Happy Wine Wednesday! It's been a busy few weeks with rehearsals for the play that I'm in, along with work and everything else, it seems I haven't had much time to blog. But at least tonight I have some time to review a nice bottle of wine that was a recent wine club shipment from Reininger Winery. The 2019 Helix Cabernet Franc is one of those special wines made from what is normally a Bordeaux blending varietal, but the fine folks in Walla Walla have been lifting those varietals to new heights. This vintage is a 100% Cabernet Franc from the Weinbau Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA in the Columbia Valley of Washington, so let's see how this wine is tasting!
The wine is a lovely ruby color in the glass, just as you might expect from this varietal. A gentle swirl in the glass reveals aromas of strawberry, raspberry, hints of lavender and a white pepper spice. Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of ripe red fruit, raspberry, cherry and strawberry that transition easily to some earthy notes of tar, leather and basalt midpalate. The tannins are well integrated, providing a seamless smooth dry finish, with a reprise of acidity at the end.
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a wonderful example of the heights these former blending grapes can reach when properly tended. This wine would pair well with a broad range of dishes, from steaks and lamb chops, to ristotto or chili. Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic Pacific Northwest sort of dinner, with a crispy skin Scottish pearl salmon filet on a bed of farro along with some steamed asparagus. Cheers!
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