2014 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It's been rather relaxing today, I got a little work done and had a chance to watch a couple episodes of the Last Dance documentary on the Bulls.  And now it's time for dinner and a bit of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of the 50th Anniversary edition of Mondavi's Cabernet, the 2014 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  So let's see how this wine is tasting.

The wine is an inky black at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, classic for a big Napa Cabernet.  The nose is an earthy combination of leather, tar and tobacco with undertones of blackberry and currant.  The taste is a rush of tart cherry at the outset that eases into some blackberry flavor before transitioning to some mineral notes of dusty limestone and black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are rather firm, making for a long, smooth dry finish with a good bit of acidity on the back end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a solid effort for a 50th Anniversary Cabernet.  This wine would pair well with steaks and chops, pasta or risotto, but it would also go well with summer barbecue.  Tonight I've decided to enjoy this wine with my Sunday dinner of surf 'n' turf, a rare grilled petit filet mignon, grilled lobster tail, and some asparagus.  Cheers!

2013 Helix Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday!  I had the chance to go to the farmers market this morning and picked up some basil plants (purple, Thai and Tuscan) and found out that they should have some garlic scapes next week, so watch out!  Then I spend much of the afternoon doing yard work, mowing, weeding, and I finally got the patio furniture and fire pit out so I'm ready for outdoor dining.  I find something cathartic about yard work, where the cares of the world and everyday life just seem to fade away as I'm digging up dandelions or trimming branches.  So tonight I've opened a bottle of wine I've apparently had in the cupboard for a while, the 2013 Helix Cabernet Sauvignon, from the Phinney Hill Vineyard in the Columbia Valley of Washington.  So let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is an inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges as you might expect for a Cabernet.  The nose is rich with black fruit, blackberry, plum, cherry and currant, overlaid with hints of prune and rose petal.  The taste takes a very different path, with some distinct floral notes up front before transitioning to some ripe black fruit and black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are ever so smooth, providing for a wonderfully dry, lingering finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, I'm not sure whether its the extra couple years in the cellar or something else, but this Columbia Valley Cabernet is punching well above it's weight class!  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty meat dishes, from venison and lamb to classic steaks.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a smoke grilled filet mignon, baked potato with sour cream and chives and some steamed sugar snap peas.  Cheers!

2014 Reininger CPR Carmenere

So tonight I have the pleasure of enjoying another virtual wine tasting with Chuck Reininger (aka the CPR on this wine's label) and we will be tasting the 2014 CPR Carmenere.  Of course what's not to love about tasting a wine with the person that created it, I just wish I wasn't on eastern time!  Chuck will be joined by Sadie Drury, the vineyard manager at the Seven Hills Vineyard in Walla Walla, where the grapes for this wine originated.  This wine was very limited production, just 42 cases of 100% Carmenere from the Seven Hills Vineyard in Walla Walla, so let's see how it's shaping up!

The wine is a deep garnet color in the glass with nice clarity.  The nose is at first a delicate affair with aromas of cedar, lavender and white pepper spice which opens up to some wild blackberry and currant.  The taste is a rush of black cherry, pomegranate and plum that transitions easily to hints of charred meat and olive tapenade midpalate.  The soft tannins usher in a nice bit of acidity and peppery spice amid the long, smooth dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just starting to come into its own after aging more than five years in barrel.  This wine would be excellent with grilled lamb, filet mignon or sesame crusted pork tenderloin, but tonight, since it's raining, I am staying indoors with and enjoying this wine with a classic linguine carbonara.  Cheers!

2014 Charles Smith Boom Boom Syrah

Happy Wine Wednesday!  So tonight I've decided to host a virtual wine tasting with some of my work colleagues, which in this remote work environment is both easy and safer (no worries about driving home when you're done tasting!), but the challenge with a remote tasting is finding a wine that everyone can easily buy locally.  So in that light I found that my local Meijer store had several vintages of the Charles Smith Boom Boom Syrah on clearance for just $9.99, so my decision was easy, though I opted for the 2014 vintage, the earliest of the 2014-16 options.  So let's see how this one tastes.

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you might expect for a Syrah.  The nose is an interesting combination of ripe black fruit, blackberry, plum and cherry with just a slight undertone of leather and spice.  The taste is classic Syrah, with a rush of ripe, jammy fruit up front, that transitions easily to some notes of cherry cola and dark chocolate midpalate, before finishing off with some peppery spice.  The tannins are somewhat subdued, making for a moderately dry finish that lingers ever so briefly on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's just a pleasant drinking Syrah that is consistent wherever you can find this wine (which is just about everywhere) and it's a terrific value at just $10. This wine would pair well with a broad range of dishes, from steaks to pasta, to burgers and pizza.  Tonight I've gone big since I'm already at home and made a tasting menu of roasted beet and goat cheese salad with Neapolitan herb balsamic and grilled baby octopus with a range of grilled veggies.  Cheers!

2017 Reininger Walla Walla Syrah

Happy Memorial Day!  It's a day to honor those who have served and sacrificed for our nation, and it's also the unofficial start of summer!  In that light, I've decided to grill today and open up a recent wine club selection from Reininger Winery, the 2017 Reininger Walla Walla Syrah.  This wine is a 100% Syrah from the Pepper Bridge and Seven Hills Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep purple in the glass with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose presents aromas of strawberry, blueberry and cherry, with a hint of lavender seeping in.  The taste is chock full of ripe fruit, blackberry, cherry, blueberry and currant that transitions nicely to some notes of dark chocolate and smoke midpalate.  The tannins are fine providing the base for the velvety smooth dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a very pleasant Syrah to sip on a summer evening.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of dishes, from steaks and lamb to Thanksgiving turkey (seriously, the black fruit in this wine would be perfect with turkey, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce).  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with grilled shish-kabobs made with marinaded beef tenderloin and shrimp with peppers, red onions, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes.  Cheers!

2017 Helix SoRho

Happy Sunday!  I confess I've spend much of the day relaxing which is a switch from yesterday when it seemed like I was going non-stop all day.  But at least I got the flowers planted and the yard work done before the thunderstorms came.  So tonight I've set my mind to food and wine, and I've opened a bottle of the 2017 Helix SoRho, a southern Rhone style blend of Mourvedre (49%), Grenache (28%) and Cinsault (23%) from the Stone Tree Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this vintage is shaping up!

The wine is a lighter color in the glass, with great ruby clarity.  The nose is classic Rhone, with fresh herbal notes of green grass, earthy peat and dusty limestone underlying hints of rhubarb and strawberries.  The taste is a surprising rush of sweet berry fruit, boysenberry, raspberry and currant that transitions easily to notes of black tea and peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, providing the backbone for the long, smooth and very dry finish, with just a hint of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's drinking very well and would be an ideal summer red wine.  This wine would pair well with a variety of rustic dished, from mushroom risotto, to ratatouille, lamb to port tenderloin.  Tonight I am using this meal to try new things, as I bought a stainless steel smoking tray to use in my gas grill.  Tonight I've taken some Jack Daniels barrel chips to smoke some lamb loin chops along with some oven roasted root vegetables and grilled romanesco.  Cheers!

2012 Rutherford Hill Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Tonight I just felt like opening a big Napa Valley Cabernet, and I remembered that I had a couple bottles in the cellar from the very strong 2012 vintage, so why not have a go?  On this fine Monday evening, after all the rain has finally paused, I've opened a bottle of 2012 Rutherford Hill Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend from their estate vineyard along with a number of other quality vineyards in the valley.  So, let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is an inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, as you might expect from a big Napa Cabernet.  The nose is a lovely combination of black raspberry, marionberry and plum with undertones of leather and kirsch.  The taste is classic Napa Cabernet, with a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, plum and cherry that transition nicely to some notes of white peppercorn, dark chocolate and dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are sturdy and nicely structured to carry the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a great effort from a strong vintage, but didn't quite have the wow factor of some other Cabernets.  This wine practically begs to be paired with a big ol' steak, so I'll oblige and enjoy this one with a rare grilled ribeye with some grilled asparagus and a big baked potato with sour cream and chives.  Cheers!

2017 Forgeron Barbera

Well happy Sunday!  It was raining much of the day here, so I had a chance to catch up on a few chores around the inside of the house, but overall it was just a nice relaxing Sunday afternoon.  And now I've decided to open up a nice bottle of wine to enjoy this evening.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2017 Forgeron Barbera, a 100% Barbera from the Sagemoor Vineyard in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this food friendly wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep inky black at the center, with ample garnet around the edges.  The nose presents aromas of blackberry, cherry and a bit of violet, that speaks of subtlety.  The taste makes up for the subtlety of the nose with an explosion of ripe fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant with an enduring acidity that lingers throughout before the flavors transition to some lovely mineral notes, and a hint of vanilla caramel.  The tannins are well integrated, balancing the acidity for a wonderfully smooth, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as Forgeron consistently produces my favorite efforts in this varietal.  This wine is very food friendly and ideal for summer, where it would ably pair with barbecue, burgers, steaks or brats.  Unfortunately, with all the rain today, I am cooking my Sunday dinner indoors and opting for a comfort food favorite of tuna casserole, made just like my mom used to make it, with crumbled up potato chips on top.  Cheers!

2016 DaMa Walla Walla Cabernet Franc

Well today started out a little questionable, cloudy and in the 50s, but by the end it was in the mid-70s and sunny as all get out!  So that meant that I finally got some meaningful yard work done, pulling a wheelbarrow full of maple sprouts and weeds, I finally mowed (my yard was looking really unkempt), and then got out the trimmer and edged everything.  And now I'm ready for a glass of wine and a nice dinner!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2016 DaMa Wines Walla Walla Cabernet Franc, a 100% Cabernet Franc from the XL Vineyard on the south side of the valley (I have become a huge fan of this vineyard and believe some of the best Cab Franc from Walla Walla is grown here!).  So let's see how this one tastes.

The wine is a deep, inky purple in the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you might expect from this varietal.  The nose is an elegant affair, with aromas of tart cherry, blackberry, oak, and a hint of green grass.  The taste is classic XL Cabernet Franc, with a rush of cool black fruit, blackberry, cherry and plum that ease into some dark chocolate and dusty loam midpalate.  The tannins are soft but well structured, while a nice acidity makes itself known near the classically long, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a classic example of what this lesser known varietal is capable of, and from one of my favorite vineyards.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from lamb chops to pork tenderloin, steak to hearty pasta.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a big honkin' ribeye grilled rare and served with bacon roasted rainbow carrots and Yukon gold potatoes.  Cheers!

2013 Seven Hills McClellan Estate Petit Verdot

Happy Taco Tuesday, guess what I'm having for dinner?  Well, it's been a busy day and I'm happy to have a chance to relax and enjoy some dinner and a nice glass of wine tonight.  And for this momentous mid-week excursion, I've opened a bottle that I stumbled upon in the cellar over the weekend, the 2013 Seven Hills McClellan Estate Petit Verdot.  Last week, Seven Hills founder and wine maker Casey McClellan did a virtual tasting of some of these less popular varietals, so I suppose I was inspired.  Let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep, inky purple at the center, with some bright garnet hues along the edges.  The nose is an intriguing combination of black fruit, sweet cherry, lavender and mineral notes that just make me feel like I'm enjoying a glass of wine in an old college library.  The taste is a rush of cherry cola and blackberry that transitions to notes of sweet-tarts (yes the candy!) and dusty mineral essence midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated and supportive of the wonderfully smooth, dry finish with a bit of bright acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a really pleasant drinking wine that is representative of a fabulous varietal that you don't often get to enjoy.  This wine would pair well with steaks and chops, pizza and pasta, but since it's taco Tuesday, tonight I'm enjoying this wine with steak tacos!  I had some trimmings from a whole tenderloin I bought last weekend after slicing some nice filets, so I seared those with some spices and sauteed them them with onions and peppers and created some fajita tacos.  Cheers!

2017 DaMa Walla Walla Merlot

Happy Sunday!  It's been cold and thunderstormy here today, so I've spent much of the day indoors doing some work as well as some work around the house.  So now it's time for some Sunday dinner and a glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2017 DaMa Wines Walla Walla Merlot, a 100% Merlot from the Seven Hills Vineyard.  This bottle was part of my wine club shipment last week, so let see what this wine has to offer.

The wine is a lighter color in the glass, with lots of bright ruby and great clarity.  The nose is an elegant combination of Bing cherry, smoke and a hint of dried herbs.  The taste is a rush of tart cherry, cranberry and pomegranate that gracefully evolves into notes of earthy oak and lavender midpalate.  The gripping tannins provide for an ideal base for a long, smooth and very dry finish that lingers on the palate. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a pleasant drinking wine, but a bit lighter than I would prefer in a Merlot.  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from pasta and burgers to steaks and barbecue.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare filet mignon, seared rare and basted with butter, garlic and fresh thyme, along with some linguine tossed with garlic, olive oil and broccoli rabe (I confess I made way too much pasta so at least I have lunch for tomorrow).  Cheers!

2017 Pepper Bridge Vineyard Walla Walla Red Wine

Well, things just continue to get weird during this whole pandemic.  Today I stopped at Walgreens and they finally had toilet paper in my preferred brand so I picked up some, but then I went to the grocery store and was informed that I was buying too much meat as I had three packages of steak and they are only allowing two...so now I'm really getting worried!  If it took two months to get toilet paper back on the shelves, I shudder to think how I'll survive months without steak!  This may turn in to a wine and ramen noodle blog!  In any case, to celebrate the two steaks I got, I've decided to open a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from Pepper Bridge Winery, the 2017 Pepper Bridge Vineyard red wine.  This wine is a blend of Merlot (52%), Malbec (23%), Petit Verdot (13%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (12%), all from the Pepper Bridge Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley.  So let's see how this vintage is tasting!

The wine is an inky affair at the center, with bright fuchsia along the edges, as you might expect from a Merlot- and Malbec-heavy blend.  The nose is a pleasant combination of ripe blackberry, currant and blueberry with hints of leather and anise.  The taste is a rush of blueberry and blackberry in jammy quantities, that transitions to some mineral and earthy notes midpalate.  The tannins are stout, which combined with the surprising acidity provide for a vibrant, and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's drinking nicely now, but will likely soften a bit with some time in the cellar.  This wine would pair with a variety of dishes, from barbecue to pasta, pizza to steak, as the fruit just makes a great partner for great food.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled Madras curry rubbed T-bone on a bed of grilled leeks, with a baked potato and some steamed broccoli.  Cheers!

2017 Robert Mondavi Rum Barrel Aged Merlot

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Tonight I had the pleasure of doing a virtual wine tasting with some of my colleagues from the office and it was such a great bit of fun, we all had a chance to see each other and sample some wine and no one needed to worry about driving home!  So the first wine we tasted was the Rose I reviewed yesterday (see here) and tonight I'm reviewing the red wine we tasted, the 2017 Robert Mondavi Rum Barrel Aged Merlot.  Now you know I'm a big fan of Merlot, but I've also become a fan of these specialty wines aged in a variety of hard liquor barrels, whether bourbon or in tonight's case rum. So let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass with nice clarity.  The nose presents aromas of leather, vanilla, blackberry and a bit of tart cherry.  The taste is a rush of ripe black fruit, with some plum, blackberry and cherry that give way to some notes of vanilla bean and toasted oak midpalate.  The tannins are nicely integrated to provide appropriate backbone to the long, smooth and very dry finish, that has a warm reprise at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's just a pleasant everyday drinking wine that can be found routinely for about $15.  This wine would pair well with some hearty pasta or just about any steak, and we're in luck!  Tonight, I'm enjoying this wine with a rare grilled ribeye, with grilled leeks, some steamed asparagus and a big honkin' baked potato with sour cream and chives.  Cheers!

2018 Band of Roses Washington State Rose

Happy Tuesday!  I know this is a confluence of events with Cinco de Mayo happening on Taco Tuesday, but I've decided to go in a completely different direction tonight.  As it happens during a lockdown, I've decided to host a virtual wine tasting with a bunch of my work colleagues tomorrow night and I've decided to go with a sneak preview of one of the wines tonight.  The 2018 Band of Roses Washington State rose is a nice, irreverent wine from Charles Smith, which is one of the larger producers in Washington that has gained nationwide distribution.  The wines are very well priced and I know that no matter where I pick one up, the quality to value proposition almost always favors us consumers.  So let's see how this one tastes.

The wine is a very soft peach color in the glass, almost like a Chardonnay, but still clearly rose.  The nose is a wonderful cascade of tropical fruit, pineapple, mango, honeydew and citrus that seems as refreshing as s bright summer day.  The taste is a rush of citrus, strawberry and melon, with just a hint of minerality.  The tannins are somewhat soft, but unyielding, with subdued acidity providing for a wonderfully crisp, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's just a pleasant drinking summer rose, that I could see myself sipping on the patio, if it wasn't cloudy and 47 degrees (where are you spring!?!?).  This wine would pair with summer barbecue, burgers, or salads, but tonight I am going in another direction.  I am enjoying this wine with a recipe I found randomly on twitter (!) for chicken paprikash, a Hungarian chicken dish simmered in paprika and finished with sour cream to make a lovely sauce, served with a bit of jasmine rice.  Cheers!

2017 Lu & Oly Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Monday!  It was a busy day today and it seemed like I didn't get nearly as much accomplished as I had hoped, but at least there is wine.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of a recent purchase from Mark Ryan Winery, the 2017 Lu & Oly Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is named after Mark's daughters and is composed of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (25%) and Malbec (15%) all from the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, though just a touch lighter than your typical big bold Cabernet.  The nose is a tempting combination of candied cherry, raspberry and a hint of cedar that beckon you to take a sip.  The taste is a surprising rush of rich black cherry, black raspberry and blueberry that transitions to notes of cocoa powder and a bit of spice midpalate.  The fine tannins and somewhat subdued acidity provide a nice base for the lingering dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a terrific everyday drinking Cabernet, particularly at a full retail price point of just $30!  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dished, but who are we kidding, a great Cabernet just demands to be paired with a nice steak and tonight I'm enjoying it with a thick cut New York strip grilled rare along with some grilled leeks and broccoli rabe.  Cheers!

1996 Lazzarito Barolo

Happy Cellar Saturday!  It's the first Saturday of a new month, so time to dig deep in the cellar to find some wine at least a decade in the making to open and enjoy.  I'll admit today's post was the result of a confluence of events that ultimately worked out, despite my second thoughts!  You see, I knew that my favorite TV chef, Gordon Ramsay was going to make spaghetti carbonara on "Ramsay in 10" on Instagram today, so I thought that sounds like a perfect meal, so I need to find a great Italian wine to pair with it.  Then came the beautiful weather today, the first time this spring we approached 80 degrees, and when I was mowing the lawn, all I could smell was my neighbors cooking out, and I just really wanted a nice steak!  Well, discipline prevailed and I went with my original plan and made linguine Carbonara and opened a bottle of 1996 Lazzarito Barolo!  Now I freely admit that I really cannot tolerate a wine from Piedmont that's less than a decade in the making, but since this one is now clearly of legal drinking age, let's see what it has to offer!

The wine is a rustic garnet color in the glass, with a tinge of amber at the edges as you might expect from a wine of this maturity.  The nose presents aromas of leather, anise and spice box, that brings me back to the time I spent in Rome and Florence in the mid 1990s.  The taste is a rush of floral notes, with flavors of rosehips that gives way to earthy flavors of tar and tobacco midpalate, as you might expect from a Nebbiolo.  The finish is still quite vibrant, with nice balanced acidity that frames a wonderfully long, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as this Barolo is just singing right now and approaching a peak in terms of flavor and complexity.  This wine would pair with a broad range of Italian dishes, from a classic morel mushroom risotto to a bisteca fiorentina.  But tonight, I am enjoying this one with the classic Gordon Ramsay linguine carbonara, made with pancetta, garlic, petit peas, and some lovely egg yolks and creme fraische, finished off with some shaved parmesan and parsley.  Cheers!

2017 DaMa Chardonnay

Happy Friday!  It was an eventful day of wine deliveries for me today as both the UPS and FedEx guys stopped by to deliver wines, so I had plenty of choices to open tonight.  I decided to open the 2017 DaMa Columbia Valley Chardonnay, simply because I'm not really a fan of white wines, but fortunately I was making something for dinner that I thought we definitely benefit from pairing with a Chardonnay, more on that later.  I will also admit that I'm a big fan of the artwork that DaMa incorporates on their labels, but this Chardonnay label has be scratching my head, as I'm not sure if it's the bride of Frankenstein or Marie Antoinette...though either would be appropriate "in times like these"!  So let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a crisp golden color in the glass, reminiscent of a field of buttercups.  The nose presents aromas of pear, pineapple and citrus (I'll admit when I first opened and poured a glass there was a strong alcohol aroma, but that dissipated after it opened up a bit in the glass).  The taste is a basket of summer fruit, with honeydew, kiwi and strawberry intermingled with white grapefruit that transitions to some dusty mineral notes midpalate.  The acidity is somewhat subdued, though the taste of this wine is nowhere close to the classic buttery Chardonnay, as it seems to be plowing it's own ground.  The finish is crisp but dry, with a lingering reprise of minerality.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, just because I am not really a fan of white wines, but I'm sure futures guests will enjoy my remaining bottles!  As for pairing, this would go well with summer salads, fresh fruit or a light pasta.  Tonight I am pairing this with some homemade ham and bean soup that's been simmering in the crock pot all day, along with some fresh cornbread (I really wish I had this yesterday as it was raining with a high of 43 and I just could not get warm yesterday no matter how hard I tried!)
.  The crispness and mineral notes offer a nice balance to the richness of the soup.  Cheers!