2016 L'Ecole No. 41 Ferguson

Well, it's been a busy day as I drive all the way to West Chicago to see the Union Pacific "Big Boy" locomotive, which is doing a Midwest tour, so this was the closest it came to where I live and I figured why not spend a Saturday to see the world's largest operating steam locomotive?  At any rate, it was certainly a fun day and worthwhile trip, but now I need dinner and a glass of wine!  Tonight I've opened a perennial favorite, the latest vintage, the 2016 L'Ecole No. 41 Estate Ferguson, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (62%), Merlot (26%), Cabernet Franc (6%) and Malbec (6%) from the Ferguson vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley.  So let's see how this vintage is shaping up!

The wine is a lovely, deep, inky purple at the center, with bright fuchsia along the edges.  The nose is a complex and layered affair, with some lovely floral notes, black berry fruit, cedar and basalt that create an interesting dynamic.  The taste is a rush of cherry cola and blueberry at the outset that transition to some notes of dark chocolate before embarking on some mineral notes of dusty limestone and basalt.  The fine grain tannins are present throughout, making for a very dry finish, but one that can in some ways shock the senses.  So definitely let this wine breathe a bit as it really opens up nicely after an hour or so.

Overall, I would rate this wine an 8.5, it's definitely not my favorite vintage, but given it's youth, I expect it to mellow with a few years in the cellar.  This wine is a solid wine for a lot of hearty meal selections, from classic grilled steaks to braised short ribs, to pasta with spicy red sauce.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic steak frites, a prime New York strip grilled Pittsburgh rare, with some fries tossed with parmesan and parsley.  Cheers!