2013 Reininger Cima

Well this has been a sunny Sunday, so I took advantage and spent the last five hours blowing and raking leaves!  Ironically enough I think that may be more time than I spent enjoying the shade of said leaves this past summer!  So after that fun I am ready to relax with a nice glass of wine, and tonight it's a wine that's been six years in the making, though it only arrived within the last couple weeks, the 2013 Reininger Cima.  Cima means peak in Italian, and this super Tuscan style wine is an ode to Chuck Reininger's mountaineering days and is crafted of Sangiovese and Bordeaux varietals with an extended time aging in barrel before release, similar to many of the best known Italian wines.  This vintage is a blend of Sangiovese (41%), Cabernet Sauvignon (27%), Merlot (27%) and Petit Verdot (5%) from the Pepper Bridge, Seven Hills and XL Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley of Washington.  I had a chance to barrel taste this vintage on a visit to Reininger in 2017 (see here: 2017 Vacation to Walla Walla Wine Country - Day 2) and it's been waiting six years, let's see how this wine tastes!

The wine is a lovely ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity, a tribute to the heavy emphasis of Sangiovese in the blend.  The nose is a lovely tribute to Tuscany, with aromas of leather, smoke, dried violets and pipe tobacco amid ripe berry fruit.  The taste is a rush of cool fruit, cherry, plum, black raspberry and loganberry that just dance around your palate before easing into notes of Asian spice and vanilla bean midpalate.  The soft tannins and bright acidity provide for a velvety mouthfeel and an elegant dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as this one is certainly on par with the 2006 and 2007 vintages, and extends the streak from 2011 and 2012.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty fall dishes, from roast beef to stew to hearty steaks and mushroom risotto.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a wonderful Italian dinner of linguine with mussels simmered in red wine and San Marzano tomatoes.  Cheers!

2016 Forgeron Cellars Imaginarium Red Wine

Well, it's been raining since lunch time, so I've been doing a lot of indoor chores today with hopes of getting out to do yard work tomorrow.  In the meantime, I've decided to open a bottle of wine that I've been looking forward to trying for a while, the 2016 Forgeron Cellars Imaginarium Red wine, the first in their Artist series (and you can see from the label, the artwork is very impressive!).  This wine (which will be a future wine club selection for my peeps) is a blend of Merlot (65%), Syrah (15%), Grenache (15%) and Malbec (5%) from the Columbia Valley of Washington.  So let's see how the wine compares to the art!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass with nice clarity, classic with the heavy hand of Merlot in the blend.  The nose is a somewhat subdued affair, with a bit of smoke, cassis, cocoa and a hint of floral notes over the top.  The taste is a rush of ripe red berries, cherry, raspberry and currant that transitions to some interesting mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are nicely integrated, supporting a velvety smooth and dry finish with a reprise of Bordeaux-esque funk at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's a remarkably consistent and interesting, but approachable and all at a price that could easily make this an everyday wine (if not for the limited production of just 503 cases!).  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty fall dishes, from lamb to beef stew to braised beef ribs.  Tonight I am taking a completely different approach and enjoying this wine with a classic moules frites!  Cheers!

2017 Concha y Toro Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, it's been a relatively quiet week so far, but I think things are going to get busier soon!  I found out over the weekend that I've been cast as Ebeneezer Scrooge in the Elkhart Civic Theatre's radio play of "A Christmas Carol"!  Last year I had such fun playing Henry F. Potter in the radio play of
"It's A Wonderful Life" that I thought I'd try again (maybe I really am a warped frustrate old man after all?).  In any case, tonight I'm enjoying a wine I bought at a wine bar in Grand Rapids about a year ago, the 2017 Concha y Toro Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, a lovely wine from Chile!

The wine is classic Cabernet color, with an inky center and bright garnet along the edges.  The nose is a delightful combination of ripe cherry, blackberry and currant with hints of cedar over the top.  The taste is cool at first, with notes of blackberry, cherry and currant that transition to some notes of dark chocolate and peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated providing some nice backbone for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a very nice, easy drinking everyday red wine at a price well under $20.  This wine would pair well with grilled steaks, lamb or hearty stew, but since it's taco Tuesday, tonight I am enjoying this with some classic beef tacos along with some black beans with fire roasted poblano peppers and white rice.  Cheers!

2016 Duckhorn Napa Valley Merlot

Well, my long week is over and it's time for a bit of relaxation.  I have to admit I didn't do much today beyond a few chores, so hopefully I'll be more motivated to do some yard work tomorrow.  But tonight it's time for dinner and a nice glass of wine and tonight it's a wine from Napa Valley's outstanding 2016 vintage (I've been reading a significant amount of praise for this vintage recently), the 2016 Duckhorn Napa Valley Merlot. This wine is a blend of Merlot (77%), Cabernet Sauvignon (22%) and a touch of Malbec (0.5%) and Petit Verdot (0.5%).  So let's see if this wine lives up to the praise!

The wine is a deep inky black at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, a bit more like a Cabernet than a pure Merlot.  The nose is a lofty combination of blackberry, vanilla, leather and a hint of anise.  The taste is a rush of ripe fruit, bing cherry, blackberry and currant, with just a hint of strawberry to throw you off balance.  The tannins are silky smooth with bright acidity that provides a bit of a twang on the lingering dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's certainly a solid effort for a Merlot, but I'm interested to see how this might develop over the next few years.  Unlike a the seemingly singular food pairing focus of Napa Cabernet with steak, I would enjoy this wine with a broad range of dishes, from beef stew to chili to pasta to salmon, and of course steak.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a Zahtar spiced Angus New York strip, with some parsley buttered red potatoes and steamed Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2017 Stolen Horse Syrah

Happy Wine Wednesday!  This week has gone by fast, but at least there are often new wine club shipments to enjoy mid-week, as I am doing tonight.  I received two wines in my fall shipment from the Bledsoe Family Winery, the 2017 Flying B Cabernet Sauvignon and tonight's wine, the 2017 Stolen Horse Syrah.  This wine is made from Syrah (96%) co-fermented with Viognier (4%) from the Lefore and Kenny Hill Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this wine is shaping up.

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, a bit darker than you might expect from a Syrah.  The nose is chock full of sweet berry fruit, cherry, raspberry and marionberry with floral notes lingering over the top.  The taste is at first cool, with blueberry and cherry up front that gives way to some warm spice notes and earthy minerality that is characteristic of the Rocks District.  The tannins are chewy, creating some nice textural balance to the fruit and sets up perfectly for the long, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a bit of a departure from previous vintages, with a more pronounced expression of Rocks fruit.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, which shouldn't be a surprise as I find Syrah to be a very food friendly varietal.  I could easily enjoy this wine with steaks, chops, stews, salmon or pasta among other dishes, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with some barbecued beef ribs along with some oven roasted root vegetables and steamed baby Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2017 Flying B Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  This should be a relaxing day, but alas I have been working on setting up my upcoming half semester class I am teaching and getting ready for an audition at Elkhart Civic Theatre tonight as well.  So, I guess I can fit in a glass of wine amid all that activity and tonight's wine was in a recent wine club shipment from the Bledsoe Family Winery, and one which has some big shoes to fill as the last vintage was just stunning (see here: 2016 Flying B Cabernet).  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (75%) and Syrah (25%) from the Bob Healy, Lefore, Seven Hills and Loess Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this year's vintage is tasting!

The wine is a classic inky black Cabernet with nice garnet at the edges.  The nose is a rich combination of leather, cherry, blueberry and plum with a hint of vanilla.  The taste is remarkably smooth, with ripe black fruit that sort of eases up on you, blackberry, currant and plum, that fade as easily as they came, revealing hints of vanilla bean and mocha midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured, with a bit of tightness at the end of the long, smooth and wonderfully dry finish that seems to last a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's just a classic Walla Walla Cabernet, but not quite to the level of the 2016 vintage.  I have no doubt this one will remain a classic in my cellar, so I'll have to ration it accordingly!  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty fall dishes, from braised short ribs to ratatouille to hearty pasta or risotto.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare Angus New York Strip along with grilled leeks and some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts and a baked purple potato, which is a first for me! Cheers!

2015 Anvil Dionysus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

It's been a long and busy week for me and I'm glad it's supposed to be a rainy weekend so I can finally get some stuff done around the house, in addition to blogging of course!  Tonight's post is hot off the presses as I am opening a bottle of a wine club shipment that the Fedex guy literally delivered several hours ago!  The 2015 Anvil Dionysus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (89%) and Petit Verdot (11%) from blocks 11 and 13, respectively, of the Dionysus Vineyard in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this warm harvest Cabernet is shaping up!

The wine is a deep, inky purple at the center, with bright garnet along the edges.  The nose is very Bordeaux-esque with aromas of leather, oak, ripe plum and fennel.  The taste is rich and luxurious, with flavors of ripe blackberry and cherry up front, cascading to notes of baking spice and white pepper midpalate.  The tannins are velvety smooth and expertly integrated to provide for a wonderfully long and dry finish that seems to linger for several minutes.

Once again, I am impressed with Marie Eve and her team as their efforts on the Anvil Cabernet has consistently created rich wines with a distinctively old world style.  This wine would feel at home on the streets of Paris as easily as it would be fit in the tasting room in Walla Walla.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty fall dishes, from roasts and lamb to seared steaks.  Tonight I am going rustic Italian with some hot Italian sausage with onions and peppers and a bit of pasta on the side.  Cheers!

2016 Helix Cabernet Franc

It seems as I get older, time passes by more quickly, particularly weekends as it seemed it was just Friday and suddenly Monday is at my doorstep.  Well to help soothe the apprehension of a new work week, I've decided to open a bottle of a wine club shipment from Reininger Winery that arrived last week, the 2016 Helix Cabernet Franc.  This wine is a 100% Cabernet Franc sourced from the Weinbau and XL Vineyards in the Wahluke Slope of the Columbia Valley of Washington.  I'm looking forward to tasting this wine, as I have experienced some of the fantastic Cabernet Franc that Chuck and his team have created from the XL Vineyard, so let's see how this vintage is shaping up!

The wine is a warm garnet color in the glass, quite characteristic of the varietal.  The nose presents rich aromas of leather and sandalwood intermingled with ripe red berry fruit.  The taste is a rush of cherry, raspberry and currant up front, with a hint of vanilla bean and caramel midpalate.  The tannins are nicely rounded, providing for a long, velvety and very dry finish, with a bit of acidity at the end.  This wine just reminds me of having a nice evening of dessert and coffee with friends, very pleasant to be around and it leaves you satisfied at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as I think this is just a fabulous example of a pure secondary varietal that is so often overlooked outside of a Bordeaux style blend.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of dishes, from hearty roasts and stews, to glazed pork tenderloin to cedar planked salmon.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a more simplified dinner of beef tacos with all the trimmings.  Cheers!

2008 Frog's Leap Napa Valley Merlot

Happy Cellar Saturday!  That magical first Saturday of a new month when I choose to raid the cellar for something interesting to open that's at least a decade in the making.  On this Cellar Saturday, I am pretty well spent after an afternoon of yard work, leaf vacuuming, then mowing then the winter fertilizer, boy I can use a good glass of wine!  Lucky for me I opened up a bottle of 2008 Frog's Leap Napa Valley Merlot from the Rutherford AVA in Napa.  So let's see what this wine has been up to for the past 11 years!

The wine is a lovely ruby color in the glass, with great clarity, a bit lighter than you might expect for a Merlot.  The wine has an incredible nose, exhibiting ripe plum, fig, leather and smoke, that just make you feel like you're about to sip some wine in a vintage library.  The taste is lush, as your palate is envloped in soft tannins that feel like a warm blanket on a chilly day.  The rush of blackberry, cocoa powder and cassis dance around your tongue as you enjoy a cascade of ripe fruit leading to a long, smooth and voluptuous dry finish that is just the right length.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just developed exceptionally well over the past decade, leading me to believe it may be just about peaking.  This wine would be perfect with a range of dishes, from barbecue to steak to pasta, just about anything that would make a nice autumnal dinner.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a grilled bacon wrapped sirloin filet, grilles asparagus and some pesto pasta.  Cheers!

2017 Forgeron Cellars Anvil Proprietary Blend

Well, it's been quite a week, so I apologize for not posting in a while.  Last Friday we had some thunderstorms roll though and three was a lightning strike right near my house which ultimately fried my modem!  So, I had no internet access (outside of my cell phone hotspot) for nearly a week.  Fortunately, my new modem was delivered yesterday and not I'm reconnected with the virtual world and able to create a new blog post!  Thankfully the Fedex guy also delivered a new wine club shipment from Forgeron Cellars, the 2017 Anvil Proprietary blend from Minnick Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  The proprietary blend apparently is not secret, so this wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (46%), Malbec (38%) and Merlot (16%), so let's see how it tastes!

The wine is deep ruby color in the glass, with great clarity.  The nose is a wonderful combination of red currant, raspberry and caramel with some floral notes over the top.  The taste is a rush of red berry fruit that transitions easily to some lovely mineral notes of graphite and dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are sharp but nicely structured, illustrating a mash up of youth and aging potential in this wine.  The finish is well built and exceptionally dry, making this an ideal wine for hearty meals.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's still a bit young but it exhibits a lot of potential with a few years in the cellar.  This wine would pair well with a wide range of dishes, from grilled steaks and chops, to lamb to hearty stews.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a big bone-in ribeye grilled Pittsburgh rare along with grilled leeks and asparagus. The sharpness of the tannins in this wine are ideal for cutting through the fattiness of this steak.  Cheers!