2019 Reininger Syrah

Happy Sunday!  As you know, I've been cast in a local production of "Murder on the Orient Express" and we just finished our first weekend of performances, which is why I've been so slack in my posts. But since today was a matinee, I've had a chance to come home to cook a nice Sunday dinner and open a nice bottle of wine.  Today, I've opened a bottle of 2019 Reininger Syrah, which was a wine club shipment from a few months back.  This wine is a 100% Syrah sourced from the Pepper Bridge and Seven Hills Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a nice Syrah.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry, boysenberry and plum, along with notes of toasted oak and blackened spice.  Take a sip and you are greeted with a rush or tart cherry at the outset, which transitions to some floral notes and a bit of charred meat midpalate.  The tannins are well structured, providing for a wonderfully long, smooth dry finish that lingers on the palate with notes of peppery spice and a hint of smoke. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's an incredibly easy-drinking Syrah that could be enjoyed with a variety of dishes, or simply sipping with friends.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from hearty pastas and risotto, to a rare charbroiled steak.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a more Rhone-esque dinner of an herb crusted rack of lamb with Yukon gold potato puree and some maple bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2017 Casalforno Chianti Classico Riserva

Happy Friday!  I am doing a quick dinner and glass of wine before my rehearsal this evening for the production I am in at the Elkhart Civic Theatre.  So, tonight I've opened a bottle of 2017 Casalforno Chianti Classico Riserva that I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out,  I reviewed the 2010 Vintage several years ago, so let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a bright ruby color in the glass with nice clarity, just as you might expect from a nice Sangiovese based wine.  A gentle swirl reveals aromas of leather, oak, cherry and eucalyptus that bring the earthy notes of Tuscany to your mind.  Take a sip and you're treated to a rush of ripe cherry fruit that evolves to some earthy notes of tar, tobacco and oak, before returning full circle to some notes of cassis on the finish.  The tannins are subdued, providing for a very pleasant, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a very pleasant drinking Chianti, and a value at just $13!  This wine would pair well with a variety of Italian dishes, from risotto to hearty pasta, cured salami to classic hard cheeses.  Tonight I am enjoying this with a classic linguine carbonara based on a new recipe I tried tonight.  Cheers!

2019 Château de l'Annonciation Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

Happy Saturday!  I spent a good portion of the day practicing lines for the upcoming play that I'm a part of, then I went to the thrift store and found a new addition to the thrift store art collection for only $7.50 and now I am ready to enjoy dinner with a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2019 Château de l'Annonciation Saint-Émilion Grand Cru that I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out.  I'm  a big Bordeaux fan, so I couldn't resist this wine, which is a blend of Merlot (80%), Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) and Cabernet Franc (5%).  So, let's see how it's tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you might expect from the heavy Merlot concentration.  A swirl of the glass reveals aromas of lavender, black cherry and toasted oak.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of black fruit, cherry, blackberry and plum, which transition easily to some earthy notes of oak, vanilla bean and graphite midpalate.  The tannins are in your face, yet still provide for a smooth but exceptionally dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's still developing, but will likely improve a bit with some time in the cellar.  This wine was also a terrific value at just $18.  This would pair well with steaks, roasted game, braised short ribs, or hearty cheeses.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled New York strip, with some blistered cherry tomatoes and asparagus with hollandaise.  Cheers!

2012 Molino della Suga Brunello di Montalcino Riserva

Well, it's the first Saturday of a new month, which means it's Cellar Saturday!  It's that magical time when I raid the cellar for something at least a decade in the making to see how it's developed along it's journey. Tonight I've taken a couple of cheats on my decade, first I've selected a Brunello, which by Italian law must be aged in barrel for six years, and then in bottle a further six months before release.  So, such a wine is already 65% of the way to a decade on release day!  Second, I recently bought some of this wine from Wines Till Sold Out, so I let them do a little of the aging for me!  The 2012 Molino della Suga Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is a 100% Sangiovese Grosso (another requirement of Italian law), and Brunellos are usually just hitting their stride at the 10-year mark, so let's see how this one is tasting!

The wine is a bright ruby in the glass, with nice clarity, just as you might expect from the varietal.  Take a whiff and you're greeted with aromas of dried flowers, ripe cherry and plum, with hints of vanilla and anise.  Take a sip and you're immediately transported to the Tuscan countryside, with layers of dried herbs, ripe cherry and some earthy notes of tobacco and graphite, which ease into some black pepper spice and a hint of thyme midpalate.  The tannins are a bit tight at first, but gradually open up for a velvety mouthfeel leading into a smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a very pleasant and easy drinking Brunello that is just hitting its stride. This wine would pair well with classic Tuscan dishes, such as Bistecca Alla Fiorentina, pappardelle with a traditional ragu, ribollita, or a simple platter of salami and cheeses.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some Trader Joe's Cacio e Pepe ravioli with carpaccio truffle cream sauce, the spice of this wine is a perfect foil for the richness of the truffles.  Cheers!

2019 Reininger BDX Red Wine

Happy Friday!  It's been a long week, so I am definitely in need of a nice glass of wine to start the weekend.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of a wine club shipment from one of my favorite Washington wineries, Reininger, and honestly after tasting this I'm sorry I waited so long to open a bottle!  The 2019 Reininger BDX Red Wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (64%), Merlot (32%), Malbec (3%) and Petit Verdot (1%) from the Pepper Bridge, Seven Hills, Stone Valley and XL Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, just as you might expect from a blend of Bordeax varietals.  A gentle swirl and you take a whiff to be transported to the Walla Walla Valley, amidst the barrels with notes of leather, black cherry and cassis, with a whiff of smoke in the background it tells you all you need to know about the state of Bordeaux style blends in the Walla Walla Valley.  Take a sip and you're treated to a rush of ripe black fruit, cherry, blackberry and plum that wash over your palate before transitioning to some notes of leather, vanilla bean and toasted oak midpalate.  The tannins are supple and well integrated, supporting a wonderfully smooth dry finish that lingers on the palate, with just a hint of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as it's the quintessential Bordeaux style blend at the pinnacle of the Walla Walla Valley.  This wine would pair well with steaks, lamb, rustic pasta dishes or standing rib roast, as it could stand up to the boldest of cuisines.  Tonight, I've decided to pair this wine with a rare grilled porterhouse, topped with some blistered cherry tomatoes, along with oven roasted white asparagus and baby cauliflower.  Cheers!