Happy New Year! Hard to believe we are in 2023 as time seems to be accelerating (or perhaps I'm just getting older). So to celebrate the first day of the new year with a wonderful dinner, we need a wonderful wine as well. Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2019 Pepper Bridge Trine, a classic example of a fine Bordeaux style blend from the Walla Walla AVA of Washington. This wine is a blend of Cabernet Franc (42%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), Merlot (16%), Malbec (8%) and Petit Verdot (4%) sourced from the Seven Hills, Waliser, Octave, and Pepper Bridge Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley. Having opened this wine about 90 minutes ago, let's see how it's tasting!
The wine is a lovely deep ruby color in the glass, and a gentle swirl reveals aromas of ripe red fruit, raspberry, cherry and currant, layers of fresh herbs and some mineral notes. The first sip is a rush of ripe red fruit interwoven with layers of semi-sweet chocolate, light floral notes and consistent mineral notes that give the wine an interesting complexity. The tannins are well structured providing for a wonderfully consistent dry finish that seems to linger for minutes.
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's usually a house favorite when I have it on hand. This wine would pair well with a range of hearty winter dishes, from prime steaks to braised short ribs, hearty beef stew to classic mushroom risotto. Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with my new year's feast of a pan seared filet mignon topped with béarnaise along with a butter poached lobster risotto and some oven roasted carrots. Cheers!
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