2018 Anvil Boushey Vineyard Syrah

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's finally beginning to feel like spring as it hit 84 yesterday and today we were in the upper 70s.  So it's definitely grilling and sipping wine on the patio weather finally!  Tonight I've decided to settle my Washington Syrah challenge obligation by opening a bottle of a recent wine club shipment, the 2018 Anvil Boushey Vineyard Syrah from the Yakima Valley AVA of Washington.  This particular vintage came from the Birdhouse block of the vineyard during a record hot vintage, so let's see how it's tasting. 

The wine is a wonderfully rich garnet color in the glass as you might expect from a nice Syrah.  A quick whiff and you're greeted by aromas of blackberry and currant, with undertones of beef and earthy mineral notes.  Take a sip and a rush of ripe black fruit washes over your palate, with blackberry, currant and cherry that ease into notes of dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured, with a balanced acidity that ushers you into a smooth dry finish with hints of cocoa at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a beautiful example of a solid Washington Syrah with great curb appeal for a variety of dishes.  This wine would pair well with grilled lamb chops, venison or even a hearty pasta.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a nice rare grilled porterhouse along with some grilled broccoli rabe and a baked potato with sour cream and scallions.  Cheers!

2018 Pepper Bridge Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It's been a busy day, starting with a little work work, and ending with a lot of yard work.  I dug up about a five-gallon bucked of dandelions from around the yard, moved some logs to the summer fire pit wood pile and fertilized the grass, I have a feeling I might be feeling this one tomorrow!  At least it's time for a nice glass of wine, and tonight I've opened a bottle from the most recent wine club shipment from Pepper Bridge Winery.  The 2018 Pepper Bridge Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (83%), Cabernet Franc (6%), Malbec (4%), Merlot (4%) and Petit Verdot (3%) from the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you might expect from a finely crafted Cabernet.  A whiff and you're greeted with aromas of vanilla, blackberry and a hint of sage up front, with light floral undertones.  Take a sip and you're enveloped with ripe blackberry and plum that wash over your palate, before transitioning to some notes of vanilla and fresh herbs midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat beefy, providing for a robust and very dry finish that lingers for what seems like a minute or more. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a remarkably pleasant drinking Cabernet, one that you could easily sip for hours on the patio during a cool evening.  This wine would pair well with a big steak or a cedar planked salmon, or hearty stews or mushroom risotto. Tonight I am taking a different path and enjoying this wine with a rack of lamb that I've been smoking all afternoon, finished with a flash grill with some Zahtar seasonings served with some oven roasted root vegetables and bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2014 Woodward Canyon Barbera

Well, it's been a rainy Saturday, but that's ok, we need the rain as it's been pretty dry here, plus at least it wasn't snow!  At the very least, I am preparing a nice comfort food sort of dinner that will help allay the cold dampness of the day.  And with that dinner, I've opened a bottle of 2014 Woodward Canyon Estate Barbera, a 100% Barbera from the Woodward Canyon Estate Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's take a sip and see what it has to offer!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with great clarity.  A quick swirl in the glass releases aromas of leather, blackberry and plum, with hints of spice box and toasted oak.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of black fruit, blackberry, cherry and plum, with undertones of lavender that transition easily to some earthy notes of loam midpalate.  The tannins are expertly integrated, providing for a delightful base to support the lingering dry finish that beckons you to take another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a great example of a nice Barbera that is a wonderfully casual and food-friendly wine.  I could easily enjoy this wine with great easy comfort food, from pizza and barbecue to hearty stews.  Tonight I am taking a different tack and enjoying this wine with a maple grilled aged Berkshire rib pork chop, along with some steamed Brussels sprouts and farro.  Cheers!

2012 L'Ecole No. 41 Perigee

Happy Sunday!  This weekend was one of those that despite my best intentions, ended up being a working weekend.  But, at least I get to enjoy a nice glass of wine before work starts up again tomorrow!  Tonight I've opened a bottle that's apparently been sitting in my cellar for a while, as I stumbled across it but realized I've never posted about it before.  The 2012 L'Ecole No. 41 Perigee is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Merlot (21%), Cabernet Franc (14%), Malbec (5%) and Petit Verdot (5%) from the Seven Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine has matured!

The wine is an inky color as you might expect from the heavy hand of Cabernet and Merlot, but it displays bright ruby along the edges.  A swirl and a quick whiff reveals a decidedly old world sort of nose, with notes of oak, sage and a bit of white pepper intermingled with soft black fruit notes.  Take a sip and you're treated to a rush of blackberry, blueberry and cherry that wash over your palate, before transitioning to some earthy notes of dusty limestone and a hint of violet midpalate.  The tannins are still vibrant and expertly integrated for a long, velvety dry finish that lingers for a minute or more. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's been a while since I've opened a bottle of Perigee, and it certainly lived up to my memories.  This wine would be perfect for just sipping on the porch on a spring evening (which I may do very soon), or paired with big steaks, lamb, seared tuna or a hearty risotto.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with my classic Sunday dinner of a big grilled porterhouse, along with some asparagus with hollandaise and a big baked potato with all the trimmings.  Cheers!

2018 DaMa Wines Walla Walla Tempranillo

Happy Friday!  It's been a busy week and I could use a nice glass of wine.  Thankfully, the UPS man was good to me today and delivered my wine lot from the Reveal Walla Walla wine auction last fall!  So that means we all get a treat tonight as I get to preview this wine before its formally released (this fall?).  The 2018 DaMa Wines Walla Walla Tempranillo is exciting for me for a number of reasons, first because I am a big fan of the wines that Founder and Winemaker, Mary Derby produces every year.  Second, because this wine is the first 100% Tempranillo that Mary has produced from Les Collines Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  For those unfamiliar, Les Collines Vineyard consists of about 290 acres situated in the foothills of the Blue Mountains, right on the Oregon border.  So, let's get to the fun part, the wine!

The wine is a beautiful, deep ruby color in the glass, with lovely clarity just as you might expect from the varietal.  A brief swirl in the glass releases aromas of earthy peat, smoke and sage intertwined with faint notes of blackberry and cherry suggesting deeper levels of complexity.  A sip reveals a rush of strawberry, cherry and red currant, which subside to reveal wonderfully earthy notes of graphite and dusty limestone midpalate.  The gripping tannins are a force to be reckoned with in this young wine, but they provide an ideal foundation for the long, smooth dry finish that will have you reaching for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's one of the nicest Tempranillos I've had in a while, and certainly one of the best I've had from Washington.  This wine would pair exceedingly well with hearty dishes, from a charcuterie board to a wild mushroom risotto, a prime rib roast to oven roasted lamb.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled New York strip along with some wild mushroom farro and bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2017 Forgeron Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvigon

Happy Sunday!  It's been raining much of the afternoon, so I had the chance to get some work done for an early start on the coming week and somehow that doesn't seem as impressive now that I see it in print.  In any case, it's time for a nice Sunday dinner and a glass of wine, and tonight I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from Forgeron Cellars, the 2017 Forgeron Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is a 100% Cabernet from the Seven Hills and Minnick Hills Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine displays a bit of inky color at the center, with tons of deep ruby color, just as you'd expect from the varietal.  A swirl in the glass and a quick whiff reveals aromas of leather, sage and dark red fruit, intermingled with earthy graphite.  Take a sip and you're greeted by vibrant strawberry and raspberry flavors right up front, before transitioning to some notes of smoke and oak, with light mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are tight and grippy, providing for a wonderfully long, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a very pleasant drinking example of the varietal.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of dishes, from hearty pasta to steak, pizza to barbecue.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with my Sunday dinner of a rare grilled Angus New York strip with some blistered cherry tomatoes, cheesy potato casserole and bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2018 Mark Ryan Monkey Wrench

Happy Easter!  It's been a wonderful day, with plenty of sunshine and temperatures in the low 70s, flowers and birds singing, what more could you ask for?  How about a nice bottle of wine to go with your Easter dinner?  Tonight I've opened a bottle I recently bought from Mark Ryan Winery, the 2018 Monkey Wrench!  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (68%), Merlot (18%), Cabernet Franc (13%) and Petit Verdot (1%) from the Red Willow, Phinny Hill, Ciel Du Cheval, Klipsun and Quintessence Vineyards in the Columbia Valley of Washington.  So let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center, with plenty of bright ruby along the edges, a testament to the heavy hand of Cabernet and Merlot in the blend.  After breathing for a couple hours, a quick swirl in the glass reveals aromas of leather, green grass and blackberry compote and a hint of violet to round things out.  The taste is a real treat, with a rush of tart cherry to greet you before transitioning to some notes of toffee, blackberry and blueberry, before easing into some lovely spice notes of white pepper midpalate.  The tannins are velvety smooth providing for the perfect background for the long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish that just lingers before giving way to a hint of candied cherry.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a wonderfully pleasant drinking wine that lends itself to a variety of cuisines.  I could enjoy this wine with grilled steaks to hearty pasta, to spicy chili.  But for tonight's Easter dinner, I am enjoying this wine with a roasted rack of lamb provencal, with potato puree, and oven roasted root vegetables.  Cheers!

2006 Helix Columbia Valley Merlot

I had such high aspirations for how this day would progress, the yard work and errands that I would accomplish, and I pretty much got nothing done except spreading some GrubX on the lawn and going for a bike ride.  At least it's the first Saturday of the month, which means it's Cellar Saturday, that magical time when I raid the cellar for something at least a decade in the making.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2006 Helix Columbia Valley Merlot, from Chuck Reininger's second label, so let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, classic for a nice Merlot.  A quick swirl in the glass and you can drink in aromas of candied plum, black currant, toasted oak and an array of spice notes reminiscent of an old Italian grocery.  A long sip reveals a rush of blackberry, cherry and currant that washes over you before transitioning to some wonderful earthy notes, smoke and peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are well behaved, providing for a wonderfully smooth, dry finish with a kick of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a beautifully old-world style Merlot that is meant for sipping with friends.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from steaks and lamb to risotto or seared tuna steak.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a big honkin' Angus ribeye that was grilled rare, along with some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts and horseradish to round it out.  Cheers!