2019 Forgeron Boushey Vineyard Syrah

Happy Sunday!  So last night Forgeron Cellars hosted a virtual wine tasting of wines from the Boushey Vineyard with Dick Boushey and winemaker Cody Janett.  It was a delightful experience hearing from one of the great wine grape growers and pioneers of the Yakima Valley, including some interesting stories about recent vintages, the challenges of growing certain varietals and some of the great creativity shown by many of the wine makes in Washington today.  So last night I tasted some of the Boushey Vineyard Grenache (which you can see here) and tonight I'm doing a bit of a vertical tasting with the 2018 vintage (which I reviewed here) and the barrel sample of the 2019 Forgeron Boushey Vineyard Syrah for last night's event.  So let's see how next year's wine is shaping up!

The wine is a deep inky color at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, just as you might expect from a quality Syrah.  The nose presents aromas of smoke, oak and a bit of black pepper over ripe blackberry, blueberry and plum.  The taste is a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, currant and cherry that burst on the palate, before transitioning easily to some earthy mineral notes of tar and black pepper midpalate.  The tannins are a bit tightly wound, but fully supportive of the long, smooth dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, it's still early, but this early taste of the 2019 vintage suggests it may eclipse the 2018 vintage when it's released next year.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of dishes as a food friendly varietal, and I could see this wine with barbecue, steaks and chops, to pizza and tacos.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled cajun spiced prime sirloin, with grilled leeks and garlic scapes, steamed Brussels sprouts and garlic mashed potatoes.  Cheers!

2018 Forgeron Boushey Vineyard Grenache

Happy Saturday!  It's been hot here today, so I've taken the opportunity to do indoor tasks, at least until I grill my dinner!  Tonight is also set for some excitement as Forgeron Cellars is hosting a virtual wine tasting tonight with Forgeron winemaker Cody Janett and famed viticulturist Dick Boushey, whose eponymous vineyard produced the grapes for the wines we are tasting, including the 2017 Anvil Syrah (which I reviewed here), the 2018 Forgeron Syrah (which I reviewed here) and tonight's wine, the 2018 Forgeron Boushey Vineyard Grenache.  And as an added bonus, we also have barrel samples of the 2019 vintages of the Syrah and Grenach, so I might do a bit of a vertical tasting later!  But for now we have the Grenache to taste!

The wine is a lovely bright ruby color in the glass, with great clarity, just as you'd expect from a nice Grenache.  The nose is chock full of red fruit, bing cherry, raspberry and red currant over hints of spice box and white pepper.  The taste is just a rush of sweet red fruit that lingers on the palate, cherry, pomegranate and strawberry that gently shift to some earthy notes of tar and tobacco midpalate.  The soft tannins are expertly structured to build the smooth dry finish that beckons you to take another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's one of the most pleasant drinking examples of Grenache that I've had in a while.  This wine is ideal for summer grilling as it would pair nicely with anything from burgers to barbecue, steaks to shish-kabobs.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime sirloin along with some grilled garlic scapes, red onions and mushrooms, and some classic garlic mashed potatoes and gravy.  Cheers!

2007 Robinson Family Vineyards Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, this afternoon, I decided to go for a bike ride, and went for a few miles and kept pedaling as the dark clouds and thunder starting picking up as I got closer to home.  I am hopeful that we will see some heavy rain as it's been unusually dry here lately and since my sprinkler valve cracked over the winter and we are still waiting on a replacement, my lawn desperately needs it!  Tonight I've decided that since I totally missed Cellar Saturday this month, I thought I would make up for it by revisiting a Cabernet from a classic Napa Valley vintage, the 2007 Robinson Family Vineyards Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from the Stag's Leap District of Napa Valley.  I first reviewed this wine back in 2014 (which you can see here), so let's see how this wine has developed in the past five and a half years!

The wine is an inky black at the center, with bright garnet along the edges, classic for a Napa Cabenet.  The nose presents aromas of leather, smoke and a hint of lilac over undertones of black cherry and currant. The taste is remarkably structured, with a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and plum, with undertones of mint, that transition easily to some earthy notes of tar and tobacco midpalate.  The tannins are still quite lively, providing for some nice structure to the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would still rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a classic big Napa Cabernet that is holding up well over time.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of red meat, from steak to lamb, pasta with zesty red sauce or even classic summer grilling.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a modified surf and turf, with a rare grilled prime filet mignon with Zahtar seasoning along with some wasabi seared sea scallops, blistered cherry tomatoes and grilled asparagus.  Cheers!

2014 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's been a busy week so far, so it's nice to relax with a nice bottle of wine and a good dinner on hump day.  Tonight I've opened a bottle that I just happened to stumble upon in the cellar, the 2014 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is a 100% Cabernet sourced from some of the best vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA in Washington.  So let's see how this wine has developed over the past six years!

The wine is a deep purple color in the glass, with characteristic bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is a breath of Bordeaux air, with distinctly old world aromas of ripe blackberry and currant dancing in a cedar box, with hints of rose petals, cocoa and tobacco to round things out.  The taste is a rush of black cherry and plum that transitions effortlessly to mineral notes of basalt and dark chocolate midpalate.  The tannins are polished and well structured for the long, smooth and very dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a pleasing example of an old world style Cabernet that expert winemakers like L'Ecole's Marty Clubb and his team excel in producing.  This wine would pair with a broad range of hearty dishes, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled filet mignon served with grilled garlic scapes, bella mushrooms and red onions topped with Béarnaise sauce, alongside purple asparagus and a four cheese risotto.  Clearly a low fat dinner!  

2019 Forgeron Equinox Ridge Cabernet Franc

Happy Sunday!  It's been fairly relaxed here today, though I did accomplish a few things around the house.  And now it's time for Sunday dinner and a glass of wine, and that exactly what I have tonight!  Forgeron Cellars recently hosted a virtual tasting and unfortunately I wasn't at home when the delivery driver decided to stop by with my wine, so I missed the tasting.  Included in the package was a barrel sample of the upcoming 2019 Equinox Ridge Cabernet Franc, so let's give it a try!  

The wine is a deep indigo at the center with some garnet along the edges.  The nose is an intriguing combination of sweet fruit and floral notes, with initial aromas of strawberry and cherry that eases into some notes of hibiscus.  The taste is a rush of fruit at the outset, cherry, blackberry, currant and pomegranate, that are almost jammy before transitioning to some lovely earthy notes of tar, smoke and basalt.  The wine has a remarkably old world characteristic to is, as my first sip hearkened memories of Tuscany.  The tannins are subdued, but well balanced on the long, smooth dry finish.

As a preview, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's one of the more interesting examples of Cabernet Franc to come from the Walla Walla Valley.  This wine would pair well with a variety of earthy dishes, from lamb and venison to mushroom risotto and roasted butternut squash.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a simple teriyaki glazed chicken breast with grilled bella mushrooms, pasta and fresh green beans almondine.  Cheers!

2018 Forgeron Syrah

Well, you can practically sense the weekend is almost here so an ideal time for a little wine and outdoor cooking!  I've taken to going on bike rides in the evening, particularly when the heat isn't extreme and tonight when I returned home I noticed that the two cardinals that built a nest in the holly bush on my back deck were in total freakout mode.  Turns out the neighbor cat decided to do some exploring a little to close to the nest and the two little ones leading to the ruckus.  But now that things have calmed down, how about some wine!  Tonight I've opened a recent wine club selection from Forgeron Cellars, the 2018 Forgeron Syrah from the Boushey Vineyard in the Yalima Valley of Washington.  This wine is their first ever Syrah (94%) co-fermented with Viognier (6%), so let's see how this wine tastes. 

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, almost Cabernet like in color.  The nose is reminiscent of a côte rôtie, with strong floral notes at the nose, intermingled with ripe black fruit and earthy notes of tar and peat.  The taste is a rush of black cherry, plum and fig which transitions nicely to tobacco and black pepper spice midpalate.  The chewy tannins are a strong base for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a really different expression of Syrah that I find enticing.  This wine would pair well with a variety of earthy dishes, from lamb chops to mushroom risotto, but would also do well with a variety of summer favorites cooked outdoors.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic grilled cheeseburger served on a pretzel bun and topped with lettuce, tomato, red onion and pickles served with some sweet potato fries.  Cheers!

2015 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Valley Merlot

Happy Tuesday!  It's been a busy week so far, and I have to admit I'm still sore from all the yard work I did last weekend.  I had the brilliant idea of buying a new Stihl hedge trimmer on Saturday and spent all Sunday afternoon trimming all of my hedges around the yard!  So now that things are getting back to normal and I'm once again able to smoothly lift a wine glass to my mouth, why not open a bottle of Merlot to get back on track with Sean Sullivan's Washington Merlot Challenge (I'm sure I drank a Washington Merlot last month, but I never blogged about it!).  Tonight's wine is the 2015 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Merlot, a blend of Merlot (80%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) and Cabernet Franc (10%) blended in equal parts from two vineyards, the Ferguson Vineyard and the Seven Hill Vineyard.  So let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, as you might expect.  The nose presents aromas of black cherry, blackberry and currant intermingled with earthy aromas of leather and basalt.  The taste is a very old world style of Merlot, with a rush of ripe black fruit up front, black cherry and blackberry that eases into some notes of dark chocolate and espresso midpalate, with just a hint of black pepper spice on the finish.  The tannins are robust and well integrated for a long, smooth and satisfyingly dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's perhaps my favorite Merlot so far this year.  This wine would pair well with a variety of meat dishes, from lamb chops to venison, steak to bison filet.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled porterhouse with grilled asparagus and garlic scapes and a big baked potato.  Cheers!

2017 Forgeron Cellars Blacksmith Rouge

Happy Saturday!  It's been quite warm here lately, upper 80s yesterday, but a bit cooler today and headed to the 90s next week!  I figured with the heat I didn't really want to cook inside, so I decided to use my new smoking tool with my gas grill and smoke my dinner tonight.  And what wine to have, I've decided on the 2017 Forgeron Blacksmith Rouge, a Côtes du Rhône style blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre from the Yakima Valley AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, perhaps a touch darker than I might have expected.  The nose presents aromas of strawberry, cherry and white pepper spice that hints at a food friendly wine.  The taste is burst of red fruit, cherry, raspberry and currant that transition nicely to some some earthy notes of tar and tobacco midpalate before releasing some white pepper spice at the finish.  The tannins are nicely structured, for the long, smooth and dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a classic Rhône style blend that's ideal for everyday drinking.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from pasta and risotto to lamb chops or classic pear and spinach salad.  Tonight I am taking a somewhat different approach and enjoying this wine with a Cornish game hen stuffed with pineapple, onion and thyme, and topped with bacon, slow smoked along with roasted Yukon gold potatoes and steamed broccoli.  Cheers!

2019 Forgeron Cellars Pink Rabbits Rosé

Happy Friday!  As the summer heat has lingered this week, I figured there is no reason to cease the summer of rosé!  Tonight's wine is one I received in a wine club shipment for a virtual tasting, unfortunately it didn't arrive on time, so I was forced to open a bottle tonight.  The 2019 Forgeron Cellars Pink Rabbits Rosé is a rosé of Syrah from the Columbia Valley of Washington, so let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a classic deep pink color in the glass, just like the rabbits on the bottle!  The nose presents aromas of sweet strawberry with undertones of crisp apple and peach.  The taste is a mouthful of summer, with a rush of summer fruit flavors of strawberry, peach and honeydew that transition easily to some mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are subtle but firm, while the mild acidity provides for a smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's everything a summer rosé should be.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of lighter dishes, from grilled chicken breast to grilled pork tenderloin.  Tonight I am keeping it simple and enjoying this wine with a simple linguine tossed with broccoli rabe sauteéd with garlic and olive oil and topped with shaved Parmesan.  Cheers!

2019 Mark Ryan Flowerhead Rosé

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's somewhat sweltering here today with a high of 89° here today, so since it feels like summer, it must be time for rosé!  Tonight I've opened a nice bottle of rosé that I received as a gift with my most recent wine club shipment from Mark Ryan Winery, the 2019 Flowerhead Rosé!  This wine is a blend of Sangiovese, Syrah and and Grenache, so let's see how this preview of summer tastes!

The wine is a very pale peach color in the glass, a very light rose in color.  The nose is chock full of summer fruit, apple, peach, melon and a hint of citrus over some interesting mineral undertones.  The taste is surprisingly tropical up front, with flavors of mango and melon bursting through before transitioning to notes of grapefruit with modest acidity midpalate.  The finish is crisp and bright, with lingering tropical fruit notes.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's an ideal breath of summer that I could see myself sipping on the patio in the late evening sun.  This wine would pair well with a variety of summer dishes, from beet and goat cheese salad, to burgers on the grill.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a steamed lobster tail with drawn butter, wild rice and steamed sugar snap peas.  Cheers!