2019 Forgeron Barbera

 Happy Memorial Day weekend!  I spent a good part of the afternoon getting everything ready for summer, including setting up the patio dining area, putting out the wine drinking chairs on the front porch and setting up the new fire pit on the patio.  Needless to say, with the beautiful weather today, I think I might inaugurate my patio dining for the summer!  So, with all the dining, I've decided to open a recent wine club wine from Forgeron Cellars, the 2019 Forgeron Barbera from the Sagemoor Vineyard in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass with nice clarity.  A gentle swirl reveals aromas of cocoa, tart cherry and ripe black fruit with some earthy undertones.  Take a sip and you're first greeted with some ripe sweet cherry that transitions to some blackberry and boysenberry before easing into some earthy notes of basalt and peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are a bit tightly wound, but still provide a solid base for a wonderfully long, dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a nice example of the varietal, offering a very easy going and food friendly wine.  This wine would pair well with a wide range of summer patio fare, from burgers and ribs to steaks or brats.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some classic beer brats along with sriracha slaw and some fresh corn on the cob!  Cheers!

2021 DaMa Wines Rose of Cabernet Franc

Happy Friday of a three-day weekend!  I have to admit, I've sort of eased into this weekend as I'm taking some vacation days next week, but still I'm looking forward to some wonderful meals and wines over the next few days!  To start things off, since the weather has been seasonably warm and humid, I've decided to open a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from DaMa Wines, the 2021 Rose of Cabernet Franc from the Columbia Valley of Washington.  Well, since rose season has started, whether officially or not, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a pale peach color in the glass, a somewhat lighter rose.  A swirl of the glass reveals aromas of peach, honeysuckle and just a hint of citrus that suggest tasteful refreshment for a warm summer day.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a basket of summer fruit, strawberry, peach, raspberry and citrus that are just right for the season.  The finish is crisp, dry and refreshing, just the right note to keep you coming back for more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a wonderfully refreshing rose for summer, and it's a terrific value at just $20.  This wine would pair well with summer salads, caprese salad, grilled vegetables or a wonderful cedar planked salmon.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some lobster bucatini, as the fruit and acidity in this wine are the ideal foil for the richness of the lobster cream sauce.  Cheers!

2021 DaMa Grenache Blanc

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's been a while since I've posted on a Wednesday given how busy my work life has been, but tonight that changes with a recent wine club selection and a wonderful spring dinner.  Tonight I've opened a bottle from a recent wine club shipment from DaMa Wines, the 2021 DaMa Grenache Blanc from the Painted Hills Vineyard in the Columbia Valley of Washington.  It's rare that I review a white wine, so let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a wonderfully pale golden hue in the glass.  A gentle swirl reveals aromas of citrus, honeydew and pear with just a hint of oak underneath.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of white grapefruit, melon and white peach, that transitions to some earthy notes of green grass and oak midpalate.  The finish is crisp and delightful, with a balanced acidity and classic dryness that make this wine an ideal summer sipper for the patio.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, and although white wines are not my forte, this wine was truly a pleasure to drink.  This wine would pair well with summer salads, pasta or halibut, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a special dinner.  I picked up some fresh morel mushrooms at my local market as they are now in season and decided to make some morel and asparagus risotto for dinner this evening.  The acidity of this wine is a perfect balance for the earthy richness of this risotto.  Cheers!

2020 Kirkland Signature Malbec

Well, tonight's blog post is made possible almost entirely by Costco!  Of course the main reason I went there today was to get some less expensive gas, since I was on the last orange bar, and about to get the warning light on my car.  But one thing led to another and I ended up with a cart full of meat, wine, coffee and snacks!  So, to celebrate, tonight I've opened a bottle of 2020 Kirkland Signature Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina.  So, let's see what this wine has to offer and what else Costco provided for this evening!

The wine is a classic Malbec, deep, inky purple in the glass with bright ruby along the edges.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of prune, black cherry and charred oak, with some undertones of pipe tobacco.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a blast of tart cherry that gradually subsides to notes of plum, blackberry and currant, intermingled with some earthy mineral notes of basalt.  The tannins are bright and well structured, providing for a rounded finish that's dry with a reprise of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a very solid Malbec and a terrific value for just $7 on sale, but it could use a year in the cellar to mellow a bit.  This wine was practically made to be enjoyed with a fatty steak, as the acidity would cut right through the richness of a prime steak.  And wouldn't you know it, Costco is a great source for prime beef, so I'm enjoying this wine with a prime tomahawk ribeye grilled Pittsburgh rare, along with some grilled leeks and asparagus and a big baked potato with sour cream and chives.  Cheers!

2020 Helix SoRho

Happy Sunday!  I have been hard at work in the yard all afternoon, having made an impulse buy of 11 flats of flowers at my local Menard's store, so I spend the afternoon planting impatients in the bed by my dining room and garage, before finishing the afternoon mowing just ahead of the rain! So, now I am ready for a nice glass of wine with my Sunday dinner and tonight I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from Reininger Winery.  The 220 Helix SoRho is a blend of Mourvèdre (47%), Grenache (28%) and Cinsault (25%) from the Stone Tree Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this vintage is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, with nice clarity as you might expect from Rhone style blend.   A swirl of the glass reveals an intriguing combination of aromas of cedar, cherry and raspberry with undertones of light floral notes.  The first sip presents a rush of ripe red fruit, cherry, raspberry and currant that dance on your tongue, with a hint of tartness and bitterness triggering thoughts of cranberry.  The tannins are mellow, offering a gentle back beat as the fruit sings in harmony on the wonderfully long, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a pleasant drinking southern Rhone style blend that's ideal for summer sipping and enjoying with a broad range of dishes.  This wine would pair well with barbecue, lamb, pizza or tacos, almost universal for mid-week dinners!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with my Sunday dinner of garlic and olive oil marinated grilled pork tenderloin along with some steamed broccoli and grilled corn on the cob.  Cheers!

2020 Seven Hills McClellan Estate Vineyard Malbec

Happy Sunday!  Today was a day of chores, laundry, yard work, mowing and now I really just need to relax with a nice dinner and a glass of wine.  And tonight I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from one of my favorite Walla Walla producers, Seven Hills Winery.  The 2020 McClellan Estate Vineyard Malbec is the latest vintage of this interesting varietal from one of the long standing vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley, so let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep purple color in the glass with bright garnet along the edges, just as you might expect from a nice Malbec.  After a gentle swirl of the glass, you are greeted by aromas of blackberry, vanilla bean and a bit of kirsch with a hint of floral undertones.  Take a sip and your palate is awash in ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant that transition to some notes of earthy peat and vanilla bean midpalate.  The tannins are a bit sharp, but ideal for bringing into focus the long, smooth dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a perennial favorite for this varietal outside of Mendoza.  This wine would pair well with steak, grilled rack of lamb or hard cheeses, but tonight I am celebrating ocho de mayo, and enjoying this wine with some chorizo and black bean tacos with all the trimmings, lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, avocado and fresh jalapeno.  The hearty profile of this wine is ideal with a spicy Sunday dinner, cheers!

2010 Syzygy Columbia Valley Red Wine

Happy Saturday!  And since it's the first Saturday of the new month, it's also Cellar Saturday, that magical day when I raid the cellar for something at least a decade in the making.  Tonight I've opened a bottle that I bought on the way out of town from my last trip to Walla Walla, as I met the winemaker at his tasting room near the airport (truly old school for those familiar with how Walla Walla's wine scene has developed over the decades).  The 2010 Syzygy Columbia Valley Red Wine is a blend of Syrah (45%), Cabernet Sauvignon(25%), Merlot (18%) and Malbec (12%) from the Conner Lee, Wallula and Stone Valley Vineyards in the Columbia Valley of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting a dozen years in!

The wine is an inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, a testament to the heavy Bordeaux varietals.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of leather, blackberry, lilac and prune.  Take a sip and you're greeted with vibrant fruit that belies the mellow nose, a rush of blackberry, currant and cherry cola that easily transition to some mineral notes and a bit of peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are smooth and well structured for a velvety dry finish that will have you reaching for more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as I feared from the nose that I would be disappointed with a wine past its prime, but nothing could be further from the truth as this wine is vibrant and fruit forward more than a decade into its life!  This wine is also an amazing bargain at $27 (still available on the Syzygy website here)!  This wine would pair well with a variety of hard cheeses and charcuterie, grilled steaks, lamb or mushroom risotto, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled porterhouse along with some grilled leeks and broccoli rabe and some corn on the cob (it's the first of the year, likely from Florida, so I'm not expecting much!) cheers!

2019 Woodward Canyon Estate Barbera

Happy Sunday!  It's been a rather relaxing day, as I've done laundry and cooked a wonderful Sunday dinner which should be just about done!  So, in thinking about what has been slowly cooking in the oven these last few hours, I decided on a long-time favorite wine to open.  The 2019 Woodward Canyon Estate Barbera was produced from some of the oldest vines in the AVA as Woodward Canyon has been producing the varietal for more than 20 years (you can see my review of an early vintage here: 2002 Woodward Canyon Barbera).  So let's see what this latest vintage has to offer!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity.  A gentle swirl reveals aromas of leather, white peppercorns, blackberry and plum with just a hint of floral notes over the top.  The first sip washes your palate with ripe black fruit, cherry, plum and currant, intermingles with a hint of blueberry.  The fruit transitions effortlessly to some earthy notes of dusty limestone as well as some tart cherry to wake up your tastebuds.  The tannins are well structured to provide a nice base for the long, smooth dry finish that will have you reaching for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's one of my all time favorite Barberas and this vintage does not disappoint.  This wine is also a fantastic value, with a retail price of $32 and case discounts available, you really can't beat this wine as an everyday red.  The Woodward Canyon Barbera would pair well with a broad range of dishes, from steaks and chops to pizza and tacos.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic Sunday dinner of slow roasted pot roast along with an array of root vegetables and some steamed peas.  Cheers!