2014 Forgeron Cellars Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  I had a busy work day, that being doing professional work which was good, since it was rainy and markedly chillier today than yesterday, so I was happy to huddle indoors.  And now that I'm done with work for the moment, I've decided to make dinner and open up a bottle of wine.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle that's been sitting in my cellar for at least a few years, the 2014 Forgeron Cellars Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvigon.  This wine is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Birch Creek, Minnick Hills and Seven Hills Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a Walla Walla Cabernet.  After letting this one breathe for a couple hours, a quick swirl in the glass reveals aromas of prune and green olive, intermingled with dark chocolate and ripe black fruit.  Take a sip and the doors open to a more old work style of wine with a rush of blackberry, cherry and currant with notes of anise, before transitioning effortlessly to some spice notes of white pepper midpalate.  The beefy tannins are still holding up well, providing for a velvety mouthfeel amid the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's really singing at this point in its life.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from a big grilled steak to pork tenderloin or mushroom risotto.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic Sunday dinner of a rare grilled USDA Prime ribcap, along with some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts and a big baked potato with sour cream and scallions.  Cheers!

2017 Helix Petit Verdot

What a day it's been, working around the yard, raking the leftover leaves from fall and picking up all manner of sticks, and now I'm quite ready for a nice glass of wine.  Tonight, I've decided to open a bottle of the recent wine club shipment from Reininger Winery, the 2017 Helix Petit Verdot.  Chuck Reininger saw a lot of potential in this varietal, and the Stone Tree Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA of Washington produces some Petit Verdot that rarely disappoints.  So, let's see what this wine has to offer!

This vintage featured a warm to hot summer, which resulted in smaller berries and clusters, creating a deep purple color to this wine, very reminiscent of a big bold Cabernet.  But a quick whiff in the glass reveals that this wine is not a Cabernet, with floral notes of lilac intertwined with toasted oak and hints of earthy graphite.  Take a sip and you're treated to a rush of vibrant, ripe blackberry, cherry and currant that dance around your tongue before opening up to some notes of tobacco and dark chocolate midpalate.  The tannins are bold but well structured, creating the perfect foundation for the long, dry finish, with subtle reprise of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a wonderfully interesting wine to enjoy with dinner, or to just sip on a quiet evening.  This wine would pair with a broad range of dished, from braised short ribs to lamb chops, mushroom risotto to a prime filet.  But of course, I am taking the road less traveled tonight and am enjoying this wine with some oven roasted salmon, with some lemon dill cream sauce, cilantro lime rice and asparagus with hollandaise.  Clearly I couldn't decide on a single bold flavor, and decided to go with bold flavors in every area of my dinner, cheers!

2013 Raymond Reserve Napa Valley Merlot

Happy Sunday!  I spent the afternoon catching up on a few projects, then I went for another bike ride since it was once again sunny and in the 60s.  So, now it's time for Sunday dinner, and a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2013 Raymond Reserve Selection Napa Valley Merlot.  I've been on a Raymond kick for a while, but this wine I just happened to find at my local wine store, which seemed like it might have been there collecting dust for a while.  At any rate, let's see what this wine has to offer.

The wine is a wonderfully deep ruby color in the glass, a bit lighter in composure than you might expect for a Napa Merlot.  A quick swirl and a whiff reveals some rather old world style aromas of candied plum, vanilla bean and cassis, with undertones of green grass.  A sip provides a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and plum that linger for a bit before transitioning to notes of tobacco and black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are a bit sharp for their age, but wonderfully integrated for a long, very dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a really pleasant drinking Merlot, that at $32 was not unreasonably priced.  This wine would pair well with a variety of meats, from steaks to lamb chops to veal, but would also be at home with barbecue or pasta.  Tonight, I'm enjoying this wine with a rare grilled Angus porterhouse over some grilled leeks, with some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts and some mashed potatoes and gravy.  Cheers!

2018 Reininger Carmenère

Happy Vernal Equinox!  It's been a modestly relaxing day, I spent some time with friends this morning and then went grocery shopping and stopped at the local Ace Hardware for some essentials.  The weather was nice, so I went for a bike ride and just got back in time to open a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2018 Reininger Carmenère which is a 100% Carmenère from the Seven Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a nice deep, inky purple with bright ruby along the edges.  A nice whiff and aromas of black raspberry, cherry and plum intermingled with a bit of oak and olive tapenade.  Take a sip and there is a brief rush of ripe black fruit, black raspberry, cherry and currant that transitions to some notes of pomegranate and hints of white pepper midpalate.  The tannins are supple, yet well structured, providing a perfect base for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's definitely one of the better examples of the varietal I've had in a while.  This wine would stand up to a rare grilled steak as well as any Cabernet, but would also pair well with lamb, or even a spice curry.  Tonight, being it's the first official day of spring, I am yearning for summer, so I'm enjoying this wine with some barbecued pork spare ribs, along with sriracha slaw and Dr. Pepper baked beans.  Cheers!

2018 Forgeron Barbera

Happy Sunday!  It's been a busy weekend and now I'm finally getting around to relaxing before it all starts again tomorrow.  So, tonight I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from Forgeron Cellars.  The 2018 Forgeron Barbera is a 100% Barbera from the Sagemoore Vinyard in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a wonderful deep ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity.  A quick swirl and a whiff of generous red fruit greets you, with aromas of strawberry, cherry and currant intermingles with earthy notes of leather and sage.  One sip reveals a delightful balance of ripe red fruit, intermingled with vanilla bean, that gives way to some nice acidity and a bit of pomegranate midpalate.  The tannins are firm, but well integrated for a delightfully long, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a nice example of the varietal with a nice view into the terroir of Sagemoor.  This wine would pair well with a variety of pastas, barbecue or even a nice spicy chili, but tonight I'm going a bit off the beaten path.  I'm enjoying this wine with an Asian sesame grilled pork tenderloin with some steamed rice and sugar snap peas.  Cheers!

2016 Raymond Vineyards Atlas Peak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It's been a busy day of volunteer work and chores for me.  It started early as this month I've volunteers to provide refreshments for the green room at church, so I got to make a breakfast casserole for the worship band and singers to enjoy.  Then this afternoon I went over to a local food rescue called Cultivate Culinary (please support their great work if you can: https://cultivateculinary.com/), and helped pack meals for food insecure students in a three county area.  Then it was back home to finish laundry and now have a glass of wine!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of the next vintage of the Raymond District Series, the 2016 Raymond Vineyards Atlas Peak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon which I bought from Wines Till Sold Out (you can see my review of the 2015 Vintage here).  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is an inky black at the center, with deep garnet along the edges, just as you might expect from a nice, big Napa Caberent.  A quick whiff and your senses are immersed in a basket of earthy aromas, bright fruit and spice, leather, black currant and cassis, amid dried Moroccan spice.  The first sip reveals a rush of black currant, cassis and plum that transitions effortlessly to some notes of cardamom and smoke midpalate.  The tannins are intimately structured, providing for a wonderfully long, dry finish with enough acidity to keep your interest and ease you into your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's another great example of the wonderful quality Cabernets that Raymond produces, at a price point that doesn't leave you depressed.  This wine practically begs to be paired with a big steak, but it would also find a nice home with lamb, smoked beef brisket or even a rustic pasta.  Tonight I am taking the easy way out, and enjoying this wine with a big, rare grilled porterhouse with some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts and a baked Yukon gold potato.  Cheers!

2005 Helix Stillwater Creek Merlot

 Happy Cellar Saturday!  It's the first Saturday of a new month and time to dig in the cellar for something at least a decade in the making, and tonight I have opened a bottle from a recent library tasting done by Chuck Reininger and the gang at Reininger Winery.  In this case it was a tasting of library Merlots from the Helix label and tonight I've opened a bottle of the 2005 Helix Stillwater Creek Merlot.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep, inky color at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, characteristic of the varietal, but still bright for the age of this wine.  A quick swirl in the glass releases aromas of charred meat, white pepper spice and faint hints of white floral notes, that just exclaim the rustic nature of this wine.  A quick sip reveals flavors of black cherry, currant and umami, that transitions nicely to some smoky oak and earthy tar notes midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, but the acidity is rather abrupt at the long, very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a very interesting, mature Merlot that's a real treat to drink.  This wine would pair very well with charred meat, steaks, chops, grilled pork tenderloin or even some earthy dishes like a wild mushroom risotto.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some friends that came over for some grilled picanha, along with oven roasted Yukon gold potatoes and some grilled asparagus.  Cheers!

2017 Raymond Vineyards Napa Valley Red Reserve Selection

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's been a while since I've posted on a Wednesday, so let's enjoy it while it lasts.  Tonight I am resuming my recent Raymond Vineyards trend and have opened a bottle of 2017 Raymond Vineyards Napa Valley Red Reserve Selection.  Similar to 2018 Raymond Reserve Selection Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine has a very cool velvet label, only this time it's blue!  As for the wine, this one is a blend of  Cabernet Sauvignon (48%), Petit Verdot (22%), Zinfandel (9%), Cabernet Franc (6%), Merlot (6%), Petite Sirah (5%), and Malbec (4%), though there might be a kitchen sink in there somewhere as well!  So, let's see how this wine tastes!

The wine is an inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, a testament to the Cabernet influence.  A quick swirl in the glass releases aromas of black cherry, dusty limestone, anise and cedar that tease you into taking a sip.  That first sip is a refined blast of cherry, blueberry cobbler and black currants that give way to some lovely spicy pepper notes midpalate.  The fine grained tannins are well structured, and with some balanced acidity provide a long, velvety dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a wonderfully playful blend that lends itself to a broad range if dishes.  This wine would pair well with classic grilled steaks and chops, island spiced pork tenderloin or even Indian curry lamb.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a very simple midweek dinner of penne tossed with broccoli rabe sautéed in garlic and olive oil and topped with shaved parmesan.  Cheers!