Happy Thursday! It's been a busy week and it seems things are finally getting under control in my life, well at least as good as can be expected. It was unusually mild here today, so I had the chance to go for a quick bike ride in the 45 minutes between when I finished work just after 5:00 and when it got dark, so at least I feel like I accomplished something healthy today. And now for the remainder of my healthy efforts, I've decided to open a bottle of 2018 Pepper Bridge Vineyards Seven Hills red wine. The blend on this wine changes with each vintage, but all the fruit is sourced from the Seven Hills Vineyard to highlight what this long-standing Walla Walla Vineyard has to offer. The 2018 vintage is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (56%), Cabernet Franc (17%), Merlot (9%), Malbec (9%) and Petit Verdot (9%). So let's see how this wine is shaping up!
The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with deep indigo at the center, a sure indication of the heavy hand of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. The nose is a mesmerizing combination of blackberry, cherry and cassis intermingled with hints of cedar and exotic spices and a mild undertone of citrus. The taste is a cool rush of cherry and blackberry that washes over your palate before easing into some mineral notes of dusty limestone. The tannins are vibrant and supportive of a velvety mouthfeel amid the long, smooth and exceptionally try finish that lingers on the palate.
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a classic, high quality Bordeaux style blend from a premier Walla Walla producer. This wine is ideal for fall, sipping on the sofa in front of the fire, but it would also pair well with a range of hearty dishes, from pasta to lamb, steaks to roast beef. Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled porterhouse with some grilled leeks and asparagus. Cheers!
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