2014 CPR Carmenere

Happy Tuesday! Tonight is a special weeknight post since I have a couple of reasons for opening this wine tonight.  The first is the wonderful crock pot recipe that's been slow cooking all afternoon and the second is a virtual wine tasting tonight that's featuring this wine and it's maker!  Tonight I've opened a recent wine club shipment from Reininger, the 2014 CPR Carmenere, which Chuck Reininger will be tasting via Zoom later this evening!  This wine is a 100% Carmenere from the Seven Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley of Washington.  So let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity.  The nose is a wonderful combination of leather, ripe black fruit, peppery spice and forest floor that's brings a roaring campfire to mind.  The taste is a rush of cherry cola, black currant and pomegranate that dance around before transitioning to some notes of white pepper spice and vanilla bean midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured with a bit of sharp acidity despite this wine spending its toddler years in barrel, ultimately letting loose for the wonderfully smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as this wine is arguably one of the best examples of this lost Bordeaux varietals that I've tasted.  This wine would pair very nicely with a rare grilled steak, pork tenderloin, hearty pasta or even just sipping on the patio this summer.  Tonight I'm enjoying this wine with my crock pot recipe of Cajun smothered potatoes with andouille sausage and shrimp.  Cheers!

2017 Pepper Bridge Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  I hope you all are making out well with all of the quarantines and shelter in place orders.  I'll admit I have been going for walks every lunch time, but since I live in a small town, I usually only run into one or two people during that walk and we are sure to keep our 6-foot safety zone in place.  Well, it's been a Washington wine weekend, so let's continue the trend!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of the latest wine club shipment from Pepper Bridge Winery, the 2017 Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  So, let's see how this wine is shaping up!

The wine is a deep garnet color in the glass, as you might expect from a nice Cabernet.  The nose is a spicy yet fruity affair, with aromas of blackberry, currant and cassis, with hints of mint and tarragon in the background.  The taste is a rush of cool black fruit, blackberry, cherry, plum and blueberry that transitions to flavors of warm, white pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured, providing a nice backbone for the long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a pleasure to drink (and had I not enjoyed that spectacular SHW Founding Vineyard Cabernet yesterday, this would have been a top pick!).  This wine would pair well with hearty dishes, steaks, lamb, hearty pasta, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled boneless ribeye along with grilled rainbow carrots and cippolini onions and some red potatoes with butter and parsley.  Cheers!

2017 SHW Founding Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday!  Today was a fortunate day as I managed to get to the UPS store to finally pick up my wine club shipment from Seven Hills Winery!  These shipments usually go to my office, but with the pandemic and office closure, it was a bit of logistical gymnastics to finally get this shipment home to me, but it should be well worth it!  Tonight I've opened one of the two wines in this club shipment, the 2017 SHW Founding Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is produced from the first significant Cabernet and Merlot planting in the Walla Walla Valley, and in the case of this wine, from the original estate founding Cabernet blocks planted by the McClellan Family in the early 1980s.  So, let's see how this old vine wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep garnet color in the glass, as you might expect from a well-built Cabernet.  The nose exudes subtle aromatics of blackberry, lavender and bit of vanilla, none of which are overpowering, suggesting a more elegantly structured wine.  The taste is a rush of ripe blackberry, marionberry and cherry that just coat your palate with velvety richness, before transitioning to some peppercorn and bay leaf midpalate.  The tannins are just expertly structured, to provide a fine network of support for the long, velvety dry finish that has you reaching for more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as it is easily the best Walla Walla Cabernet I've tasted this year.  This wine has characteristic old world styling that exemplifies the Walla Walla Valley, and would pair well with a variety of dishes from grilled steaks to wild salmon, mushroom risotto to lamb.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime ribcap, on a bed of grilled leeks, with some grilled white asparagus and a bit baked potato.  Cheers!

2017 Reininger Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Tuesday!  It's sure been strange living in pandemic times, but at least there are always brighter sides to the circumstances, like this morning when I filled my gas tank for just $1.54 a gallon!  Unfortunately, there are a lot of people hurting right now, whether from this horrible virus or just because of the turmoil it's caused in the economy.  Although I may not be able to help them directly, I am still trying to live as normally as possible, supporting local businesses and the Washington wine industry.  So in that spirit, tonight I've opened a bottle from one of my favorite Walla Walla producers, Chuck Reininger!  The 2017 Reininger Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (85%) and Merlot (15%) from the Pepper Bridge Vineyard.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep, inky color at the center, with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose presents aromas of leather, blackberry and black cherry, with just a hint of blueberry.  The taste is a dance party of ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry, plum and currant all playfully enmeshed on a floor of velvety tannins that escort you gently to penultimate hints of anise and peppery spice ahead of the elegant and smooth, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a classic Cabernet that really highlight's Chuck's wine-making style and the wonderful quality of Walla Walla's old-world style.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of hearty dishes, from steak and lamb to Italian sausage and cedar planked salmon, but tonight is Taco Tuesday, so I am enjoying this wine with some classic beef tacos, with fresh jalapenos on wonderful corn tortillas.  Cheers!

2014 Pirouette Red Wine

Happy Sunday!  What remarkably strange times we are living in, today I had a practice session for the graduate class I'm teaching to move online from in person, which went as well as I expected.  But as we adjust, some positive things have happened as well, like tonight's wine!  Yesterday I was partaking in Sean Sullivan's Virtual Taste Washington (which you can see here) and at the end of the night I let the posters on Twitter and Instagram vote on which Washington wine I should open for tonight's session, and the winner is the 2014 Long Shadows Pirouette!  I bought this wine at the Vino Volo at Sea-Tac airport a few years ago, as it was the only way I could bring back a bottle of wine on the plane!  This wine is a classic old-world style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (57%), Petit Verdot (18%), Merlot (17%), Cabernet Franc (7%) and Malbec (1%) from some of the best vineyards in the Columbia Valley.  So let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine has a deep, inky dark center with bright garnet along the edges, suggestive of the heavy Cabernet focus of the blend.  Keeping in mind that I opened this bottle a few hours ago, and the nose was quite strong when I first opened it, but it's calmed down as it's opened up, with aromas of leather, fig, cherry and a hint of strawberry, very reminiscent of a classic Bordeaux.  The taste is a rush of ripe fruit up front, blackberry, cherry and cassis that gives way to some white pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are a bit sharp, but fitting to support the long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it really exemplifies the classic Bordeaux styling of the best blends of the Columbia Valley.  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from classic pasta to steaks and chops.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic Sunday comfort food dinner of pretzel crusted center cut pork chops, with some buttered pasta and steamed asparagus.  Cheers!

2017 Mark Ryan Crazy Mary Mourvèdre

Happy Saturday!  I have to admit I have been looking forward to some virtual wine tasting this weekend in conjunction with Sean Sullivan of the Washington Wine Report who is conducting a virtual tasting and tours of wineries that were a part of Taste Washington that was scheduled for this weekend but unfortunately was cancelled with all the pandemic issues affecting all of us.  So I encourage you to visit Sean's site (see Virtual Taste Washington) and participate in the fun!  I am doing my part by opening a bottle of 2017 Mark Ryan Crazy Mary Mourvedre.  This wine was a recent wine club release and it's a 100% Mourvèdre from the Ciel du Cheval and Force Majeure Vineyards in the Red Mountain AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with a dark center, somewhat reminiscent of a nice Merlot.  The nose is an intriguing mixture of chewy blackberry and blueberry intermingled with leather and a hint of vanilla with a bit of smoke over the top.  The taste is a real departure from what your nose was expecting, with a rush of black cherry cola up front that transitions nicely to some notes of tobacco, peppery spice and a bit of mint midpalate.  The tannins are velvety smooth in support of the luxuriously dry and long finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a fantastic example of new world style in an old world varietal.  This wine would pair well with a range of Mediterranean dishes, from classic bouillabaisse, to roast lamb to fresh pasta.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with an oven baked Cajun spiced wild Alaskan pollock filet with some oven roasted asparagus.  The fruit and spice of this wine really pair well with a mild white fish like this.  Cheers!

2016 Stretto Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Wine Wednesday!  I admit it's been a while since I've posted on a Wednesday, so let's get back into the swing of things!  Tonight I've opened a bottle that I recently purchased from Wines Till Sold Out, and will likely be a future office wine club selection, the 2016 Stretto Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (93%), Merlot (4%) and Cabernet Franc (3%) sourced from throughout Napa Valley, so let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from a big Napa Cabernet.  The nose presents aromas of currant and cassis, with lingering undertones of cedar, leather and mint.  The taste is big, bold and chewy, with a rush of ripe black fruit up front that gives way to some subdued floral note before a reprise of tart cherry.  The tannins are young but well structured providing nice backbone for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a classic big Napa Cabernet.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, but as a big Cabernet, it practically begs to be paired with a nice steak.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a Zahtar seasoned chuck eye steak grilled Pittsburgh rare, with some grilled leeks, bacon roasted Brussels sprouts and a big baked potato with sour cream and scallions.  Cheers!

2018 Anvil French Creek Vineyard Chardonnay

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!  I'll admit this has historically been more of a beer holiday than a wine holiday, but Let's go with it!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club selection from Forgeron's Anvil label, the 2018 Anvil French Creek Vineyard Chardonnay!  Marie Eve made her name in Chardonnay, and this wine is a 100% Chardonnay from the French Creek Vineyard, Old Wente Clone in the Yakima Valley AVA of Washington.  So on this rare occasion of reviewing a white wine, let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a pale golden color in the glass while the nose presents aromas of pineapple, citrus and a hint of stony mineral.  The taste is crisp and refreshing, with an interesting combination of apple, citrus and dusted limestone up front that transitions to a hint of white floral and candied pineapple toward the crisp dry finish that leaves you refreshed.

This wine is an ideal summer sipper that would pair well with a range of dishes, from lighter salads, to sushi or as an aperitif with some fresh fruit.  Tonight of course, I am enjoying this wine with a classic St. Patty's day dinner of corned beef and cabbage that has been simmering all afternoon, along with carrots and red potatoes served with a slice of buttered soda bread.  Cheers!

2016 Helix Petit Verdot

Happy Saturday!  Certainly for many folks it's been a stressful week, with so much bad new floating around, so I'm making time for a nice dinner and a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle from the most recent wine club shipment from Reininger Winery, the 2016 Helix Petit Verdot.  This wine is an extremely limited production of just 70 cases, made from 100% Petit Verdot 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 deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect for the varietal.  The nose presents aromas of leather, oak and pipe tobacco intermingled with blackberries and cassis, leaving you with the impression of being in classic old library.  The taste is a rush of cherry, raspberry and pomegranate, with a good bit of acidity, but not overpowering.  The tannins are chewy providing a great base for the long, smooth and very dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a lovely example of a pure, but underappreciated varietal.  This wine will likely improve with some time in the cellar, but if you can't wait, it would be ideal with a broad variety of grilled meats, from steak and lamb to pork tenderloin.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with an Indian spiced veal loin chop grilled mid-rare, with some grilled asparagus and a loaded baked potato.  Cheers!

2017 Seven Hills Ciel du Cheval Red Wine

Well, the weekend is almost over, and we even lost an hour during the course of the 48, but at least being leap year we're still ahead by 23 hours for the year so far.  I got a few things done that were on my to do list today, but it seems no matter how hard I try that list never gets any smaller.  But at least there's wine, and tonight I've opened a bottle from one of my favorite Washington producers, the 2017 Seven Hills Ciel du Cheval Red Wine from the Red Mountain AVA of Washington.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (48%), Merlot (31%), Cabernet Franc (11%) and Petit Verdot (10%).  So let's see how this wine is shaping up!

The wine is a deep indigo at the center with bright ruby along the edges, as you might expect from this blend.  The nose is a classic for a Bordeaux style blend with aromas of rich leather, cherry, blackberry and a hint of tobacco and black pepper.  The taste is a voluptuous affair with smooth dark fruit, intermingled with anise, black tea and a bit of dark chocolate all dancing in time.  The tannins are smooth and well structured, providing just the right backbone for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it just ticks all the right boxes for a great red blend.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of dishes, from steaks to soups, tacos to pizze and pasta, or my favorite just for sipping on its own.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled porterhouse along with some bacon roasted purple carrots and Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2008 Groth Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Cellar Saturday!  That magical first Saturday of the month where I raid the cellar and try to find something at least a decade in the making and tonight is a treat.  This wine is not only a vintage 12 years back, it's actually been in my cellar for nearly a decade, as I bought this bottle in October 2011!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of the 2008 Groth Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, a year off from the stellar 2007 vintage, but as I recall when I tasted this at the time I bought it this was a fairly hefty wine.  I've decanted this wine for a couple hours, and there was a good bit of Bordeaux-esque funk when I opened it, but it seems to have settled a bit since then, so let's check it out!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center, with bright garnet along the edges, just as you'd expect from a big Napa Cabernet.  The nose presents aromas of rich leather, ripe blackberry and plum, with just a subdued hint of funk.  The taste is remarkably smooth and well structured, with a lot of dark fruit rushing forward, blackberry, cherry and blueberry envelop the palate, before transitioning nicely to some smoky oak and just a hint of lavender midpalate.  The tannins are firm but well behaved, and the acidity is still pronounced despite the age, providing for a long, smooth and very dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's really as good as I remember it, and it's really reaching its prime.  This wine might pair with a variety of dishes, but as a big Napa Cab, this wine practically begs to be consumed with a big honkin' steak, and tonight we're in luck!  As I'm enjoying this wine with a big honkin' New York strip grilled Pittsburgh rare with sauteed onions, a big baked potato and grilled asparagus.  The fruit and acidity of this wine is perfect with red, red meat.  Cheers!

2015 Helix Columbia Valley Merlot

Ahh, what a pleasant Sunday spent relaxing and slow cooking, all in preparation for a classic comfort food Sunday dinner.  And of course we'll need some wine to go with that, so I've opened up a bottle of Washington Merlot, so I could satisfy my Merlot Challenge early this month!  The 2015 Helix Columbia Valley Merlot is produced from the Stillwater Creek Vineyard, from one of the hottest vintages on record (I was visiting Walla Walla in August 2015, and I recall the harvest was in full swing by the time I left!).  So let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep garnet color in the glass, classic for a 100% Merlot.  The nose is a real treat, with layers of sweet ripe fruit, cherry, strawberry and plum, with just a hint of prune.  The taste is a rush of black cherry, blueberry and boysenberry up front that transitions to some earthy notes of grass and cedar midpalate, with just a hint of mint and dark chocolate on the finish.  The tannins are velvety smooth, with bright acidity providing for a wonderfully smooth and dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as Helix Merlot is a perennial favorite for the varietal and this is a wonderful vintage.  This wine would pair well with a variety of casual, weeknight dinners, from steaks to pizza, tacos to barbecue.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a slow roasted barbecued pork shoulder, scalloped potatoes, green beans and cornbread.  Cheers!