Happy Sunday! It's been an interesting week as last Monday we had 4" of snow and it seemed like we time traveled right from Easter to Christmas, which of course did not prepare us for the weekend which came in with highs in the 80s and a lot of humidity! At least I got most of my yard work, including my first mowing of the year, done yesterday before the heat and humidity gave way to torrential thunderstorms today! Such is Midwest weather I guess. At any rate, to end the weekend, I've decided to open a bottle of wine from a winery that I own shares in, the 2016 Pambrun Walla Walla Merlot, which is a winery owned by Willamette Valley Vineyards. 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 quality Merlot. A gentle swirl of the glass reveals rich, ripe aromas of blackberry, marionberry and kirsch amid the faintest hints of green cedar and tobacco. A sip reveals a rush of black fruit flavors, blackberry, plum, marionberry and cherry that grab your attention before shifting to some earthy notes of limestone and basalt, amid some savory spice notes and a hint of sweetness over the top. The fine grain tannins are expertly integrated for a velvety smooth dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a classic example of why Walla Walla excels with Merlot. This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes from rack of lamb to braised short ribs. Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime New York strip with some pearl onions and portabello mushrooms sautéed with fresh rosemary, along with a baked potato and some steamed asparagus. Cheers!
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