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!
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