2014 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Syrah

Well, it's the last Friday of Washington Wine Month, and  my last chance to highlight a wonderful Washington wine.  Tonight I've decided to open a wine club selection that I've held onto for a few years, the 2014 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Syrah, from the Seven Hills Vineyard.  I am hopeful that this wine has matured a bit and will be ideal with my dinner this evening, so let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a deep inky color at the center with bright fuchsia along the edges, almost more like a Cabernet than a Syrah.  The nose is a luxurious combination of leather, blackberry and black pepper spice with an overlay of floral notes of violets.  The taste is a rush of cherry sweet tart that gives way to more subdued notes of blackberry and plum before transitioning to some caramel and vanilla notes midpalate.  The tannins are still quite vibrant and well integrated for the long, smooth and very dry finish with a bit of minerality at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a food friendly and really pleasant drinking Syrah.  This wine would pair well with a breadth of dishes, from hearty pasta to steaks and chops, to Indian food.  Tonight I am pairing this with a sesame crusted seared tuna steak along with some wild rice from Minnesota and some steamed sugar snap peas.  Cheers!

2016 Seven Hills Klipsun Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Wine Wednesday!  The last of Washington Wine Month, so tonight I've decided to open a bottle from one of my favorite Walla Walla producers.  Of course it helped that I happened to stumble upon this wine this afternoon as I was looking for something to have with dinner, the 2016 Seven Hills Klipsun Cabernet Sauvignon, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Klipsun Vineyard in the Red Mountain AVA.  So let's see how this one is shaping up after being opened for an hour or so.

The wine is a deep inky black at the center with bright garnet around the edges, just as you'd expect from a nice Cabernet.  The nose is chock full of ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant over earthy elements of leather and dusty granite.  The taste is a rush of jammy black fruit that washes over your palate as notes of blackberry and cherry dance with dried fig before pressing on to some notes of cocoa and sage.  The tannins are robust and prime for a velvety mouthfeel cascading to the smooth and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a terrific Cabernet and a fine illustration of the Red Mountain terroir.  This wine would pair very nicely with steaks, smoked beef brisket or summer barbecue, but tonight I'm going in a completely different direction for a weeknight dinner.  I am enjoying this wine with some bucatini with andouille sausage prima vera.  Cheers!

2016 Giuseppe Campagnola Valpolicella Ripasso

Happy Sunday!  Sometimes on a Sunday, you just need to open a wine from Italy, and after spending the afternoon working around the house on various projects and finishing with yard work, I am in need of a nice Italian Wine!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2016 Giuseppe Campagnola Valpolicella Ripasso that I bought from Wines Till Sold Out a few months back.  I am a big fan of Amarone, and for a more affordable alternative, I love a good Valpolicella Ripasso, or the second pressing of the dried grapes used for Amarone.  This wine is a classic blend of Corvina (60%), Rondinella (35%) and Molinara (5%).  So let's see how this one tastes.

The wine is a wonderful deep ruby color in the glass.  The nose presents aromas of blueberry, currant, and cherry with hints of rosehip and graphite.  The taste is very fruit forward with a rush of cherry, blueberry and currant that transitions nicely to notes of tar and pomegranate midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, with balanced acidity to drive the long, lush and wonderfully dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a pleasant drinking and food friendly wine that's also q solid value at just $15!  This wine would be wonderful with a creamy risotto, or pasta with cream sauce as the acidity of this wine would be an ideal balance.  It would also pair well with lamb, wild game or a classic well-marbled steak as the fruit and acidity would be great to cut through the fattiness of a prime steak, which is great since tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a grilled prime ribcap along with grilled romanesco and a big baked potato with all the trimmings.  Cheers!

2014 Anvil Dionysus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  The weekend is almost over, so I have one last evening to open a nice bottle of wine and spend some time making a nice dinner - after all, Sunday dinners should be something special!  Tonight I was wandering around my cellar looking for a nice bottle of wine to open, and I happened upon a bottle of 2014 Anvil Dionysus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, and that was the one!  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (92%) and Petit Verdot (8%) from the Dionysus Vineyard in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  Dionysus was planted back in 1988, so the older vines really tend to shape the character of the wine.  I reviewed the 2013 vintage of this wine here back in 2017, so let's see how this vintage is shaping up!

The wine is a deep, inky color at the center, with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is a complex tangle of earthy notes and rich fruit, leather and peat with notes of black cherry and blueberry with hints of black pepper.  The taste is a rush of ripe black fruit, cherry, blueberry and boysenberry that transitions to some notes of pipe tobacco and a hint of mocha with some wonderful peppery spice on the finish.  The tannins are well structured and integrated, providing a nice base for the elegant and smooth dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9 as it's got the character and presence of a wonderful old vine Cabernet.  This wine would pair well with lamb, steak, wild mushroom risotto or some hearty pasta.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime petite filet mignon with some mashed potatoes with chives, garnished with a Merlot reduction and some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts. 

If you'd like to try this wine, it's still available from Forgeron cellars at the following link.  Cheers!

2017 Mark Ryan Monkey Wrench

Well, I am continuing my celebration of Washington Wine Month (though to be honest, I thought it was in March, but to a guy like me, every month is Washington Wine Month!) and tonight I've opened a relatively recent Washington red wine, the 2017 Mark Ryan Red Wine.  This wine is about as Right-Bank Bordeaux-y a blend as you can get, with Merlot (47%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), Cabernet Franc (14%) and Petit Verdot (9%) from the Columbia Valley of Washington.  I bought a bunch of this wine so I hope it's worth it, let''s see how it tastes!

The wine is a lovely inky indigo at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from a Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon heavy blend.  The nose is fresh and young, with aromas of leather, ripe blackberry, blueberry and a hint of spice.  The taste is such the opposite of a staid Bordeaux, with a rush of jammy fruit, blackberry, plum and cassis that transitions to some notes of herb de Provence midpalate.  The tannins are velvety smooth, providing a nice base for the long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's drinking wonderfully now, but I can see the potential for this gaining in sophistication with a half decade or so in the cellar.  This wine would pair well with a variety of Preovencal dishes, fresh spiced fish, Tuna salad Nicoise, Mussels steamed in tomato broth, but it would also pair well with many summer favorites, from barbecue to grilles steaks.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled New York strip with middle eastern spices, served on a bed of arugula, with some fresh roasted root vegetables,  Cheers!

2012 Reininger Cima

TGIF!  Man it's been a long week and I'm glad the weekend is here, though I'll probably be busy all weekend catching up on chores around the house.  But at least it's now wine o'clock and I am opening a good bottle tonight, the 2012 Reininger Cima, Chuck's interpretation of a Super Tuscan blend.  The 2012 vintage was barrel aged for six years before release (see this wine is actually new!) and is a blend of Sangiovese (50%), Merlot (25%), Cabernet Sauvignon (22%) and Petit Verdot (3%) from the Pepper Bridge, Seven Hills and XL Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this wine is tasting so early in its life!

The wine is a lovely deep garnet color in the glass, a bit fuller bodied than your typical Sanviovese heavy blend.  The nose is a mellow combination of vanilla bean, sandalwood, lilac and a hint of Asian spice intermingle to bring your taste buds to attention.  The taste shifts you 180 degrees, as your mind was expecting something spicy and you are hit with a rush of ripe black fruit, currant, cherry, plum that subsides into some soft notes of vanilla and cassis midpalate.  The tannins are soft, juxtaposed against some nice acidity to balance the long, smooth and pleasingly dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a wine you can explore for hours as you sip - a wine that goes against the stereotypes for the main varietal.  This wine is a great sipper, but could also pair well with anything from seared tuna to hearty pasta, to steaks and chops.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime ribcap topped with grilled garlic scapes, some oven roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and an big baked potato with all the fixin's.  Cheers!

2015 Mark Ryan Winery "Lonely Heart" Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, it's been an interesting day, long and full of work with a bonus drive home from Grand Rapids, which of course means I get to stop at the Costco in Kalamazoo and see what wonderful prime beef might be available!  Tonight I found some lovely rib caps (more on that below) and an 11-pound prime brisket that I picked up for a friend with a smoker.  And since it's Wine Wednesday, of course I need to open up a nice bottle of wine, and tonight I've opened a bottle from Mark Ryan Winery that I must have received a year or so ago in a wine club shipment.  The 2015 "Lonely Heart" is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Obelisco and Klipsun Vineyards in the Red Mountain District in the Columbia Valley of Washington, so let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a perfect Cabernet color and consistency, inky black at the center and bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is an elegant cascade of leather, graphite and black cherry intermingled with hints of mint and warm spice.  The taste is complicated.  My first sip was like a head-on collision between ripe plum and tart cherry that almost made me dizzy.  My second sip after the wine opened up a bit was classic Red Mountain Cabernet with rich, ripe black fruit, plum, cherry and blackberry enveloping your palate, before giving way to some notes of mocha and cocoa powder midpalate.  The fine tannins provide for a velvety smooth and dry finish that lingers for what seem like half an hour.

Overall, I rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a fabulous and classic example of a Columbia Valley Cabernet, that's drinking well now, but has the potential to age very well for a decade or more.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from hearty Italian pasta, to wild mushroom risotto, to braised short ribs or a classic steak.  Tonight I'm enjoying this wine with the aforementioned rare grilled rib cap, some grilled Brussels sprouts and a big baked potato with sour cream and scallions.  Cheers!

2016 Forgeron Primitivo

Happy Friday!  It's been a busy week and I finished work a bit early today, only to do more work in the yard to prepare for a cookout I'm hosting tomorrow.  It seems my labor never ends!  At least tonight as I am cooking some food ahead for tomorrow, I can enjoy a nice glass of wine and a decent dinner.  Tonight I've opened a recent wine club shipment from Forgeron Cellars, the 2016 Primitivo, from the Stone Tree Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a wonderful bright ruby color in the glass with great clarity.  The nose is a cascade of black tea, dried herbs and notes of red berries overlaid with some earthy notes of leather and graphite.  The taste is a rush of ripe red berries, strawberry, raspberry, currant and cherry that subside to usher in some notes of cherry cola and dark chocolate midpalate.  The finish is quite nice, with well structured tannins supporting a long, smooth and dry finish, that still features a mild reprise of red berry jam.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's just a very pleasant, easy drinking wine that I could easily sip on a summer evening like tonight!  This wine would pair very well with Italian pasta dishes, particularly with an spicy red sauce, but tonight I've taken a different route.  I am enjoying this wine with a pan seared halibut filet that I picked up yesterday at Costco, along with some farro with porcini mushrooms and oven roasted root vegetables.  Cheers!

2015 Woodward Canyon Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon

I still remember my first trip to Walla Walla, driving into town on U.S. 12 and stopping at the first wineries I saw, Woodward Canyon and L'Ecole No. 41.  I remember buying a few bottles of Artist series Cabernet back then, it was probably the 1999 vintage, but I've been a fan ever since!  So tonight I've decided to open a bottle of the 2015 vintage, which features a lovely photo (not all art is painting!) that just shouts Walla Walla, as I see the wheat fields in the high desert that share an agricultural home with the beautiful vineyards of the valley.  This vintage is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (78%), Petit Verdot (10%), Cabernet Franc (8%) and Merlot (4%) from the Woodward Canyon Estate, Champoux, Sagemoor and Spring Creek Vineyards.  So let's see what this vintage has to offer!

The wine is a deep inky indigo, classic for a Cabernet.  The nose is a subdued combination of black cherry, leather and smoke, with just a hint of white pepper spice over the top.  The taste is a rush of sweet black cherry up front before transitioning to some notes of vanilla bean and warm baking spice midpalate.  The tannins are expertly structured, providing for wonderful texture and a fine base for the long, smooth a voluptuous dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9 as it's a perennial favorite Cabernet from Washington that I've enjoyed far too long!  This wine would of course pair well with a nice steak, but I think it's more versatile than that, as I could enjoy this wine with a broad range of hearty dishes, from steaks and chops, to barbecued ribs and pasta with spicy marinara.  This wine would also be an excellent wine to have with some dark chocolate for dessert!  Tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a thick cut ribeye along with some grilled asparagus and a big baked potato.  Cheers!

2007 Girard Artistry

Happy Cellar Saturday!  That magical first Saturday of the month where I dig into the cellar for something at least a decade old to open and enjoy.  Lately I've been thinking about my stash of 2007 Napa Valley red wines and how it would be appropriate to spend a few Cellar Saturdays exploring how this great vintage has developed over the past dozen years.  Tonight is such a wine, with an interesting back story.  This bottle of 2007 Girard Artistry is a blend of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (61%), Cabernet Franc (13%), Malbec (11%), Petit Verdot (9%) and Merlot (6%) and the interesting back story is where I bought this bottle.  Back in 2011, when I was living in Grand Rapids, the historic 1913 Room restaurant at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel was closing to make room for a Ruth's Chris steakhouse (I know right?) any they set up a room in the lobby level of the hotel where they were selling all sorts of including the remaining contents of the wine cellar!  So I bought this bottle for $29 (the price tag is still on it) along with a few other bottles, silverware and some other souvenirs.  And 8 years later I'm opening it, so let's see how it's fared!

Let me preface this by letting you know I decanted this wine for about an hour before tasting.  The wine is a deep inky black at the center, with bright fuchsia along the edges, just as you'd expect from a Cabernet centric Napa blend.  The nose is almost Bordeaux-esque, with aromas of blackberry and currant intermingled with earthy leather, graphite and peat.  The taste is delightfully fruit forward with a rush of black cherry and currant that intermingle with some notes of mocha, black pepper spice and hints of lilac for a deep complexity.  The tannins are vibrant and expertly structured to bring body to the long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a 9.5, as it was definitely worth the wait!  Certainly I recall drinking different vintages of this wine young and they were still very impressive, but this gives me some confidence that the dynamic 2007 Napa vintage is still a star.  This wine is begging for a big steak, and I will oblige with a rare grilled prime New York strip, grilled corn on the cob and bacon roasted Brussels sprouts, and I'm enjoying dinner on the patio this evening, something I haven't done much this summer!  Cheers!

2016 Mount Veeder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

It's Thursday and the week is starting to feel like it's winding down!  Tonight, I've decided to open a bottle of wine I received as a gift from a fellow cast member in the Elkhart Civic Theatre production of the Music Man last month, the 2016 Mount Veeder Winery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  My friend did a wonderful job selecting this wine as I've been a fan of Mount Veeder Cabernet since the 2008 Vintage (you can see that review here).  So let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from a nice Napa Cabernet.  The nose is a luxurious basket of leather, blackberry and plum with just a hint of smoke.  The taste is classic big Napa Cabernet, with a rush of black fruit and cherry cola that transitions nicely to some notes of white pepper spice and anise midpalate.  The tannins are robust in their youth, providing for an exceptionally smooth and dry finish that seems to last a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a wonderfully fresh example of the varietal, but would likely benefit from a few years in the cellar.  This wine is screaming to be paired with a big juicy steak, and thankfully I can oblige.  Tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime New York Strip, grilled asparagus and some smashed purple potatoes with parsley and white truffle butter.  Cheers!