Sunday, September 26, 2021

2018 L'Ecole No. 41 Perigee

Happy Sunday!  I did a little work this afternoon and then went for a bike ride given that the weather was sunny and nearly 80 degrees today.  So, to conclude my weekend I'm having a nice patio dinner and enjoying one of my favorite wines, the 2018 L'Ecole No. 41 Perigee.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Merlot (16%), Cabernet Franc (16%), Petit Verdot (9%) and Malbec (9%) all sourced from the Seven Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  Let's see how this wine is tasting!

2018 L"Ecole No. 41 Perigee

The wine is an inky black at the center of the glass, with bright garnet along the edges, just as you might expect from a heavy Cabernet blend.  A gentle swirl in the glass releases aromas of ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and marionberry intermingled with earthy notes of cedar and tobacco.  Take a sip and you are greeted by an amazingly complex and layered combinations of flavors, with blackberry and cherry undertones giving vibrancy to some violet, oak and herbs de Provence before your taste journey transitions to some anise and roast beef notes midpalate.  The tannins are expertly structured, bringing nice body and silkiness to the long, dry finish.

Rare grilled New York strip topped with Béarnaise along with oven roasted leeks, broccoli rabe, garlic scapes and blistered yellow cherry tomatoes

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as it just reminds me of being in Walla Walla, barrel tasting some of the great Bordeaux style blends, and this wine just exemplifies that tradition (and it's also perhaps my favorite vintage to date of the Perigee!).  This wine would pair well with a broad range of hearty dishes, from steaks and chops, to rack of lamb or hearty pasta.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled New York strip topped with Béarnaise along with a bounty of oven roasted vegetables, including leeks, broccoli rabe, garlic scapes and blistered yellow cherry tomatoes.  Cheers!

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