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!
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