2020 Pepper Bridge Vineyard Red Wine

Happy Sunday!  I have to admit that it really doesn't matter how I plan, I never seem to get as much done during the weekend as I had hoped, and this weekend was no different.  I planned on catching up on some reading during the rain this afternoon, and that didn't happen, but at least I am now making Sunday dinner and enjoying a nice glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2020 Pepper Bridge Vineyard red wine, which is an annual blend that Pepper Bridge does based solely on fruit sourced from their namesake vineyard.  For 2020, this was a blend of Merlot (39%), Malbec (30%), Cabernet Sauvignon (22%) and Petit Verdot (9%).  So, let's see how this wine is shaping up!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from the Merlot and Malbec in the blend.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of anise, tarragon and hints of violet amid undertones of peppery spice.  Take a sip and your palate is awash in ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant with a velvety texture that just grabs your attention.  The fruit transitions well to some dark chocolate and herb notes midpalate, even as the fine grained tannins deliver you to the long, smooth finish that will have you clamoring for more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a wonderfully bold wine that practically begs for a grilled steak, hence a perfect wine for summer grilling season.  This wine would be ideal with the aforementioned steaks, but also with summer smoked brisket, barbecued ribs or even simple burgers and brats for Independence Day celebrations.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled New York strip topped with Béarnaise and served with grilled purple asparagus.  Cheers!

2021 Reininger CPR Reserve Chardonnay

Happy Saturday!  I spent the afternoon trimming hedges and mowing, and since it was in the upper 80s and humid, I am now sweaty and tired and ready for a nice dinner and glass of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of a rare white wine, the 2021 Reininger CPR Reserve Chardonnay which was just released a few weeks ago.  I secured a couple bottles, and I thought it would pair well with my dinner this evening.  This wine is a 100% Chardonnay from the Stillwater Creek Vineyard in the Royal Slope AVA of Washington.  This wine was aged for nearly two years in a large French Oak barrel, so let's see how it's shaping up!

The wine is a pale golden color in the glass as you might expect.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of pear, lemongrass and oak with undertones of orange blossom.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of exotic flavors that have your mind doing summersaults with citrus, melon and mineral notes that exude refreshment and reserve.  The sur lie fermentation creates such a velvety mouthfeel you might find yourself at times thinking you were drinking a hearty red wine, before you come back to earth and enjoy the remaining moments of a buttery dry finish that lingers on your palate for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as it has to be my favorite Chardonnay and perhaps my favorite white wine.  This wine is ideal for summer, but could easily extend to fall, and would pair well with light fish or seafood, summer salads or crisp and light pasta dishes.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with some pan seared sea scallops on a bed of baby arugula, along with some roasted elote corn on the cob.  A taste of summer has arrived, cheers!

2021 Seven Hills McClellan Estate Malbec

Happy Father's Day!  It's been a relaxing day today, I had intended to do a bunch of chores around the house but decided instead to do laundry and catch up on my reading.  I also did a bit of butchering, but more on that later.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle from one of my favorite Walla Walla wineries, the 2021 Seven Hills McClellan Estate Vineyard Malbec.  This wine is a 100% Malbec from the McClellan Estate Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington, so let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is an inky black at the center, with bright fuchsia along the edges, just as you'd expect from a nice Malbec.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of macerated cherry, blackberry and plum, with undertones of tobacco and clove.  Take a sip and your palate is awash in ripe black fruit, blackberry, blueberry, marionberry and currant that ease up to some zesty white pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are well balanced, but not in your face, providing a nice base for the long smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's one of my favorite vintages of Seven Hills Malbec yet.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from spicy Mexican tacos to grilled steak.  Tonight I am going full gaucho and enjoying this wine with a rare grilled picanha topped with a homemade chimichurri, along with grilled garlic scapes and asparagus.  Cheers!

2018 Woodward Canyon Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday!  I am a bit worn out as I was rushing around with errands this morning, followed by a graduation party this afternoon, so I am ready to relax with dinner and a nice glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2018 Woodward Canyon Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon, and I realized I've already reviewed the 2019 vintage, but what the heck, I can go out of order once in a while right?  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (80%), Merlot (10%), Petite Verdot (7%) and Syrah (3%) from the Champoux, Woodward Canyon Estate Weinbau and Sagemoor Vineyards in Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is an inky black at the center with bright garnet around the edges.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of ripe blackberry, graphite, oak and cassis, just as you'd expect from a quality cabernet.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and plum that ease into some notes of tobacco, dark chocolate and spicy pepper notes midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated providing for one to the longest finishes I've experienced in a Washington Cabernet.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as it's drinking expertly now, but should improve even more with a few years in the cellar.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from risotto and pasta, to smoked beef brisket and traditional barbecue.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime cowboy bone-in ribeye along with some fresh grilled asparagus.  Cheers!

2017 Domaine de Fabrègues 'Le Coeur' Languedoc

Happy Sunday!  It's been raining her for much of the day, which is good as it's been very dry for the past month and the farmers and my lawn can use it!  After accomplishing some inside chores today, it's time to make dinner and open a nice bottle of wine.  My selection tonight serves two purposes, first to enjoy a nice wine, but second to try out a new gadget I recently bought.  You see, the wine I am opening is a magnum, which I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out, and not wanting to drink to excess tonight, I plan to try my new Rabbit vacuum wine preserver!  So, after a few glasses tonight, I can seal up the rest of this large bottle until I'm ready to enjoy it.  Now, about the wine, the 2017 Domaine de Fabrègues 'Le Coeur' Languedoc is a blend of Syrah (80%) and Carignan (20%) from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of the South of France.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, as you might expect with such a Syrah heavy blend.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of vanilla, blackberry and blueberry, with hints of vanilla and earthy mineral notes.  Take a sip and you experience a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, blueberry and tart cherry that ease back into some warm spice, espresso and mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are smooth and dark, providing for a wonderfully smooth, dry finish than lingers on your palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a fine example of the wines of the south of France, and it was also a solid value at just $33 for the magnum!  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from braised short ribs to hearty stew, pasta with wild mushroom cream sauce, or hearty fish dishes.  Tonight I am taking the latter approach and enjoying this wine with a crispy skin salmon filet with some roasted rainbow carrots and baby beets and steamed purple asparagus with hollandaise.  Cheers!

2022 Bledsoe Family Winery Healy Rosé

Happy Sunday!  I finished planting all the annual flowers along the garage today, so my planting season is officially over.  To celebrate, I've opened a bottle of summer rosé since it's been in the upper 80s every day for the better part of a week.  Tonight, it's the 2022 Bledsoe Family Winery Healy Rosé which was just delivered in a club shipment yesterday (or maybe it was Friday, the days are running together lately!).  This wine is a 100% Syrah sourced from the Schafer, Flying B and Los Oidos vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is shaping up!

The wine is a lovely pink salmon color in the glass, and give it a swirl and you're greeted with aromas of tropical sunshine, with mango, citrus and pineapple intermingled with white floral notes and just a hint of minerality.  Take a sip and you're palate is inundated with sweet tropical fruit, bright citrus and a crisp freshness that awakens your senses.  The tannins are mellow, providing for a crisp dry finish that exhibits a roundness that lingers until your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as I think this is the best effort yet of the Healy Rosé.  This wine practically begs to be enjoyed on long afternoons on the patio with friends, enjoying summer caprese salads, light seafood or summer barbecue.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a butter poached lobster risotto, as the creamy richness of the dish is a perfect foil for the bright acidity of this wine.  Cheers!

2007 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

It's the first Saturday of the new month, which means this is Cellar Saturday, that magical time when I raid the cellar for something at least a decade in the making.  Tonight is a special treat as I had long forgotten I had this wine, the 2007 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is a treat as well as this was the last vintage with the old school house label that was the signature of L'Ecole until they updated to a photo of the schoolhouse at the 25th anniversary vintage in 2008.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting now that it's nearly old enough to drive.

I decanted the wine for about an hour before tasting which is always a risk with an older wine, but we'll see whether it was a mistake.  The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with just a hint of amber along the edges.  Take a whiff and you're greeted by aromas of prune, blackberry and cherry, intermingled with floral notes of lilac.  Take a sip and your mind it blown at the rush of tart cherry at the outset, that easily transitions to notes of mocha, dusty loam and peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are still firm and well structured, providing for a velvety smooth, dry finish that lingers until your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as it's drinking marvelously after 16 years, but clearly has a lot of life left in it.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from steaks and chops to barbecue or tacos.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled Angus ribeye along with some grilled corn on the cob with elote spice.  Cheers!