2017 Carpe Diem Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

The older I get, the faster time flies it seems, whether a month (is January gone already) or just a weekend, time flies when you're having fun!  So, to end the weekend, which has been full of snow and shoveling, I've decided to make a nice dinner and enjoy a good glass of wine, in this case a recent purchase from Wines Till Sold Out.  The 2017 Carpe Diem Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of select Cabernet Sauvignon (98%) from vineyards in Napa, with some Petit Verdot (1%) and Cabernet Franc (1%) to round things out.  So let's see how this wine will let me conclude my weekend!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, though somewhat lighter than you might expect from a big bold Napa Cabernet.  The nose is a rather cathartic, old world experience, with aromas of green bamboo, black cherry, and mulberry.  The taste matches the nose, with black fruit up front, intermingled with notes of matcha tea, dried herbs and the faintest hint of peppery spice.  The tannins are subtle, but elegantly integrated for the long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a very pleasant drinking, everyday wine, particularly at the value price of just $20.  This wine would pair well with lamb, steaks or even barbecued ribs.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled Angus porterhouse, with some grilled leeks, mashed potatoes and gravy and some steamed broccoli and cauliflower.  Cheers!

2016 Timber Point Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Friday!  It's been a busy week and I'm glad to open up a nice bottle of wine to start the weekend!  Tonight I've opened a bottle I recently ordered from Wines Till Sold Out, the 2016 Timber Point Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine from a very solid Napa vintage is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (82%), Merlot (8%), Petit Verdot (6%) and Malbec (4%) from vineyards in Rutherford and Oakville.  So, let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you might expect from a big Napa Cabernet.  The nose is a rounded, earthy affaire, with aromas of leather, charcoal and cedar intermingled with bing cherry and red currant notes.  One sip and you're greeted with a mesmerizing collision of new world and old world, as some Bordeaux-esque herbs and funk intermingle with new world ripe black fruit and sharp acidity.  Ripe cherry, currant and some pomegranate combine with some dried herbs and acidic sharpness before transitioning to a wonderfully warm, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as this wine is a somewhat more subdued version of a classic Napa Cabernet, at a price (just $18) that makes this into an easy everyday red wine.  This wine would pair well with classic steaks, chops and hearty stews, in addition to some wonderful Italian pasta dishes.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with some sun dried tomato and goat cheese ravioli with a spicy red sauce topped with shaved parmesan.  Cheers! 

2017 Helix Cima Piccola

Happy Friday!  It's been quite a busy week, so I'm glad to settle back and open a nice bottle of wine to start the weekend.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of a recent wine club selection from one of my favorite Washington wine makers, Chuck Reininger.  The 2017 Helix Cima Piccola is a super Tuscan style blend from the Columbia Valley of Washington.  This vintage is made up of Sangiovese (49%), Merlot (32%), Cabernet Sauvignon (16%) and Petit Verdot (3%) from the Phinny Hill, Stillwater Creek, Stone Tree and XL Vineyards.  So let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, a testament to the heavy hand of the Bordeaux varietals in the blend.  Take a whiff and the aromas of blackberry, cherry and currant intermingle with earthy notes of leather and dried herbs.  A sip reveals the Tuscan roots, as notes of black cherry dance with espresso bean, as black pepper bursts forth from a dusty spice box at the finish.  The tannins are expertly structured to provide for a wonderfully dry finish amidst peppery spice notes and balanced acidity.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as I think this might be my favorite vintage of the Cima Piccola!  This wine strikes me as a very versatile food friendly wine, which would pair well with steaks, veal chops or barbecue as well as it would with hearty Italian dishes from risotto to classic pasta.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a bit of off the beaten path Italian, some basil and garlic linguine that my aunt sent for Christmas tossed in some Boursin cheese sauce with smoked sausage and shallots.  Cheers!

2019 Caves du Fournalet Côtes du Rhône

Happy Sunday!  Tonight I am going to prove the inherent wisdom of P. T. Barnum, as the wine I've selected this evening was one that I bought completely based on the packaging, the only question remaining is whether I was a sucker!  So, let's try to answer that question.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2019 Caves du Fournalet Côtes du Rhône which I recently picked up at Trader Joe's mainly because it has a very interesting bottle, and after all, it was only $7, so what could go wrong?  I like Rhône varietals, so this could be a hidden gem!

The wine is a lighter body, with great clarity and a bright ruby color as you might expect from a Rhône wine.  The nose is rather subdued, with some aromas of blueberry, tart cherry and hints of tarragon.  The taste is very fruit forward with notes of sweet cherry, blueberry and cassis, that transitions to some notes of peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are soft, but still supportive of a nice, dry finish that's a bit abrupt.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7, it's nothing spectacular, but it was certainly a value and a classic pizza and burger wine, as you wouldn't feel bad opening this one for a casual dinner.  This wine would also pair well with some lamb and pasta dishes too, which comes in handy since I'm enjoying this wine tonight with some grilled lamb loin chops along with mashed potatoes and grilled purple cauliflower.  So, was I a sucker?  Cheers!

2018 Pepper Bridge Merlot

Happy Saturday!  It's been a relaxing day for me, just enjoying some time with friends this morning and spending time reading this afternoon, I guess now it's time to enjoy a nice glass of wine.  Tonight I've decided to open the most recent vintage of Merlot from the Pepper Bridge Winery, the 2018 Pepper Bridge Walla Walla Valley Merlot.  This wine is a blend of Merlot (81%), Cabernet Franc (13%) and Malbec (6%) from the Seven Hills, Pepper Bridge and Octave Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a beautiful deep ruby color in the glass, classic for the varietal.  Raise a glass and you're greeted with essence of blue and black fruit, blueberry, cherry and plum with lingering aromas of green cedar and dusty loam.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of fruit, blackberry, cherry and plum with flavors of toffee and smoky oak midpalate.  The tannins are smooth and supple, creating a voluptuous mouthfeel and setting the stage for a long, smooth and very dry finish that seems to linger for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a classically built Washington Merlot that lends itself to quiet sipping or boisterous meals.  This wine would pair well with the classics, steaks and chops, lamb and roasts, or hearty risotto.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled filet mignon on a bed of grilled leeks, along with some mashed potatoes with a red wine demiglace and asparagus with Hollandaise.  Cheers!

2012 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Syrah

Happy Wine Wednesday!  So you might recall that last year Sean Sullivan of the Washington Wine Report issued the Washington Merlot Challenge, which required those accepting the challenge to drink at least one Washington Merlot each month for the year.  This year the chosen varietal for the challenge is Syrah!  So much to enjoy with Washington Syrah, so naturally I accepted the challenge and tonight I am fulfilling my obligation for January and enjoying a 2012 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Syrah from the Seven Hills Vineyard.  So let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep garnet hue in the glass with nice clarity, classic color for a syrah.  Lift the glass and aromas of leather, caramel, blackberry and plum swirl around earthy notes of olive tapenade, peat and smoke.  On the first sip you're greeted with a rush of black fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant that eases into tawny notes of vanilla and caramel midpalate.  The tannins are still fairly sturdy, providing for a wonderfully long, dry finish that lingers into a reprise of olive tapenade at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a great example of a high-quality Walla Walla Syrah that's held up well over the past eight years.  This wine would pair well with lamb, roast pork tenderloin or mushroom risotto, but tonight I am enjoying this with some stir fried teriyaki steak with udon noodles for a simple midweek dinner.  Cheers!

2017 Forgeron Malbec

Happy Saturday!  It was a busy week back at work, so I'm afraid I might have been a bit lax on my blog posting.  But fear not!  Tonight I've opened a bottle from a wine club shipment from Forgeron Cellars that I've been looking forward to for some time.  The 2017 Forgeron Malbec is a 100% Malbec from the Stone Tree Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA of Washington.  So let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center with a bright fuchsia along the edges.  The nose is an expressive combination of dark red fruit intermingled with a variety of spice notes, pepper, smoke and leather, that almost has you picturing a gaucho as you prepare to take a sip of this wine.  The taste is an interesting rush of smoky blackberry and plum, juxtaposed with tart cherry and hints of lavender before easing into some notes of dark chocolate and peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are well structured and integrated, providing for a delightfully smooth and very dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's about as solid of a domestic Malbec as you're likely to find.  This wine is very consistent with the styling seen in some of the great southern hemisphere Malbecs.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from classic steaks and chops to beef Bolognese.  Tonight I am pairing this with a rare grilled big honkin' porterhouse I picked up at the market today, along with a baked potato and some asparagus with Hollandaise.  Cheers!

2018 Daou Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It's been a long couple weeks off, and tomorrow I am back to work, so why not enjoy one last nice bottle of wine before then?  Tonight I've opened a bottle that I recently purchased from Trader Joe's, the 2018 Daou Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles.  I've not tried any of the wines from Daou before, but I have heard some good things, so I couldn't pass up buying a bottle when I saw it at Trader Joes.  So, let's see how this wine tastes.  

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, just as you might expect from a big Cabernet.  A cascade of black currant, cherry and plum invigorates your nose with the first whiff, along with a bit of leather and some light notes of lavender.  The taste is classic Cabernet, but not the big, punch in the face Cabernet you'd expect from Napa, but this one is delightfully fruit forward, with blackberry and currant throughout, with a bit of black pepper spice and eucalyptus midpalate.  The tannins are smooth and very well integrated for a lingering dry finish, with a good bit of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a really nice example of the varietal that highlights the interesting fruit and terroir of Paso Robles.  This wine was also a good value at just $25 at Trader Joe's.  This wine would pair well with a lot of hearty, classic dishes, from steaks and chops to prime rib and hearty pasta dishes.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a prime, bone in ribeye grilled rare, along with a baked potato and some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2003 Helix Columbia Valley Merlot

Well, it's Cellar Saturday!  That magical first Saturday of a new month where I open a bottle that's been maturing in the cellar for a decade or more.  This month, I've opened a bottle that has only been in my cellar for a month.  You see, Reininger Winery recently had a virtual "mystery" tasting featuring some older vintages of Helix Merlot, and I tasted the 2005 that night (you can see that post from a coupler weeks ago here) and tonight I've opened the oldest of the four bottled, the 2003 Helix Columbia Valley Merlot.  So let's see how this one is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with a hint of garnet along the edges, as you might expect from a Merlot of this maturity.  Aromas of prune, cherry and fig intermingling with earthy graphite and lavender notes greet you as you prepare to take a sip.  The taste is somewhat of a departure from the nose, with a rush of tart cherry and blackberry compote that transitions easily to some earthy notes of toasted oak and tobacco midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat subdued, but well integrated for a long, smooth dry finish that hits you with a bit of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a lovely Merlot that has survived the test of time.  This wine may have a few more years left to drink, but I'm happy I opened this now.  This would be a great winter wine, with great fruit and a hefty presence in the glass and it would pair well with a lot of winter comfort food, from soups and stews, to chili and pasta.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some ham and bean soup that I made in the slow cooker today from last weekend's ham bone along with some corn muffins.  Cheers!

Eclipse Pinot Noir

Happy New Year!  It's been a rainy, sleet-filled day here, and now everything seems to have an eighth-inch coating of ice.  But things could be worse, we could be dealing with a pandemic, economic depression and deep social and political divisions, oh wait... In any case, to start the new year I've decided to open a bottle of wine that a friend of mine, Robert made.  There is no vintage, but he did make a pretty well designed label for his Eclipse wines (maybe this was during the eclipse, what year was that again?) and tonight I've opened a Pinot Noir that he crafted from grapes from Sonoma.  So, let's see if he should quit his day job!

The wine is a nice garnet color in the glass, with a lighter color and great clarity, as you might expect from a Pinot Noir.  After letting this one breathe for an hour or so, it's really opening up with aromas of black cherry, spice box and a hint of mint.  The taste is actually pretty good, with a rush of ripe black fruit up front, cherry, blueberry and plum that transitions to some flavors of caramel and oak midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat subdued, for a soft, dry finish with a reprise of mint at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's actually surprisingly good given that this wine was homemade (my last experience with homemade wine was from my high school friend Nick, who's uncle Vuyo made white wine from grapes he grew on the south side of Chicago, which we affectionately referred to as Vuyo fluid).  This wine would pair well with lamb or pasta, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic New Year's dinner of king crab legs with drawn butter.  Cheers!