2015 San Rustico Amarone della Valpolicella Classico

Happy Sunday!  It's been a slow, rainy day here, though I managed a couple hours between raindrops to remove some fencing temporarily in anticipation of a tree removal tomorrow morning.  But now I'm back inside, finishing laundry and making Sunday dinner.  For tonight's festivities, I've opened a bottle of a perennial favorite Italian variety that I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out.  The 2015 San Rustico Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is a blend of Corvina and Corvinone (68%), Rondinella (27%) and Molinara (5%), dried for three months before pressing.  So, let's see how this wonderful and interesting wine is shaping up!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity.  A gentle swirl of the glass releases aromas of black cherry, kirsch and warm spices, with undertones of smoke and earthy loam.  Take a sip and your senses make and abrupt turn with a rush of sweet ripe cherry, blackberry and prune that very gradually evolves into some white pepper spice and bit of charred oak.  The tannins are nicely structured for the long, smooth dry finish with a reprise of spice notes on the very end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a very pleasant drinking wine and it was a great value at just $30.  This wine would be perfect with steaks or game meat, such as bison, elk or lamb, as well as smoky barbecue.  Tonight I've taken a different approach and am enjoying this wine with some bucatini with mussels fra diavalo, as the spice and acidity of the sauce marries well with the up-front sweetness of this wine.  Cheers!

2017 Cave Dog Napa Valley Red Wine

Happy Saturday!  It's been a busy day of cooking for a range of folks, but now it's time to relax a bit with a nice glass of wine and some hearty dinner.  Tonight I've opened a bottle that I recently purchased from Wines Till Sold Out.  The 2017 Cave Dog Napa Valley Red Wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (50%) and Merlot (50%) from a stellar vintage in the Napa Valley, so let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby red color in the glass, a testament to the blend.  A swirl of the glass reveals aromas of leather, earthy cedar, cardamom and peat that has a definite old world sort of vibe.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of cool black fruit that washes over your palate, transitioning easy to some earthy notes and spicy pepper midpalate.  The tannins are robust, creating a wonderfully vibrant dry finish that lingers as you reach for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a pleasant drinking, quality wine at a value price of just $20.  This wine would pair well with steak, slow roasted pot roast, or vibrant Italian dishes.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a thick Angus, bone-in ribeye grilled Pittsburgh rare along with some bacon maple Brussels sprouts and oven roasted baby carrots.  Of course, I'll likely be finishing this bottle on the patio with a wonderful fall fire.  Cheers!

2018 Chateau Beaumont Haut-Medoc

Happy Sunday!  I've been working in the yard all afternoon, so I am not pretty tired and ready for a nice glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2018 Chateau Beaumont Haut-Medoc that I recently picked up at Costco, which was also a pleasant choice since one of my personal favorite Bordeaux from my first visit to Paris in 1995 was the Haut-Medoc.  This wonderful blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot is an ideal way to end my weekend, so let's see how it's tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, as you might expect from this Cabernet heavy blend.  A swirl of the glass reveals classic Bordeaux aromas of leather, black cherry and cassis that beckon you to take a sip.  After imbibing you are confronted with a rush of ripe black fruit intermingled with hints of mint that eases into some black pepper notes midpalate.  The tannins are supple but well integrated, providing for a wonderfully smooth dry finish that is classic Bordeaux. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a great example of the Haut-Medoc I grew up on in the mid-1990s, and it was a terrific value at just $18!  This wine would play well with pasta, seafood and steaks, as well as a great charcuterie wine.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime ribcap (also from Costco) on a bed of grilled leeks and topped with horseradish and fresh rosemary, some tomato basil farfalle with some fresh pesto and shredded parmesan, and some bacon maple roasted brussels sprouts!  Cheers!

2017 Mark Ryan "The Vincent" Columbia Valley Red Wine

Happy Sunday!  So, today I had the second flat tire in a week, though this time it was on my wheel barrow, so not nearly as time consuming to fix.  After an afternoon of mowing, yard work and getting a new inner tube for a tire, it's now time to relax with a nice glass of wine as I prepare my Sunday dinner.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of Mark Ryan's second label, the 2017 Board Track Racer "The Vincent" Columbia Valley red wine.  I found this wine a my local wine store on clearance, and it was the last bottle so I took home a bargain!  The 2017 vintage is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (25%) and Malbec (15%) from the Columbia Valley of Washington.  Let's see how this one is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, as you might expect from a heavy hand of these Bordeaux varietals.  Take a whiff and you're greeted by deep prune, with hints of cedar and earthy peat, with a bit of spice under the surface.  On your first sip you experience a rush of rich black fruit, blackberry, currant and cherry that wash over your palate before easing into some peppery spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured, providing for a round mouthfeel and a very smooth dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a very pleasant wine for under $20.  This wine would pair well with a range of Labor Day dishes, from burgers and brats to barbecued ribs and brisket.  Tonight, however, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled Angus New York strip with grilled hatch chiles, along with some roasted root vegetables and steamed green beans.  Cheers!

2008 Heritance Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Cellar Saturday!  This is the magical first Saturday of the month, when I raid the cellar for something at least a decade in the making.  Tonight I am taking a second look at a wine I reviewed back in 2015 (see 2008 Heritance Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon), when I went on a ride in a Ford Tri-Motor with my uncle who recently passed away, so this one has meaning on multiple levels for me.  I bought this wine from Wines Till Sold Out and thought it was pretty good as an 7-year-old, let's see how it is as a teenager!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a Napa Cabernet.  A gentle swirl and you're greeted with a whirlwind of aromas, from prune to anise to tar, black currant to olive tapenade, the maturity is certainly becoming pronounced.  A sip and you are completely thrown back with a rush of mint, ripe red fruit and aged tobacco before transitioning to some warm spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are still well structured, providing for a solid base to the long, smooth dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, this wine has definitely improved with age, and although 2008 was not a stellar vintage for Napa Valley, this wine is drinking very nicely right now.  This wine would pair well with great steaks, burgers or barbecue or classic Italian fare.  Tonight I am enjoying it with a combination of those dishes, with a rare, pan seared petit filet mignon, and some tri-color spaghetti tossed with cherry tomatoes roasted with olive oil, garlic, diced prosciutto, balsamic and burrata. Cheers!

2017 Spring Valley Vineyard Frederick Red Wine

Happy Thursday!  This day started on several sour notes as my coffee maker decided to cease functioning half way through the brew cycle, so I started the day with only a half a pot of coffee.  Then when I pulled out of the garage at 7:30 to go buy a new one, I realized I had a screw in my back tire and it was completely flat.  Add changing a tire into the mix and this was set to be an awful day until now!  It's supper time and I have a nice dinner coming and a nice bottle of wine opened.  The 2017 Spring Valley Vineyard Frederick Red Wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (93%), Syrah (5%) and Malbec (2%) all from the Spring Valley Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washtington.  So, let's see how this wine is making up for my sad start!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass with bright garnet along the edges, just as you might expect from such a Cabernet heavy blend.  Take a whiff and you are immersed in strawberry and raspberry aromas, with a bit of floral notes and some spicy undercurrents.  One sip and you are thrown into wonderland, bright red fruit intermingled with and acidity that has you first thinking of sweet tarts and then as you progress, you find yourself surrounded by wooded forest notes of cedar and peat, before the sturdy tannins usher in the very tight dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it has the earthy Bordeaux-esque character that I so love about Walla Walla wines.  This wine would pair well with a range of hearty dishes, from braised short ribs to hearty venison stew, thick steaks or mushroom risotto.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a prime, dry-aged bone-in ribeye grilled rare along with some grilled leeks and hatch chiles, wild mushroom farro and asparagus with hollandaise.  Cheers!