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!
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