2013 Justin Isosceles

Happy Saturday!  I spent a good portion of the morning helping move and construct set pieces for the upcoming Elkhart Civic Theatre production of "The Music Man", but then I had the chance to relax a bit this afternoon and catch up on some errands and other projects.  After such an unremarkable day, I thought it would be good to head the other direction with a remarkable wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2013 Justin Isosceles, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (75%), Cabernet Franc (16%) and Merlot (9%) from Paso Robles that I find much more pleasing that about any wine from Napa.  So, let's see how this one is shaping up!

The wine is deep, inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from such a heavy Cabernet focused blend.  The nose is classic and rich, with notes of vanilla bean, smoke, leather and cedar that exudes quality.  The taste is a rush of cool fruit, black cherry, blackberry and plum that transitions effortlessly to some notes of green herb, mocha and dark chocolate midpalate.  The tannins are chewy, supporting a long, velvety finish with a reprise of black cherry at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a wonderful wine that illustrates the quality potential from this region, yet it's eminently approachable.  This wine is begging to be paired with a big steak, or perhaps even some barbecued brisket.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime filet mignon on a bed of grilled garlic scapes, with some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts (is there a better combination of flavors?)
and a big baked potato with sour cream and scallions.  Cheers!

2016 Helix SoRho

Happy Friday!  I admit, I'm glad the week is over, but it seems lately my Friday afternoons have been chock full of physical activity.  Today, for example, I finished work just before 2:00 pm, then went to the gym, then came back and pulled weeds, then mowed the grass and by the time I was done it was nearly 7:00!  So given all that rush of activity, I need a nice glass of wine and tonight I've opened a bottle of 2016 Helix SoRho, a southern Rhone style blend from Chuck Reininger.  This wine is a blend of Mourvedre (43%), Grenache (34%) and Cinsault (23%) from the Stone Tree Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a bright ruby color in the glass with nice clarity, as you'd expect from a southern Rhone style blend.  The nose is a wonderful combination of fresh summer fruit, strawberry, black currant and raspberry, intermingled with some earthy notes of tar and gravel.  The taste is remarkable, with a rush of sweet berry fruit enveloping your palate, before shifting to some warm spice notes midpalate.  The finish is exceptionally smooth and dry, with a bit of reprise of the lovely earthy notes from the start.

I have to admit, there have been some vintages of this wine (mainly the early ones) that have definitely not been my favorite, but the last few vintages have stepped up, with this one, I think that Chuck and his team are finally hitting their stride, as this seems more like a classic Rhone than ever.  Given that preface, I'd rate this wine a solid 9, my highest rating of any vintage yet.  This wine would pair well with a lot of more game type meats that can be a challenge to pair with wine, dishes like duck, or pork tenderloin, but tonight since I'm tired, I paired this with a simple dinner of broccoli rabe and garlic scapes sauteed in olive oil and tossed with a bit of penne.  Cheers!

2018 Les Quatre Tours Classique Rosé (Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence)

Well, it finally seems like summer has arrived as it's been in the 80s and quite humid here over the past few days.  With warmer temperatures, I'm sure that rose season is in full swing, so tonight I've opened up a bottle I purchase recently from Wines Till Sold Out (also a future wine club selection for my peeps!), the 2018 Les Quatre Tours Classique Rosé (Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence).  Although the blend is proprietary, it is mainly Grenache and Syrah with a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cinsault added to balance it out.  So, let's see how refreshing this wine is!

It seems like every rose this season has been particularly pale, with this wine no exception, demonstrating pale peach color in the glass.  The nose exhibits notes of fresh summer fruit, strawberries, green apple and grapefruit with a hint of honey at the edge.  The taste is very crisp and refreshing, with a big, rounded mouthfeel and a rush of green apple and citrus right up front.  The crisp fruit transitions nicely to some dusty gravel and a hint of white pepper spice midpalate.  The finish is crisp and delightfully dry, and lingering to beckon you to take another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a very pleasant summer rose at a great value for just $12.  This wine would pair with a wide variety of summer salads, seafood dishes or cold sandwiches on the patio.  Tonight, since it's Taco Tuesday, I'm enjoying this wine with some fish tacos garnished with some sriracha slaw, as the spice is just perfect with the crispness of this wine.  Cheers!

2016 Forgeron Zinfandel

Happy Sunday!  I've spend much of the afternoon tying to memorize lines for the play I'm in as well as doing laundry before tonight's rehearsal, so I figured I deserve a break with a glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of the recent wine club selection from Forgeron Cellars, the 2016 Zinfandel, a 100% Zinfandel from the Alder Ridge Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA in the Columbia Valley of Washington.  So let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a bright garnet in the glass, with nice clarity, just as you'd expect from a nice Zinfandel.  The nose is a tempting array of anise, candied fruit, tobacco and smoke that expresses why this red wine is a perennial summer favorite.  The taste is characterized by a halting rush of fruit, cherry, blackberry and currant that transitions nicely to some warm spice notes of white pepper and clove with a hint of mocha midpalate.  The tannins are soft and well structured for the long, smooth and wonderfully dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's just a very pleasant drinking Zinfandel that's very food friendly and approachable.  This wine would be ideal for many summer favorites, from barbecued ribs and steaks to burgers and brats.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some grilled pork tenderloin along with some asparagus and butternut squash and kale farro.  Cheers!

2012 Calla Lily Ultimate Red Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday!  It's been a while since my last post, and there's a reason for that.  I'm in a production of The Music Man at the Elkhart Civic Theatre and since the play opens in just a few weeks, I've been at rehearsals every night from 6:30-9:30, so it puts a bit of a damper on my wine drinking and blogging.  But tonight I have the night off and I've opened a bottle of 2012 Calla Lily Ultimate Red Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  I don't know the winery at all, but I know that 2012 was an outstanding vintage for Napa Cabernet, so I picked up a couple bottles of this wine recently from Wines Till Sold Out.  So let's see how it's tasting.

The wine is a deep inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from a quality Cabernet.  The nose is a subdued affair, with some leather, blackberry and dried flowers.  The taste is layered, with a rush of tart cherry at the outset that transitions to some earthy notes of dusty limestone, before reaching a climax with some sweet notes of kirsch at the finish.  The tannins are nicely structured for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a good wine, but not spectacular, though I will say I opened it up about an hour before I wrote this and in the hour since it's opened up quite a bit, so perhaps best to decant this one a couple hours before you want to drink it.  This wine would pair well mainly with grilled meat, anything from steaks and chops to barbecue, this wine needs to be consumed with some char!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled New York strip along with grilled leeks and garlic scapes and some grilled asparagus as well as a big baked potato.  Cheers!

2014 Crosby Roamann Crosby's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!  Today I've done a little work and a few chores, but mostly I've been relaxing as the rain pelts the yard.  So, I figured I've earned a nice glass of wine, and tonight I've opened a bottle of wine that a colleague gave me earlier in the year, the 2014 Crosby Roamann Crosby's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley.  Since I suppose I can't complain too much about a gift bottle, we may as well see what it has to offer!

The wine is an inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from a Napa Cabernet.  The nose has wonderful fruit bursting forth, with more subdued layers of leather and tar.  The taste is very fruit forward with a rush of candied cherries, blackberry and currant that transitions easily to some notes of cocoa powder midpalate with some white pepper spice on the finish.  The tannins are well structured providing a classic Napa backbone to the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a classic Napa Valley Cabernet, with the refined structured you'd expect from a quality producer.  Like many Napa Cabs, this wine practically begs to be paired with a big steak, so of course it's fortunate this bottle ended up at my house!  I am enjoying this wine tonight with a cowboy ribeye grilled Pittsburgh rare and topped with grilled garlic scapes, some bacon roasted asparagus and a baked potato.  Cheers!

2017 Domaine Fontval Mediterranee Rose

Happy Saturday! Normally heading into the back half of June would be prime rose weather, but today it's been raining with a high of 65, so maybe not the summer warmth on the patio sort of day.  In any case, I've opened a bottle of rose to get me in the mood for summer, the 2017 Domaine Fontval Mediterranee Rose, a rose made with a blend of Grenach (70%) and Mourvedre (30%) for a classic rose of Rhone varietals.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a pale peach color in the glass, almost looking more like a white wine than a rose.  The nose presents aromas of pink grapefruit, orange blossom and flint that invite you to take a sip.  The taste is a rush of wonderful citrus notes intermingled with some fresh raspberries, that transitions to some modest minerality midpalate.  The finish is crisp, with a reprise of citrus that lingers longer than you might expect from a nice rose.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's not the best rose, but it's solid and a terrific value for just $9 from Wines Till Sold Out!  This wine is perfect for summer and I can see myself sipping this one on the patio.  It would also pair well with a broad array of foods, from Caprese salad to light pasta to seafood.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some walleye baked with herbs and garlic scapes from the farmers market this morning along with some steamed sugar snap peas I also bought at the farmers market and some farro with porcini mushrooms.  Cheers!

2016 Seven Hills McClellan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Friday!  It's been a long week, so I am certainly happy to be putting on the brakes to slow down for a (hopefully) relaxing weekend.  The weather this afternoon was perfect, sunny, breezy and about 78 degrees, so tonight I'm ready for a good dinner.  To go with that dinner, I've decided to open a recent wine club shipment from Seven Hills Winery, the 2016 McClellan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.  This is the fifth single vineyard vintage from the McClellan estate, which was planted rather recently, in 2003, though you could never tell based on the quality of wine it produces.  So let's see how this wine is shaping up. 

The wine is a veritable blast of aromas, as just pouring into the glass you get a strong whiff of the rich black fruit that permeates this wine.  Blackberry, plum, leather and oak dance in your nostrils, providing a hint of what's to come as your mouth starts watering.  The taste shifts completely, as you face more subdued fruit replaced by some wild, earthy notes of peat, dusty limestone and cracked pepper intermingled with more nuanced black fruit notes.  The tannins are smooth and well structured for the velvety smooth and wonderfully dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's drinking nicely now, but will likely be much better with a few years in the cellar.  Unlike some Cabernets, this wine seems to be much more versatile that simply pairing with a big steak, as I could see myself enjoying this wine with anything from Indian curries, to barbecue, to sockeye to hearty pasta.  Of course, just because I could see it doesn't mean I'd do it, because tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a big ol' prime cowboy ribeye, grilled rare with a big baked potato and some grilled asparagus.  Cheers!

2015 Buty Conner Lee Vineyard Merlot-Cabernet Franc

Happy Monday!  I came home today to find my garage door not working, and then realized that it wasn't working because the power was out all over the neighborhood.  So, I did what anyone would do, yard work!  As I finished mowing, the power was restored and you all got to have this wonderful wine blog post.  Tonight I've opened up a bottle of a future wine club selection, the 2015 Buty Winery Conner Lee Vineyard Merlot-Cabernet Franc. This is my first wine from Buty, and this one is a classic Columbia Valley Bordeaux style blend of Merlot (67%) and Cabernet Franc (33%).  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, as you'd expect from Merlot and Cabernet Franc.  The nose is a wonderfully earthy combination of dusty limestone, leather, musk and candied cherries that has a distinctly Tuscan sort of vibe.  The taste is a rush of ripe blackberry, cherry and boysenberry that completely envelops the palate before transitioning to some notes of white pepper spice and a hint of lavender.  The silky tannins are well integrated for a wonderfully complex, long dry finish that lingers.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a wonderful example of some of the great blending in the Columbia Valley.  This wine would be great paired with a big steak, but it would also sing with some pizza or barbecue.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some braised beef short ribs, mashed potatoes and some bacon roasted broccoli rabe.  Cheers!

2016 Seven Hills Summit View Vineyard Clone 191 Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Friday!  It's been a long week and I am definitely ready for a nice glass of wine or two this evening.  Tonight I've decided to open one of my favorite Cabernets that I just got in a shipment from Seven Hills Winery, the 2016 Seven Hills Summit View Vineyard, Clone 191 Cabernet Sauvignon!  This wine is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Walla Walla AVA of Washington, and quickly becoming a perennial favorite of mine, is it just highlights the fantastic potential of Washington Cabernet.  So let's see how this third vintage tastes!

The wine is a deep inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is a perfect example of the Walla Walla nose of dusty limestone intermingled with tart cherry and blueberry aromas with just a hint of spice.  The taste is just fantastic, with a rush of cherry cola, blackberry and blueberry that transitions easily to some notes of mineral, anise and warm spice notes of white pepper midpalate.  The finish is a lingering reprise of spice, with firm tannins and delightful dryness.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a fantastic example of a great Cabernet with the earthy approach-ability of Walla Walla.  This wine practically begs to be paired with a big steak, but I think it would also fare well with lamb, hearty pasta or even summer barbecue.  Tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime New York strip, with some mashed potatoes with chives and grilled leeks and asparagus.  Cheers!

2007 Liberte Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Cellar Saturday!  I don't think I can recall the last time the first of the month fell on a Saturday, so this is a bit of a bonus Cellar Saturday, that magical first Saturday of the month when I raid the cellar looking for something at least a decade in the making.  Tonight I've opened a bottle I likely bought nearly a decade ago, and honestly I bought it because I loved the label, the 2007 Liberte Cabernet Sauvignon, a whimsical Cabernet from Paso Robles.  So let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine has the classic color of a Cabernet, inky black at the center and bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is chock full of rich, jammy fruit that's quite reminiscent of a Zinfandel, blackberry, candied plum and black cherry intermingled with sandalwood and a bit of spice box.  The taste is remarkably vibrant despite it's maturity, with a rush of ripe fruit, black cherry, blueberry and boysenberry that transitions nicely to some earthy leather and peat, with a nice touch of peppery spice toward the finish.  The tannins are very well structured, providing a lovely foundation for the long, smooth and very dry finish, that is remarkably Bordeaux-esque.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as I think this would stack up well some some prime Napa Cabernets, but as I recall, this wine was a bargain well under $20!  It would pair well with a big steak, casual summer meals such as barbecued ribs, burgers or even grilled trout.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a prime Filet Mignon grilled rare with a big baked potato, and grilled leeks and fresh asparagus (the new crop from Michigan finally came in!).  Cheers!