2016 Otis Kenyon Walla Walla Valley Merlot

Happy Saturday!  So far on this long holiday weekend, I've had a chance to put together a piece of furniture (one more to go tomorrow hopefully!), put up all the outdoor Christmas decorations, make a dent in my Christmas shopping (I think all the kids are taken care of now) and finish my grocery shopping, so I feel like I've accomplished something, but there is always more to do.  So, in taking a break, I've decided to open a bottle I recently picked up at Total Wines when I was in Grand Rapids a few weeks ago.  The 2016 Otis Kenyon Merlot, is a classically styled Walla Walla Merlot that has become a favorite of mine.  So, let's see how this vintage is tasting!

The wine is a bright ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a nice Merlot.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of leather, black cherry, currant and blackberry, with just a hint of mint underneath.  It's the type of nose that brings you back to many of the barrel rooms I've visited in Walla Walla over the years.  Take a sip and you're awash with an unexpected rush of tart cherry, tarragon and roast venison that transition easily to some earthy mineral notes of dusty limestone and basalt midpalate.  The tannins are well structured, providing a magnificent base for the long, smooth dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a terrific example of the sort of Merlot that Walla Walla is capable of producing.  This wine would pair well with a variety of pasta, game such as venison or elk, classic mushroom risotto or a big honkin' steak.  Naturally, I've chosen the latter and am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime ribcap, big baked potato with sour cream and scallions, and oven roasted leeks and Brussels sprouts.  Cheers! 

2018 Reininger Walla Walla Syrah

Happy Thanksgiving!  It's a great time to get together with family and friends and recount all the blessings of the past year and remind us to be thankful for all the big things and little things in life, from health and cherished relationships, to wine and good food.  On such a day, it's a pleasure to open up a wine that would be welcome at the traditional turkey dinner, or another feast that strikes your fancy.  The 2018 Reininger Walla Walla Syrah is a 100% Syrah from the Seven Hills and Pepper Bridge Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is shaping up!

The wine is a deep ruby color, just as you might expect from the varietal.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of leather, black currant and smoke, with undertones of floral that bring to mind the sights and sounds of autumn harvest season.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of ripe black fruit, with just a hint of jamminess, that transitions easily to some notes of cherry cola and white pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are expertly structured to provide a base for the long, smooth finish with a reprise of blueberry at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's one of the nicest examples of Syrah I've tasted this year.  This wine is ideal for a broad range of dished, from traditional Thanksgiving turkey to pork tenderloin or smoked brisket.  Tonight, I am taking a wild turn from traditional Thanksgiving and enjoying this wine with an herb crusted rack of lamb with a red wine and berry reduction, potato puree and oven roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2021 Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir

Happy Sunday!  As you may know, I've been a happy preferred shareholder of Willamette Valley Vineyards for a few years, so it's always a treat to review a wine that I have an equity interest in producing!  I previously reviewed the 2018 vintage here and the 2020 vintage here, so let's see what the current vintage has to offer!

The wine is a medium bodied ruby color in the glass with great clarity, just as you would expect from a nice Pinot Noir.  A swirl of the glass reveals aromas of strawberry, plum and a hint of mint, with undertones of earthy peat and mineral notes.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of ripe, sweet fruit, strawberry, currant and marionberry, that transition easily to some notes of black pepper spice, green tea and the faintest hint of tar midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated and unobtrusive, providing for a wonderfully smooth dry finish, that lingers until your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, though I think this wine is just a bit better than the 2020 vintage.  This wine is very approachable and would pair well with a range of dishes, from barbecue to Asian, but tonight I am taking a traditional Pacific Northwest approach.  I am enjoying this wine with a baked steelhead filet with lemon dill cream sauce, along with rive and some oven roasted baby carrots and leeks.  Pinot and salmon, you can't go wrong, cheers!

2019 Forgeron Columbia Valley Chardonnay

As most of you are no doubt aware, I am not much of a white wine consumer.  That said, I also can't resist a mystery box, so when Forgeron recently offered a mystery case of wine for just $150, I couldn't pass it up!  And one bottle in the mystery case was a 2019 Forgeron Chardonnay, a 100% Chardonnay sourced entirely from the Weinbau Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a bright golden color on the glass, more akin to lemon as opposed to a golden olive oil color.  A swirl of the glass reveals aromas of lemongrass, pear and hints of tropical fruit amid undertones of oak.  Take a sip and you are treated to a rush of lemon, pear and pineapple notes that envelope your palate before transitioning to some mineral notes and hints of oak midpalate.  The finish is crisp and dry with just a faint impression of the classic Chardonnay "buttery sweetness" at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a lovely Chardonnay that would be ideal for the upcoming holidays.  This wine would pair well with a variety of seafood, Thanksgiving turkey or pork.  Tonight, I am exploring the latter and enjoying this wine with an Asian zing grilled pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes with chives and some maple bacon shaved Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2020 Seven Hills SHW Founding Vineyard Merlot

Well, it's selection day and I am voting for wine!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of wine from my latest wine club shipment from one of my favorite Walla Walla wineries which just arrived today!  The 2020 Seven Hills SHW Founding Vineyard Merlot is a single varietal wine made from grapes harvested from the original estate Merlot blocks planted by the McClellan family in the early 1980s.  So, let's see how this young wine is shaping up!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a quality Merlot.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of leather, black cherry, currant and a bit of toasted oak that makes you envision an old estate library.  Take a sip and you're awash in ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant that awaken your senses, before transitioning effortlessly to some vanilla bean and dried herb notes midpalate.  The tannins are as mellow as the finish, which is very dry and velvety smooth.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's drinking wonderfully now, but likely would improve with a few years in the cellar.  This wine would pair well with a hearty steak, roast pork tenderloin, or spicy chili, just in time for the temperatures to fall.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled bison ribeye along with some grilled leeks, oven roasted fingerling sweet potatoes and maple bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2019 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It's been a busy weekend, but since it was windy for most of it, I hardly did any leaf blowing.  I got the front yard cleared, but the back yard is going to be a challenge.  In any case, it's Sunday night, time for a nice meal and a good bottle of wine.  I was in Grand Rapids last week and stopped at Total Wine and found a few bottles to bring home, including tonight's selection, the 2019 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon.  I've been a fan of Drew Bledsoe's wine efforts for a while now, and this latest vintage is a blend of Cabernet (87%), Merlot (6%), Petit Verdot (4%) and Malbec (3%) from the McQueen, Lefore, Bob Healy and Figgins Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley of Washington.  So, let's see how this Sunday wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep, brooding ruby color in the glass, as you might expect from a big, expressive Cabernet.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of leather, cassis, sandalwood and graphite, all expressive of the vineyards from whence this wine came.  Take a sip and you're greeted by a rush of sweet black fruit, blackberry, cherry and marionberry, which transition easily to some notes of mocha and earthy notes of tobacco and graphite.  The fine grain tannins are well integrated, providing for a velvety smooth finish that lingers until you take your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a perennial favorite for the best of what Walla Walla has to offer to the Cabernet drinkers of the world.  This wine would pair well with a wide variety of hearty dishes, from lamb and steaks, to alder planked coho salmon.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime ribcap, with oven roasted fingerling potatoes and asparagus with hollandaise.  Cheers!

2007 Domaine Berthet-Rayne Chateauneuf du Pape

Happy Saturday!  It's the first Saturday of November which means it's Cellar Saturday, that magical time when I raid the cellar for something at least a decade in the making.  Tonight I've opened a bottle I found while rummaging for a half case of a 2004 Rhone that I mentioned to someone last week, and there is was, the 2007 Domaine Berthet-Rayne Chateauneuf du Pape, a bottle that I bought more than 10 years ago when I was still living in Grand Rapids.  This wine of the Pope is fairly traditional in terms of blend, with Grenache (65%), Mourvèdre (20%), Cinsault (10%) and Syrah (5%) from the southern Rhone region of France.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass with great clarity, with just a hint of amber along the edges which comes with this level of maturity.  A gentle swirl reveals aromas of black cherry, herbs de Provence and earthy notes of tar and basalt.  Take a sip and you're awash with warm fruit and spice, strawberry, cherry and currant with hints of black pepper spice that transitions easily to some notes of peat and tobacco midpalate.  The tannins are still well structured and provide a wonderful base to the smooth dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a very pleasing example of this classic Rhone blend that would pair well with a range of dishes, from lamb to bouillabaisse, braised beef short ribs to hearty mushroom risotto.  Cheers!