2016 L'Ecole No. 41 Klipsun Cabernet-Merlot

Well the week is certainly moving along, and unfortunately we are back to winter after we thought spring finally arrived last weekend, it was only 40 degrees when I got up this morning!  So in that light, having a somewhat heavier wine might be appropriate to keep the chill at bay.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2016 L'Ecole No. 41 Klipsun Cabernet Merlot blend from the Red Mountain AVA of Washington.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%) and Merlot (40%) from the Klipsun vineyard, which was originally planted in 1984 and has become one of my favorite vineyards for Cabernet.  So let's see what this one has to offer!

The wine is a deep, inky indigo at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from the blend.  The nose presents aromas of smoke, dusty limestone, ripe black cherry and blackberry with just a hint of lilac layered over the top.  The taste is a rush of rich, ripe fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant that transitions nicely to some notes of caramel, mocha and dusty limestone midpalate.  The fine grain tannins offer ample support for the long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish that seems to linger for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just an exceptionally pleasant wine to just sip in the evening, by a warm fire in late May!!!  This wine would pair well with big steaks, chops, Sunday Yankee pot roast or even some great barbecue.  But tonight, I'm enjoying this wine with just some leftovers, so clearly my focus this evening is on the wine and not the food!  Cheers!

2016 Helix Columbia Valley Sangiovese

Happy Sunday!  It's been a busy weekend of gardening and projects around the house and now I just need to relax with a nice Sunday dinner and a glass of wine.  Tonight I've decided to make some comfort food for dinner with a bit of Italian flavor, so why not open a bottle of Italian inspired wine?  Alas, I've settled on a recent wine club selection from Reininger Winery, the 2016 Helix Columbia Valley Sangiovese.  This wine is a 100% Sangiovese from the Stillwater Creek Vineyard in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington, so let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a lovely deep ruby color in the glass, with great clarity, just as you'd expect for the varietal.  The nose is classic Sangiovese, with aromas of leather, cherry, dried herbs and a hint of rose petals.  The taste is just divine, with a rush of ripe cherry and strawberry fruit at the outset that expresses some wonderful tartness before transitioning to some notes of white pepper spice and a hint of espresso midpalate.  The fine tannins offer ideal structure with balanced acidity for the wonderfully smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's one of my favorite vintages of Chuck Reininger's efforts at Sanviovese (he's been making Sangiovese from Stillwater Creek since the 2004 vintage!) and one that is ideal for food.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of Italian dishes, from Caprese salad on the patio this summer, to hearty pasta and pizza, but tonight I am doing comfort food and enjoying this wine with some stuffed peppers!  The acidity and spice are the perfect match for the oregano and basil in the stuffing and the richness of the cheese and sauce.  Cheers!

2017 DaMa Columbia Valley Chardonnay

Well, sometimes it just happens that my wine club peeps randomly send out a white wine, even though I really don't have much tolerance for them, and such is the case tonight.  You'll get a rare instance of me blogging about a white wine, which could be interesting.  Tonight's selection is a 2017 DaMa Wines Columbia Valley Chardonnay, and that's about all I know since there was no tech sheet in the shipment nor could I find any info on this wine on the DaMa website.  So tonight we are flying blind!

The wine is a light golden color in the glass, almost the color of pineapple juice.  The nose is chock full of green grass and floral notes that evolve into some mineral notes with a bit of pear.  The taste is a good bit of pineapple, pear and a bit of citrus up front that transitions to some mineral notes before the crisp, dry, buttery finish.

In a way, this is just a classic Chardonnay, crisp, refreshing and ideal for summer evenings on the patio, but for a die hard red wine guy, it's really somewhat lackluster.  So, I guess I would rate this wine a 7, only because it's just not my type of wine (there may be Chardonnay lovers out there that think this is the bomb, but as a big Cab guy, this leaves me flat).   I'm guessing this would pair well with some summer dishes like salads and cantaloupe, but tonight I'm enjoying it with a pan seared halibut filet, some couscous and steamed broccoli.  Cheers!

2016 Pepper Bridge Vineyard

Happy Sunday and Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!  I spent the weekend up in Traverse City Michigan and we did a little wine tasting yesterday, and although they make some nice wines, it's good to get back to my normal selections of big red wines, and tonight is no exception.  I have opened a bottle of the most recent Pepper Bridge wine club shipment which arrived last week, the 2016 Pepper Bridge Vineyard red wine.  This wine is made up of Merlot (48%), Malbec (26%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (26%) all from the Pepper Bridge Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley AVA. So let's have a taste!

The wine is a deep garnet color in the glass, just as you'd expect from these prime varietals.  The nose is chock full of candied plum, blackberry and cherry with solid notes of oak, graphite and a bit of black pepper.  The taste is very fruit forward with a rush of plum, black cherry and blackberry that transitions nicely to some notes of dark chocolate and black pepper spice midpalate.  There is a good bit of oak on the back end as the voluptuous tannin structure meets up with a nice bit of acidity that brings you to a surprisingly bright and very dry finish that seems to linger.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a wonderfully big, bold red wine with enough structure and sophistication to stand up to a big steak or to simply sip on the patio on a cool summer evening.  This wine practically begs to be paired with meat, from steaks to roast beef to lamb or pork tenderloin.  Of course tonight I am enjoying this wine with a prime New York strip grilled rare with some grilled leeks and oven roasted beets with applewood bacon.  Cheers!

2016 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Franc

Happy Sunday!  Yesterday was a day full of errands and yard work, and today I got to relax a bit and do some work inside the house (though I set a live trap for a groundhog and managed to catch a raccoon, so I had to take that critter for a drive this afternoon).  Tonight it's time for a nice glass of wine and a good Sunday dinner, so I've decided to open up a bottle of 2016 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Franc.  This is a limited production wine (just 250 cases) of 100% Cabernet Franc from the Seven Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley, so let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a lovely garnet color in the glass with great clarity.  The nose exhibits light aromas of leather, violets and a bit of pepper with some undertones of cocoa powder.  The taste is wonderfully characteristic of the varietal, with a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, currant and plum that transitions easily to some notes of dark chocolate and peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are youthful, but well structured, providing a great base for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a pleasant drinking wine and great example of a varietal that is often overlooked as a blending grape.  This wine has a certain Mediterranean flair to it, so it would pair nicely with a broad range of cuisine, from the bouillabaisse of the French coast, to Sicilian pasta dishes to Greek moussaka. Tonight I am enjoying this with a bit of French or Belgian bistro cuisine, some moules-frites, since I went to Costco yesterday and am trying to use up the 5 pounds of mussels I bought!  Cheers!

2006 Belpoggio Brunello di Montalcino

Well it's the first Saturday in May and that means it's Cellar Saturday, that magical time when I reach back into the cellar to find some wine that's at least a decade from it's original vintage and tonight I have one that just came together with my dinner tonight.  I am a big fan of great Italian wines, and of course the granddad of them all is Brunello, that carefully crafted Sangiovese that works it's magic with almost any traditional Italian cuisine.  And since I maintain that a nice Brunello really doesn't start to sing until it's at least a decade old, I've decided to open a bottle of 2006 Belpoggio Brunello di Montalcino.  Now I let this one decant for about 90 minutes, so let's see how it's tasting!

The wine is a wonderful garnet color in the glass with a tinge of amber along the edges.  The nose is classic Brunello, with aromas of anise, blackberry, spice box and some earthy notes.  The taste is remarkably fruit forward, with a rush of candied cherry, strawberry and a hint of thyme, but then it seems to be a bit tired midpalate, as it transitions to some earthy mineral notes of tar and peat.  The tannins are soft but well integrated, making for a long, soft dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's wonderfully developed, but the weakness midpalate was a drawback.  This wine would pair with any classic Italian dish, from Bistecca alla Fiorentina to classic pasta with hearty red sauces.  Tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a dinner that started with a trip to Eataly in Chicago last Monday, where I picked up some fresh squid ink tagliatelle, which I am tossing with some mussels simmered in olive oil, garlic, San Marzano tomatoes, oregano and basil.  The classic briny seafood mixture is just perfect with this earthy wine.  Cheers!

2016 Michel-Schlumberger Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Wine Wednesday!  I've just come home from an eye appointment with good news on my recovery from eye surgery as the doctor said everything looks great, so why not celebrate?  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of wine I recently purchased from Wines Till Sold Out, but is one I've enjoyed for at least a few vintages, the 2016 Michel-Schlumberger Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon from the Oakville District in Napa Valley.  This wine sourced from Sophia's Vineyard consists of Cabernet Sauvignon (97%) and a touch of Cabernet Franc (3%).  So let's get to it!

The wine is a typical deep garnet color in the glass which is typical of a nice Napa Cabernet.  The nose expresses abundant anise, leather, violets and ripe black fruit.  The taste is a rush of ripe blackberry and cherry that transition easily to notes of tar, graphite and a bit of white pepper spice midpalate.  This wine is very much crafted like a fine Bordeaux with a good bit of funk throughout.  The tannins are nicely structured, providing for a long, smooth and very dry finish that lingers just a bit.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a pleasant drinking and surprisingly old world style of Cabernet, and it was a good value at just $30.  This wine would pair well with steak, hearty pasta dishes, or Sunday pot roast without much effort, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a grilled, prime 28-day dry aged sirloin I picked up from Eataly in Chicago on Monday, grilled rare and topped with a bit if white truffle butter, along with a honkin' baked potato and some grilled cauliflower.  Cheers!