2016 Rutherford Hill Napa Valley Merlot

Happy Sunday!  I'll admit I spend most of the afternoon working and then mowing, so I'm definitely ready for a nice glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of wine that I picked up at my local supermarket yesterday, the 2016 Rutherford Hill Napa Valley Merlot.  Given the unpopularity (is that a word?) of Merlot when compared to Cabernet, there are usually bargains to be found as in this case.  My market was apparently discontinuing this wine, and it was marked down to $19, so how could I resist?  I put four bottles in my cart and then the friendly cashier reminded me if I bought six I'd get an extra 10% off, for a net cost of around $17!  So, let's see if this bargain was worth the price!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you might expect from a Napa Merlot.  A quick swirl reveals aromas of ripe blackberry, cherry and cassis, with undertones of dried herbs and baking spice.  Take a sip and your palate is enveloped by a velvety cascade of ripe black fruit interspersed with some earthy mineral notes and hints of anise and violet.  The tannins a lush, providing a nice backdrop for the long, voluptuous dry finish.

Overall, this wine was well worth the bargain price and I'd rate this one a solid 9, as it's a classic Napa Valley Merlot.  This wine would pair well with hearty pasta dishes, soft cheese, or a nice steak.  Tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a rare grilled porterhouse topped with sautéed sweet and red onions, along with steamed broccoli and oven roasted purple potatoes.  Cheers!

2019 Willamette Valley Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir

Well, today was another day of work and errands, though I had time enough for a bike ride just before dinner, though I might have thought through that decision given temperatures in the upper 80s and 71% humidity! In any case, it's supposed to thunderstorm soon, so no patio dinner tonight, but there is still wine and dinner, and tonight I've opened a bottle that I picked up last week while in Grand Rapids, the 2019 Willamette Valley Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir.  This one is a special one, since I bought preferred stock in Willamette Valle Vineyards last year, which makes me a proud owner of the winemaker as well as the bottle!  So let's see how this wine is tasting.

The wine is a lovely, bright ruby color in the glass, with a decidedly gem-like character.  A gentle swirl of the glass releases aromas of blackberry, raspberry and currant intermingled with some earthy notes.  A sip reveals a cascade of dynamic fruit notes, with a rush of tart cherry that eases into some notes of marionberry with a hint of sweetness midpalate.  The tannins are supple, creating a velvety texture that makes the perfect base for the smooth finish, that's dry, but not abrupt.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a really pleasant Pinot Noir for folks like me that prefer a heartier version.  The depth and texture of this one really makes it a new favorite for the varietal.  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from lamb and duck, to an alder planked salmon.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled bison New York strip, topped with the very last of the season's garlic scapes and some blistered cherry tomatoes, along with an array of oven roasted root vegetables.  Cheers!

2020 Mark Ryan Lu & Oly Flowerhead Rose

Happy Friday!  It's getting really hot and humid here, which can only mean that rose season is in full effect!  Perhaps this weekend we might make it all rose all day, what do you think?  In any case, tonight I've opened a bottle of 2020 Lu & Oly Flowerhead Rose, from Mark Ryan Winery in Washington.  This wine is a blend of Sangiovese (89%), Merlot (6%), Syrah (4%) and Grenache (1%) from the Columbia Valley of Washington.  So, let's see if this wine is as refreshing as the artwork on the label!

The wine is a pale peach color in the glass, a near perfect rose color.  A gentle swirl reveals aromas of strawberry, peach, green apple and a hint of green grass.  Take a sip and your greeted with a rush of zesty citrus up front that enlivens your tastebuds, before transitioning to some wonderful velvety peach and raspberry notes midpalate.  The finish is crisp and dry, with a lovely lingering feeling that will have you reaching for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a very pleasant drinking rose that would be perfect on the patio all summer long.  This wine would pair well with a range of lighter summer fare, from caprese salads to Asian chicken lettuce wraps.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with my first adventure with Uber Eats and a crab and lobster feast from Red Lobster!  Snow crab legs, lobster tail, crispy Brussels sprouts and of course their amazing cheddar biscuits.  I admit I rarely dine out when I'm home, but my company gave me an Uber Eats gift card last Christmas, so I thought I should use it.  Cheers!

2018 L'Ecole No. 41 Estate Ferguson

Happy Sunday!  I accomplished all of my yard work today and finally have a chance to sit down and open up a nice bottle of wine (though I have plans to eat on the patio and have a nice fire tonight!).  Given the end of the weekend, I thought I'd open up a bottle of a perennial favorite that I had the chance to bring back from Walla Walla on my vacation.  I first toured the Ferguson Vineyard back in 2013 (you can see that post here), which shows you how time flies!  This latest vintage of Ferguson is composed of Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Merlot (24%), Cabernet Franc (11%), Malbec (5%) and Petit Verdot (5%) all from the Ferguson Estate Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's have a taste!

The wine has the appearance of a fine Cabernet, but looks can be deceiving!  A swirl releases a cascade of delightful aromas, leather, black currant and a hint of umami.  Take a sip and you're awash in tart cherry, black raspberry and currant that ease gracefully to some earthy minerality, graphite, smoke and basalt, before bringing you full circle to some notes of mulberry at the finish.  The tannins are nicely integrated, making the finish a long, dry and pleasant affair that you wish would linger just a bit longer.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a pleasant dinking wine that highlights the strengths of the Ferguson Vineyard and the long history of expert Bordeaux style blending in the Walla Walla Valley.  This wine would be ideal with a hearty steak, smoked beef brisket, or even some wild mushroom risotto.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine on the patio with a rare grilled prime ribcap, along with some horseradish and blistered cherry tomatoes, some steamed red potatoes with butter and parsley and some green beans almondine.  Cheers!

2016 Maison Bleue Voyageur Syrah

Happy Saturday!  It's been a day of intense yard work, as today was hedge trimming day!  I managed to trim all the bushes and hedges in the front yard, and my arms and back will be paying the price tomorrow, and I still need to do the back yard and rake up all the branches!  In any case, I have to clean up for the theater tonight, so I've opened a bottle of 2016 Maison Bleue Voyageur Syrah.  It's been a while since I've had any wines from Maison Bleue, despite the fact that I am a shareholder in the vineyard as they don't ship to Indiana!  But having recently visited Walla Walla, I brought back a case of Maison Bleue and Pambrun wine, so I'm set for a while!  This particular vintage is a 100% Syrah sourced from the Les Collines, Stone Valley and Yellow Jacket Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with great clarity.  A gentle swirl releases aromas of black raspberry, currant and ample mineral notes of graphite and dusty loam.  A sip reveals an unexpected rush of vibrant, sweet fruit, blackberry, currant and plum that dance around your palate before easing into notes of floral notes of violets intermingles with some tobacco and herb notes.  The tannins are supple bringing the finish to a climactic moment that brings you a sigh of easy satisfaction as you reach of another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a pleasant drinking classic Syrah from the Walla Walla Valley, unpretentious and approachable.  This wine would pair well with a variety of challenging dishes, from spiced Moroccan chicken, to green curry to a classic lamb.  Tonight I am enjoying this with a summery dinner of maple sesame wild sockeye along with some chilled pasta salad and sriracha slaw.  Cheers!

2020 Elizabeth Chardonnay

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Tonight I had the pleasure of enjoying a virtual wine tasting with Drew Bledsoe and Josh McDaniels of the Bledsoe Family Winery!  It was a real treat to listen to these two great influencers of Walla Walla wine.  I learned of Drew's grandmother Betsy who is the namesake for the Elisabeth Chardonnay and things just got more interesting from there.

Drew and Josh spoke at length about the Bledsie Family Winery, and their vineyards as well as the community feel they have for the other wine members of the Walla Walla Valley.  The wine itself was really nice, and you know I'm not a white wine fan.  This Chardonnay was not the classic buttery, oak laden wine that so many are used to.  The nose presents lovely floral notes, with hints of green grass and earthy mineral elements.  A taste reveals notes of pear, citrus and hibiscus that just scream summer/  The summer flavors ease into some wonderful mineral notes midpalate. before leading to a long, smooth dry finish that lingers on the palate. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a pleasant drinking Chardonnay that is ideal for sipping on the patio on a summer evening.  This wine would pair well with a variety of summer salads. but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic lemon pepper sockeye filet with wild rice and baby cauliflower.  Cheers! 

Helix Crush Crew Red Wine

Happy Tuesday!  Well, I made it back from vacation, which is really hard work by the way, and had about three days worth of work to be done around the house to welcome me back.  But now that I've adjusted back to the normal routine, I thought I might open one of the many bottles of wonderful Washington wines I brought back with me.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of Helix Crush Crew Red Wine, another creative product from Chuck Reininger and his team, which combines a number of grapes, vintages and vineyards to form a really pleasant everyday red wine.  This is a non-vintage blend of Merlot (75%), Petit Verdot (12%), Cabernet Sauvignon (7%) and Cabernet Franc (6%) from a number of different vintages in the Columbia Valley.  I recall enjoying this one a lot in the tasting room, so let's see how it is back home!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, a testament to the heavy Merlot presence in the blend.  A quick swirl brings out aromas of oak, leather, black cherry and just a hint that reminds me of the barrel room.  Take a sip and you have a rush of ripe black fruit, cherry, currant and plum that transition easily to some earthy notes and dried herbs midpalate.  The tannins are bright and well integrated, making for a remarkably velvety mouthfeel on the long dry finish. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as this wine punches way above its weight class for a $20 everyday drinker.  This wine is ideal for summer as it would pair well with about anything you could cook on the grill, from steaks and burgers to brats and barbecued ribs.  Tonight of course, I am going a different route and enjoying this wine with a maple sesame glazed wild sockeye filet with steamed jasmine rice and sugar snap peas.  Cheers!

Walla Walla Wine Tasting Vacation - Day 4

 Well, I made it to my last day of wine tasting in Walla Walla, and since I wanted to make one last stop at Syzygy Wines, based on the recommendation from Katie at Pepper Bridge.  Unfortunately, since they didn't open until 11, I decided to do a few other things to allow the time to line up.  First I went to the Walla Walla farmers' market and bought a few things, including a nice  barrel stave table top rack that can hold a nice magnum or larger bottle in my dining room.  After the farmers' market I decided to stop by Forgeron Cellars to do an impromptu tasting.

I certainly appreciate winemaker Cody being willing to host me, and I had a very nice time tasting some of the classic Anvil Syrah, the Minnick and the Merlot.  I also had a chance to taste their new sparkling wine, which I thought was very good, though I confess I'm not much of a sparkling wine drinker.

After Forgeron, I headed to the airport to the Syzygy tasting room.  This brings back memories of the early days of Walla Walla wine, when a number of wineries were operating out of facilities at the airport.  I had a chance to meet Zach Brettler, the owner and winemaker, and I was pleased to have a wonderful conversation and learn that we have very similar tastes in wine.  

Zach took a break from making wine for close to a decade, but started back up again in 2020, though his most recent release was the 2010 Saros, a blend of Tempanillo, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon.  So we tasted through his entire current lineup, including the 2010 Columbia Valley red wine, which is a steal for $27, the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2009 and 2010 Saros.  They were really all quite good, so I bought a couple bottles of each, so stay tuned for a more detailed review of each at some point.  This ended my Walla Walla wine tasting vacation, as I headed out of town on US 12 to go to Glacier National Park.  Cheers!

Walla Walla Wine Tasting Vacation - Day 3

Happy Independence Day!  Well, it's my second to last day in Walla Walla doing some wine tasting, and it was a busy day!  I started this morning with a trip down to Pendleton to visit the woolen mills (don't ask me why I thought shopping for a wool scarf and blanket when it was 102 degrees was a good idea!), as well as Hamley's, the old west store (I may have also done some vodka tasting at the Oregon Grain Growers distillery).  Then I came back up to Walla Walla for a wine tasting at Maison Bleue, which is owned by Willamette Valley Vineyards, of which I am a proud shareholder.

Unlike the last time I tasted here, the Maison Bleue tasting room now has the Pambrun line of Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux style blends which were very nice!  Next I went to AK Mercado for lunch.  This is the restaurant started by chef Andrae Bopp, who is a long-time fixture in the Walla Walla food scene, operating a catering business and a small place out of a gas station.  I enjoyed the brisket, braised short rib and grilled cod tacos which were phenomenal!

After lunch I went to the first of two Mark Ryan tasting rooms.  The old one which has been there for the better part of a decade is the one I've been to many times, and is now focused on the core Mark Ryan label.  

The Mark Ryan Annex is devoted to the other Mark Ryan labels, such as the Board Track Racer, Lu & Oly, and Monkey Wrench.  In any case, the wines were still great, and I was able to pick up a bottle of 2019 Numbskull GSM blend which was sourced from Red Mountain fruit as well as the new "bubbles" white wine, which will be featured on the patio at some point this summer.

So, another wonderful day of wine tasting to wind up my trip, next stop Glacier National Park!

2007 Giuseppe Campagnola Amarone della Valpolicella

Happy Independence Day eve!  Yes, summer is in full swing and the fireworks are blazing, but it's also the first Saturday in July, which means this is Cellar Saturday!  I will open a bottle of something at least a decade in the making and share it with you.  Tonight I've dug out a nice Italian wine (I'm convinced that the big wines of Italy are best when they are allowed to mature for at least a decade), one that I'm not sure where I bought it, the 2007 Giuseppe Campagnola Amarone della Valpolicella.  Amarone is a special wine from the north of Italy, where the grapes are allowed to dry before pressing, revealing a fabulous concentration of flavor.  So let's see how this one is tasting!

The wine is a deep, inky purple in the glass with lovely garnet along the edges, making this look more like a Cabernet than a Valpolicella.  After letting this one breathe for an hour or so, a quick swirl in the glass reveals rustic aromas of leather, anise, green grass and mulberry.  Take a sip and you get unexpected flavors of strawberry, ripe cherry and plum that transition easily to some earthy notes of peat and dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured to provide a great base for the long dry finish, with a quick burst of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it has certainly come into its own over the past 14 years.  This wine would be ideal with lamb, wild mushroom risotto, or a hearty steak.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a prime tomahawk ribeye grilled Pittsburgh rare, topped with some of the last of the season's garlic scapes and some grilled asparagus. Cheers!

Walla Walla Wine Tasting Vacation - Day 2

Well, it's a tough job, but somebody has to do it!  Vacationing that is...today I started out by going to the Fort Walla Walla Museum, seeing some wonderful exhibits on the history of Walla Walla and the settlements here from pioneer days just after Lewis and Clark made their expedition.  And then it was down to the serious business of wine tasting.  I started the afternoon at Seven Hills Winery, one of my long-time favorites going back to my very first trip to Walla Walla in 2001.  

I had a wonderful time tasting some wines that I already had in my cellar, like the 2016 Seven Hills Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon which is drinking even more beautifully now than in 2019.  I was hosted wonderfully by Emma, and then Julie came out to have a nice conversation with me, and we had a chance to do a side-by-side tasting of the 2018 Pentad with the 2019 Pentad from the barrel.  The new vintage is very interesting and will make an intriguing wine by the time it's released.

We then chatted about some of the changes coming to the winery with a new restaurant that will soon open, replacing Whitehouse Crawford, which closed during Covid.  This will provide some nice opportunities to combine more food and wine pairings in the future.

When I finished at Seven Hills, it was off to see Mary Darby at DaMa Wines.  Mary is always a pleasure to talk with, and good conversation makes hours seems like minutes, and of course sipping on wine during that time may have helped the time go fast!

Of course, sipping on wine and enjoying good conversation makes distractions an acute hazard, which is why I ended up leaving with a half dozen tamales from the tamale lady that stopped by.  What in the world am I going to do with tamales with another week and 4,000 miles to go?  Well, I don't have an answer to that, but I can confirm those were some of the most delicious tamales I've had!

Cheers!

Walla Walla Wine Tasting Vacation - Day 1

Well, I have to admit, vacationing is hard work!  I am enjoying a few days of wining and dining in Walla Walla on my summer vacation national park tour.  I started the day with a drive to the Columbia Gorge to take some photos of the mighty Columbia River and then I drove back into town for stops at Woodward Canyon and L'Ecole No. 41 to taste a bit and buy some wine.  Then it was off to my first official tasting of the day at Reininger Winery, one of my long time favorites.

Reininger has made some changes to their tasting room, though some of the artwork is still the classic, showing Raul (aka Mr. Owl).

Having tasted through some of the classic Helix and Reininger red wines, including the new Helix Crush Crew Red (count me a big fan, but more on that in a future post.  Eventually, we got to tour the barrel room and do a bit of barrel tasting.  The barrel room was such a relief given that the outside temperature over the past few days has been well into the triple digits!

We had a chance to taste some of the 2020 Tempranillo, which is still extremely young and in development, though to be fair I thought it tasted like a glass of beef, so this one could shape up to be a very interesting wine.  Then we tasted a bit of the 2015 Cima, which will be the next vintage releases of this super Tuscan style wine.  It was shaping up very nicely, and I am looking forward to tasting this wine when it's released.

Having enjoyed a wonderful couple hours with the folks at Reininger, it was off to Pepper Bridge for a tasting on the south side of town.  

Pepper Bridge is probably one of my favorite places to taste wine, as it's just a beautiful setting with gorgeous views of the vineyard, and to add to the ambiance, they recently remodeled their tasting room with wonderfully clean decor.

After tasting through a the wine club tasting flight, including the 2018 Trine, 2018 Merlot, 2017 Pepper Bridge Vineyard and 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon.  All of the wines were tasting wonderfully, and some have developed nicely since I reviewed them initially (including the 2017 Pepper Bridge Vineyard).  They also do a nice job customizing the tasting menu for wine club members, making you feel like an honored guest.

Although Jean Francois was not available today, winery founder and "founding father" of the Walla Walla wine industry, Norm McKibben stopped by to say hello to all of us in the tasting room.  He offered some nice perspective on the potential impact of the recent heatwave on the vineyards and the potential for the 2021 vintage.  He is always someone that's a pleasure to speak with, as he provides a great perspective on how nature can be fickle in the vineyard, just like any agricultural venture.  

Overall, it was a wonderful first day of wine tasting, followed by a wonderful dinner of Alder smoked duck with dirty rice, scallion and spring green kimchi and kalbi sauce at Hattaway's, a wonderful southern comfort food restaurant in Walla Walla.  Cheers!