2018 San Pedro "1865" Carmenere

Happy Sunday!  It seems that summer is starting to calm down, we've seen hot and humid and rather chilly evenings on consecutive days, so I'm hoping for consistency!  As I get ready for Sunday dinner, I've decided to open a bottle of a recent Costco find, and one of my favorite varietals, Carmenere, the lost Bordeaux grape.  Carmenere was long thought extinct thanks to the phylloxera plague in 1867.  It was later discovered in Chile, having been cultivated since 1850 from French cuttings mistaken for Merlot.  The 2018 San Pedro "1865" Carmenere is named for the winemaker's founding year, and is sourced from a variety of vineyards in Chile's Del Maule Valley.  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, as you might expect from a pure Carmenere.  A quick swirl in the glass reveals aromas of blackberry, plum with some mineral notes of basalt and a hint of green cedar.  A taste reveals flavors of black cherry and currant that ease into notes of tobacco and black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are rather subdued, but still find time to support a supple, dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a pleasant drinking wine and a solid value at just $13.  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from tacos to pizza, pasta to steak.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with the latter two, a rare grilled New York Strip along with some garlic scapes and asparagus sautéed in olive and tossed with linguine and topped with shaved parmesan and a bit of purple basis.  Cheers!

2014 Raymond Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It's been a hot, humid day of working around the house, completing a few random projects, including cleaning all the patio furniture and getting them out, now that my new roof is done.  And now I'm about ready for a nice glass of wine and a bit of relaxation.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of wine from a favorite Napa producer, the 2014 Raymond Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, part of their district collection.  This wine is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from a single vineyard in the district.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center, with deep ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from a nice Napa Cabernet.  After letting this one breathe for an hour or so, a quick swirl in the glass reveals aromas of blackberry, tart cherry and currant, intermingled with some floral notes of lilac and violet.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and plum, with some bright acidity, which is somewhat unexpected.  The tannins are extremely smooth, and well structured, providing for a wonderfully long, dry finish that's reminiscent of a quality Bordeaux.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a wonderful example of a lovely Napa Cabernet from a single district that punches well above it's weight class, particularly at a price of $43 from Wines Till Sold Out.  This wine practically begs to be paired with a big steak, and it just so happens I picked up some enormous prime tomahawk ribeyes from Costco yesterday.  I'm enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime tomahawk ribeye along with some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2015 Wooden Winery Barn Door Blend North Coast California Red Wine

Happy Saturday!  It seems that summer is really getting into full swing as it's been really hot an humid here, such that I break a sweat just grilling dinner!  Speaking of which, I have a great dinner for tonight and a great wine to pair with it.  I recently bought a few bottles of the 2015 Wooden Winery Barn Door Blend North Coast California Red Wine from Wines Till Sold Out, and beyond the interesting bottle, this wine has some kick.  This wine is a blend of Merlot (69%), Cabernet Sauvignon (27%) and other red varietals and it's capped with an intriguing bottle with a wooden cover (I seem to recall another wine I've tried in the past with a similar bottle, but alas I couldn't find the post!).  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, as you might expect from a heavy Merlot blend.  A quick swirl in the glass reveals aromas of blueberry, pomegranate and fig intermingled with plenty of oak.  Take a sip and you have a rush of ripe fruit, blueberry, mulberry and currant that transition easily to some earthy notes of dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are expertly structured to provide an ideal base for the long, smooth dry finish that seems to linger for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a really pleasant everyday red wine that won't break the bank at just $18.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of dishes, from steaks and chops, to classic pasta or risotto.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime center cut ribeye topped with grilled garlic scapes, mashed potatoes and bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2019 Stolen Horse Syrah

Happy Sunday!  It's been a busy one for me, as I went to a graduation party and then completed a few projects around the house, and now I'm definitely ready for Sunday dinner and a nice glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of a wine club shipment from the Bledsoe Family Winery that arrived on Friday.  The 2019 Stolen Horse Syrah is a classic Syrah (98%) co-fermented with Viognier (2%) sourced from the Lefore, Flying B, Loess and Kenny Hill Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this new vintage is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with nearly a Cabernet sort of feel.  After letting this one breathe for an hour or so, a easy swirl reveals aromas of green grass, smoky oak, and hints of wild berries that beckon you to taste.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a cascade of flavors, from blueberry reduction, to olive tapenade, smoke and earthy mineral notes.  The mouthfeel on this wine is a real treat, with velvety texture and well structured tannins to provide for a delightfully dry finish that lingers.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's such a solid example of the varietal, but also such an intriguing wine.  This wine practically begs to be paired with a hearty meat dish, from a grilled pork tenderloin to barbecued beef ribs.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic Sunday dinner of herb crusted rack of lamb with potato puree, red wine demi and haricots verts almondine.  Cheers!

2018 Raymond Vineyards Atlas Peak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, we went from mini-winter to blazing summer in the blink of an eye, and it's been sweltering, hot and humid here for the past couple weeks, which makes me wonder why I've chosen to open a big Cabernet for dinner this evening.  No worries, the A/C still works, so I think I can handle the 2018 Raymond Vineyards Atlas Peak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon which I bought from Wines Till Sold Out.  I've been a fan of Raymond Vineyards since visiting them on a trip on the Napa Valley Wine Train back in 2015, so it's always a pleasure to dive into one of their wines, this one being a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Atlas Peak District of the Napa Valley.  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 big Napa Cabernet.  After letting it breathe for an hour or so, a quick swirl and whiff releases aromas of leather, green grass, blackberry and currant, which just dare you to take a sip.  That sip reveals wonderful black fruit flavors, effortlessly integrated into notes of umami, black pepper and dried herbs, with a mild kick of acidity at the finish.  The tannins are well integrated to support a long, dry finish that lingers on the palate for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as I think this may be one of my favorite vintages of the Atlas Peak Collection (see the 2016 Vintage here and the 2015 Vintage here).  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from steaks and chops to hearty pasta or risotto.  Tonight I am pairing this wine with a prime tomahawk ribeye grilled Pittsburgh rare, topped with grilled garlic scapes along with grilled asparagus and some steamed red potatoes with butter and parsley.  Cheers!

2018 Château de Ribebon Réserve Bordeaux Supérieur

Happy Saturday!  It's been a crazy week with the roofers working and seemingly pounding non-stop for most of the week, but at long last I have a bit of quiet to contemplate life and enjoy a bottle of wine!  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2018 Château de Ribebon Réserve Bordeaux Supérieur which I bought from Wines Till Sold Out.  This wine is a classic right bank Bordeaux, with a blend of Merlot (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%) and Cabernet Franc (20%).  So. let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a bright ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity, as you might expect from a Merlot dominant blend.  A casual swirl and sniff brings you classic aromas of blackberry and currant intermingled with dried herbs and rustic spice notes that bring you into the fold.  Take a sip and you are instantly transported to the rustic outskirts of France, with brambly fruit notes that bring you in to a classic arena of black fruit and peppery spice that just eases you into a sipping stance.  The tannins are wonderfully structured, bringing you into the long, smooth dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a classic example of the complexity and value of so many Bordeaux.  This wine was also a terrific value as I bought it from Wines Till Sold Out for just $13!  This wine would pair well with a broad range of hearty dishes, from heavy pasta with cream sauce to wild mushroom risotto, to a classic Bouillabaisse.  Tonight I'm taking a different tack and enjoying this wine with an herb grilled veal loin chop with some linguine tossed with garlic, olive oil, garlic scapes and broccoli rabe.  Cheers!