2019 Bledsoe Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It's been raining all day, with temperatures in the 40s, so I decided to make some butternut squash soup today, which turned out well.  And now I'm ready for a nice Sunday dinner and a glass of good wine. Tonight I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from the Bledsoe Family Winery, the 2019 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (75%), Merlot (13%), Malbec (11%) and Cabernet Franc (1%) from four different vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting.  

The wine is an inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you might expect from a great Cabernet.  A quick swirl in the glass reveals aromas of blackberry, cherry with undertones of earthy minerals.  The taste is a lovely combination of tart cherry and ripe blackberry up front that transitions easily to some earthy notes of graphite and cedar midpalate.  The fine grain tannins are ideal to support the long, velvety dry finish that lingers to your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's young and drinking nicely now, but will doubtless improve over the coming decade.  This wine is a classic Cabernet that demands to be paired with a big, juicy steak which is fortunate as tonight I am enjoying this wine with a big porterhouse grilled rare along with some grilled leeks, steamed cauliflower and a baked potato.  Cheers!

2017 Anvil Dionysus Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, today was just a marathon of yard work, collecting leaves, mowing and trimming hydrangeas, I am ready to relax!  So it's a good thing that I have a nice dinner to enjoy and a wonderful bottle of wine to help me enjoy the evening.  Tonight I've opened a perennial favorite Cabernet, but a new vintage that I received this week, the 2017 Anvil Dionysus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this latest vintage is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a vineyard known for it's Cabernet.  A gentle swirl releases aromas of ripe red fruit, cherry, raspberry and currant with wonderful earthy aromas of cedar and oak that just take me back to the barrel room at Forgeron.  Take a sip and deep flavors of black cherry cola, anise and oak wash over your palate before transitioning to some earthy notes of dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are youthful and vibrant, which combine with the bright acidity to provide a wonderfully smooth dry finish that will leave you reaching for another sip. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a perennial favorite for Columbia Valley Cabernet that stacks up with the best of the Walla Walla Valley or Napa.  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from hearty fall stews to steaks and wild mushroom risotto.  Forgeron is always kind enough to provide a pairing recipe, and with this wine they offered a pan roasted duck breast with wild mushrooms, which is sure to please.  But tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a prime ribeye grilled rare with some grilled leeks, bacon roasted Brussels sprouts and a big baked potato.  Cheers!

2018 Basilica Cafaggio Chianti Classico

Happy Sunday!  I spent the afternoon doing some work along with laundry and other chores around the house before heading out for a bike ride before the sun set.  So, not it's time to make some dinner and open a bottle of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle I recently found at Costco, the 2018 Basilica Cafaggio Chianti Classico is a 100% Sangiovese that was just released.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a bright ruby color in the glass, just as you would expect from this varietal.  A quick swirl in the glass releases aromas of black cherry, currant and the faintest hint of anise and prune.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of cool black fruit, cherry, currant and plum that wash over your palate before transitioning to some notes of spice box and violet midpalate.  The tannins are soft, but well structured for the long, smooth dry finish with just a kick of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's just a pleasant drinking wine that would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes.  This wine was also a solid value at just $9!  This wine would go well with hearty pasta dishes, steaks and chops, and even a midweek pizza.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some hot Italian sausage with onions and peppers along with some spaghetti with garlic and olive oil.  Cheers!

Woodward Canyon NV Red Wine

Well, it's finally starting to feel like fall, with highs in the 50s and lows in the 40s, and with that it seems that leaves and pumpkins and preparing for the winter will soon be upon us.  In the meantime, I'll enjoy the local high school football games and a whole lot of yard work, along with some wonderful big red wines.  Tonight is one such wine, a perennial favorite for and everyday drinking red wine, the Woodward Canyon non-vintage red wine.  This one is a combination of Cabernet Franc (46%), Merlot (18%), Barbera (16%), Petit Verdot (7%), Cabernet Sauvignon (5%), Chardonnay (4%!), Syrah (1%), Mourvedre (1%), Grenache (1%), and Dolcetto (1%). These wines were sourced from vintages including 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 from the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a beautiful deep ruby color in the glass with nice clarity, a testament to the two right bank Bordeaux varietals.  A quick swirl in the glass releases aromas of leather, oak, violet and undertones of black cherry.  Take a sip to have a rush of blackberry, black cherry and currant wash over your palate, with intermittent hints of earthy tar and spice box, before transitioning to some peppery spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are nicely integrated to support the smooth dry finish that is very old world in style.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5 as it's such a treat to drink and a wine you can enjoy often at just $25.  This wine would really pair well with just about anything, from steaks and chops, to barbecue and pizza.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a barbecued chicken breast along with some oven roasted root vegetables (see I told you fall was here!) and some steamed Italian green beans.  Cheers!

2015 Reininger Cima

Happy Sunday!  This afternoon just got away from me, as I think I was a bit too ambitious on yard work and cooking, as I decided to vacuum leaves and mow, while deciding to make eggplant parmesan for dinner, which is neither quick nor easy!  But at this point it's worked out (though I have to taste my concoction to determine if my first solo effort at this dish turned out well, as the last time I made this was in grad school 22 years ago and my friend did most of the work!).  Since my dinner is nominally Italian, I thought, why not have a wonderful super-Tuscan style blend from one of my favorite winemakers?  I just received the 2015 Reininger Cima in my fall wine club shipment, which is a blend of Sangiovese (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (22%), Merlot (22%), Malbec (3%) and Petit Verdot (3%) from the Pepper Bridge, Seven Hills and XL Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  What makes this wine really special, is that it's aged in barrel for six years before bottling, so let's see how this latest vintage is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, a credit to the Bordeaux varietals in the blend.   A swirl in the glass releases aromas of leather, blackberry, fig and spice box that are reminiscent of Italy.  The taste is a rush of blackberry, black cherry, and currant that transition well to some notes of cedar and peppery spice midpalate.  The rounded tannins are an ideal base for the wonderfully long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish that easily convinces you to take another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's another terrific effort from Chuck and the crew to bring innovative, creative and wonderfully drinkable wines.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty fall dishes, from beef stew to classic Italian dishes, pastas to Tuscan toast.  As I alluded earlier, tonight I am enjoying this wine with my first solo effort at eggplant parmesan, as I bought some eggplant at the farmers market yesterday and needed to do something with them!  Cheers!

2018 Domaine Deliance Givry 1er cru Clos Charle

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's certainly been a while since I've posted on a Wednesday, so hopefully this is a good one.  Tonight I've opened up a bottle of Burgundy that I recently purchased from Wines Till Sold Out.  The 2018 Domaine Deliance Givry 1er cru Clos Charle is a pinot noir from the chalky limestone soils and cool climate of Givry.  I admit I've been on a bit of a pinot noir kick lately, so let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a beautiful garnet color in the glass, with great clarity, as you might expect from the varietal.  A gentle swirl in the glass releases ample aromas of strawberry, sweet cherry and earthy peat with just the faintest hints of the classic Burgundy tar.  Take a sip and you're treated to a rush of ripe berry fruit that eases gently to some earthy mineral notes of dusty limestone and smoke midpalate.  The tannins are at first gripping, but then they soften to support the dry, supple finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a lovely Burgundy at a value price of just $27.  This wine would also pair well with some more challenging fare, from duck, to pork, Indian cuisine to chili.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a sesame grilled pork tenderloin along with oven roasted sweet potatoes and asparagus with Hollandaise.  Cheers! 

2017 Time Waits for No One Monastrell

Happy Sunday!  It was a rainy day today, so I didn't do a whole lot except for indoor chores like laundry.  As tiring as all that can be, it's now time for a nice bottle of wine with my Sunday dinner.  Tonight I've opened a bottle that was a recent Costco find, the 2017 Time Waits for No One oak aged Monastrell, a fine Spanish Varietal that should go nicely with my dinner.  And besides, with Halloween rapidly approaching, who could resist a label with a skull and crossbones?  So, let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with great clarity as you might expect from this varietal.  A gentle swirl in the glass releases aromas of rose petals, tawny dark fruit and a good bit of oak.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a tempest of flavors, with a rush of mulberry and cherry up front that transitions nicely to some vanilla caramel notes midpalate.  The tannins are well structured to provide for a wonderfully long, smooth dry finish that lingers with a bit of oak.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a value (I think this was around $12) that is quite food friendly.  This wine would pair with a variety of Spanish dishes, grilled lamb, wild mushroom risotto or a hearty pasta.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a Zhatar seasoned New York Strip grilled rare on a bed of grilled leeks with grilled purple cauliflower and some oven roasted rose fingerling potatoes.  Cheers!

2009 Syzygy Saros 136

Happy Saturday!  It's the first Saturday of October, which means it's Cellar Saturday, that wonderful opportunity to raid the cellar for a wine at least a decade in the making.  Tonight I've opened another wine that's aged but hasn't been in my cellar very long, as I picked it up on my Walla Walla adventure back in July.  The 2009 Syxygy Saros 136 is a fascinating blend of Tempranillo (59%), Malbec (35%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (6%) from the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see what this interesting blend has to offer!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, no doubt a credit to the Malbec and Cabernet in the blend, but also has some bright clarity as the Tempranillo provides some balance.  A gentle swirl in the glass releases aromas of black cherry, overripened plum, spicy pepper notes and some earthy minerality.  Take a sip and you get a rush of cherry cola, blackberry and plum that transitions easily to some earthy notes of peat and dusty limestone, balanced with some spicy pepper notes midpalate.  The tannins are supple and well integrated, providing for an exceptionally smooth, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's drinking very nicely now, but likely will peak in just a few years.  With a heavy Termpranillo hand, this wine would pair well with some old world paella, new world Cajun dirty rice, or just some nice fresh grilled meat and vegetables.  The latter is what I'm enjoying this wine with tonight, a rare grilled New York strip, some oven roasted white sweet potatoes, grilled leeks and peppers and steamed asparagus with Hollandaise.  Cheers!