Happy Saturday! So, I've taken the rest of the year off from work, so you might expect me to be posting a bit more, particularly since I have a number of great dinners planned over this time. Today, however, I was busy Christmas shopping and getting ready for the holidays and came home mid-afternoon to enjoy a virtual "mystery" tasting of Helix Merlots with Chuck Reininger and Dorian Williams, the cellar manager for Reininger Winery. I was able to order a pack of four "mystery" library Merlots for the tasting, including a 2003, 2005 Columbia Valley, 2005 Stillwater Creek and 2006, and I decided to open just the 2005 Columbia Valley for the tasting (but don't worry, I'll be sure to share the rest with you through future blog posts!). So let's see how this wine is tasting after 15 years!
The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass with nice clarity. The nose presents aromas of blackberry and prune at first, but once it opens up for a few minutes in the glass, the prune gives way to rich black cherry. The taste is filled with black cherry, blackberry and plum intermingled with Asian spice and smoke that transitions to some notes of vanilla bean midpalate. The tannins are nicely structured with a good bit of acidity, providing for a wonderfully smooth, dry finish.
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just about to peak, perhaps another year or two before it gets over the hill. This wine would pair well with a lot of casual dishes, from tacos and pizza to burgers and sushi. Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled bison New York strip served with mashed potatoes and gravy and some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts. Cheers!
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