonnay, a 100% Chardonnay from the old Wente Block in the Yakima Valley of Washington.  As our friends at Forgeron have told me, this block "was planted in 1981 on a south facing plateau just above the Yakima River. The chalky, stony soil, drains well and warms easily, producing a full-bodied, layered wine, of great balance and complexity."  So let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a pale golden color in the glass and the nose is a cascade of bright fruit, pineapple, pear and citrus with a hint of white floral aromatics at the back end.  The taste is mildly fruit forward with some notes of citrus and apple that transitions effortlessly to some faint mineral notes before the wonderfully rich and classic buttery finish of a finely structured Chardonnay.  Admitting I am not a white wine drinker, I can say that when I opened a bottle for some guests the other night, it was a big hit!

I am not going to rate this wine, since I really don't consider myself qualified, but I think I can safely say this wine would be a solid choice to please a diverse crowd of wine drinkers.  As for pairings, I think this wine would be ideal with the classic white wine dishes like chicken, fish and seafood.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some seared sea scallops along with some four cheese risotto and steamed asparagus.  Cheers!