2020 Mark Ryan Winery "Lonely Heart" Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  I got a lot of yard work done today, vacuumed up the leaves from the storm, mowed and planted a bunch of begonias, so now I'm ready for a little relaxation before dinner.  And what better way to relax than opening a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2020 Mark Ryan Winery "Lonely Heart" Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Red Mountain AVA of Washington sourced from a single vineyard, Quintessence from two blocks planted with clone 191 (a personal favorite as this is the same clone that Seven Hills uses for their Summit View Cabernet) and clone 337.  So, let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, as you might expect from a solid Cabernet.  The wine presents aromas of blackberry, earthy peat, leather and baking spice.  Take a sip and your palate is awash in blackberry and currant, with a hint of tawny port, before transitioning to some warm peppery spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured, allowing this wine to really showcase the complexity of the fruit ahead of the velvety smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as it's just a pleasant drinking Cabernet that highlights the beauty of Washington wine and the Red Mountain AVA.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, robust cheeses and charcuterie, grilled steaks, rack of lamb, or even smoked brisket.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime ribeye eye, beautifully marbled, along with some fire roasted hatch chiles, oven roasted beets and corn on the cob.  Cheers!

2019 Napa Underground Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday!  I had the chance to go to the farmers market today to pick up some interesting produce items to enjoy with my dinner and I also happened to meet up with the "Basil Brothers" who are two young people (I can never judge age, but my guess is they are between 10 and 12) and they produce some marvelous smoked herb salt which I will include in my meal prep this evening (also bought a bottle of chive blossom vinegar that I'm anxious to try!).  In any case, tonight I've opened a bottle of wine from I recently purchased from Wines Till Sold Out.  The 2019 Napa Underground Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (87%), Merlot (7%), Cabernet Franc (4%), Petit Verdot (3%) and Malbec (1%).  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a beautiful bright ruby color in the glass, a bit lighter than your typical big Napa Cabernet.  A gentle swirl reveals aromas of blackberry, currant and cassis, intermingled with hints of espresso and cocoa powder.  Take a sip and you're awash in ripe black fruit with herb influences throughout that ease into some notes of vanilla and peppery spice.  The tannins are somewhat subdued providing for a wonderfully smooth dry finish that lingers till your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a solid Napa Cabernet and a good value at just $23.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from weeknight pizza or tacos, to steaks, braised short ribs or barbecue.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled New York Strip along with some mashed potatoes and grilled orange cauliflower and hatch chiles (they are finally here!).  Cheers!

2022 Perle du Sud Rosé

Well, it's Thursday evening and the work week is coming to a close.  It's also been a week of crazy weather, yesterday we had 5.7" of rain in a 12-hour period and now it's unbelievably hot and humid with highs expected in the mid-90s tomorrow!  So, it must be time for rosé!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of wine I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out, the 2022 Perle du Sud Rosé.  This wine is a wonderful blend of Grenache (60%) and Syrah (40%) from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of the south of France.  So let's see if this wine can provide a cool break in the hot weather!

The wine is a lovely pale peach color in the glass, with aromas of pear, strawberry and melon with undertones of tarragon.  Take a sip and you're treated to a rush of tart cherry, strawberry and honeydew, that transitions to some notes of green grass and mineral notes midpalate.  The acidity is well balanced for a wonderfully crisp dry finish that will have you reaching for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a wonderfully refreshing summer rosé with the French craft that will have you feeling Mediterranean breezes as you sip.  This wine would pair well with summer salads, particularly caprese salad, light fish dishes or fresh poke bowls.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a cedar planked coho salmon filet topped with lemon and dill, farro and steamed sugar snap peas.  Cheers!

2019 Reininger Sangiovese Grosso

Happy Sunday!  It's been a busy day as went to the Elkhart County 4H Fair all afternoon, so now that I've gotten enough sun it's time to relax a bit with a nice bottle of wine.  It's interesting how sometimes the wine choice influences the menu, and other times like today, the menu influenced my decision to open a bottle of 2019 Reininger Sangiovese Grosso.  Crafted in the style of Brunello, this wine is a 100% Sangiovese from the Seven Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a lighter bodied, bright ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from the varietal.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of strawberry, bing cherry, leather and hints of pipe tobacco.  The first sip is a rush of ripe red fruit, cherry, currant and strawberry intermingled with vanilla bean that transition easily to some smoky notes midpalate along with a bit of peppery spice.  The tannins are well structured, providing for a wonderfully smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, which is just what I rated the 2017 Vintage when I reviewed it back in 2020.  This wine would pair well with a variety of grilled steaks, but it practically begs to be enjoyed with a nice Italian dinner, which is why I picked it!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some squid ink shells tossed with some shrimp simmered in some Trader Joe's Manzanino tomatoes, garlic, basil and olive oil, finished with some fresh basil and shredded Parmesan.  Cheers!

2020 Forgeron Anvil "The Minnick" Proporietary Blend

Happy Sunday!  I spend much of the afternoon doing work (boo!), but now I am done and ready for a nice glass of wine and a wonderful Sunday dinner.  For my wine tonight, I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club selection from Forgeron Cellars, the 2020 Anvil "The Minnick" Proporietary Blend.  This wine gets its nickname from the Minnick Hills Vineyard where the grapes are sourced, in this case a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (38%), Malbec (18%), Cabernet Franc (16%), Petit Verdot (16%) and Merlot (12%).  So, let see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, a testament to the heavy Cabernet hand in the blend.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of anise, lilac, cocoa powder and dusty limestone, a perfect beginning to usher you into the presence of this Walla Walla Bordeaux style blend.  Take a sip and be greeted by a rush of blue fruit, blueberry and currant that ease into some notes of caramel and baking spice midpalate.  The fine grain tannins are a perfect welcome to the smooth, long and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as I think it's quite a bit better than the past few vintages I've reviewed.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty meat dishes, from grilled lamb and veal, to hearty steaks and barbecue.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a pan seared filet mignon, with grilled pearl onions sautéed in butter and rosemary, mashed potatoes and some steamed asparagus with hollandaise.  Cheers!

2019 Woodward Canyon Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It was a lovely day here today, mostly sunny and temperatures in the low 80s, so I got the last of my hedge trimming done in the back yard!  Now that I'm done with the heavy chores, it's time to relax with a nice dinner and glass of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of wine from the first winery I ever visited in Walla Walla, Woodward Canyon!  Back at the turn of the century, Woodward Canyon and L'Ecole No. 41 were the first wineries you came to as you headed east on US 12 from the west side of the state, so that was my first stop on that first visit.  Back to today, the 2019 Woodward Canyon Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (92%) and Petit Verdot (8%) all sourced from the Woodward Canyon Estate Vineyard.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is an inky black at the center with bright garnet along the edges, just as you'd expect from a high-quality Cabernet.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of leather, blackberry, black cherry and earthy tar that will have you visualizing an Ivy League library.  Take a sip and you're awash in sweet ripe fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant that ease into notes of dusty limestone and graphite midpalate.  The tannins are supple, providing for a velvety, smooth dry finish that lingers till your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a very pleasant drinking Cabernet that would stand up to some of the heartiest dishes.  This wine would pair well with many beef dishes, from steaks to braised short ribs.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled New York strip topped with blistered cherry tomatoes, along with some mashed potatoes and steamed asparagus.  Cheers!

2021 Seven Hills Walla Walla Carmenere

Happy Independence Day!  It's very hot today, but I still got a bunch of yard work done and now I'm ready for some cookout feast and a glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened up a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from Seven Hills, the 2021 Walla Walla Carmenere.  I needed a wine to go with 4th of July food, so let's hope this one fits the bill!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you might expect from this lost Bordeaux varietal.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of ripe blackberries, blueberries and baking spice, with undertones of vanilla bean.  Take a sip and those warm spice aromas quickly succumb to cool fruit, as blackberry, blueberry and plum wash over your palate before transitioning to warm spicy notes of white pepper intermingled with cocoa and mocha notes midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, providing for a velvety smooth dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a perennial favorite from Walla Walla and such a versatile, food-friendly wine.  This wine would pair well with steak, chops, pasta or hearty fish like salmon, we well as casual summer foods like barbecue and burgers.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some barbecued baby back ribs along with some roasted corn on the cob, mustard baked beans and cucumber salad.  Cheers!

2021 Anvil Chardonnay

I am very happy to have a long holiday weekend as I feel like I've been working too much and haven't had a vacation yet this year!  So at least I can enjoy some nice wine and food this weekend, and tonight I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from Forgeron Cellars.  The 2021 Anvil Chardonnay is an old-vine Chardonnay sourced from the French Creek Vineyard's "Old Wente Block" which was originally planted in 1981 in the Yakima Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a very pale golden color in the glass, a bit lighter than I would have expected.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of pear, green apple, lemongrass and hints of white floral.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of persimmon, pineapple and citrus, with buttery undertones, that ease into notes of pear and gradient minerals midpalate.  The finish is crisp and inviting, providing for a subtle dryness that will leave you reaching for more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a very different sort of Chardonnay, that portrays the crispness of a lighter white varietal, with the depth of flavor that can only come from old vine Chardonnay.  This wine would pair exceptionally well with summer seafood dishes, from light white fish, to shrimp, to chilled oysters.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some seared sea scallops along with linguine tossed with garlic scapes and broccoli rabe.  Cheers!

2007 Starmont Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Cellar Saturday!  It's the magical first Saturday of a new month where I open a bottle that's been in the making for at least a decade.  Tonight I've opened a bottle that's been in my cellar for at least a decade, perhaps longer, such that I am not even sure where I bought it.  The 2007 Starmont Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is from the second label of prominent Napa Valley producer Merryvale, and this wine happens to be from the stellar 2007 Napa vintage.  So, let's see if this wine was worth the wait!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass with just a hint of amber along the edges, as you might expect from this teenager.  A gentle swirl reveals aromas of blackberry and prune with hints of cherry cola and mint.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of anise, blackberry and white pepper spice that eases into some mineral notes of dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are still vibrant, providing for a wonderfully smooth dry finish with a hint of mint a the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as at first I thought it was just a bit past its prime, but after an hour or so it really opened up into beautiful expression of  vibrant, sweet fruit, earthy minerality and a lovely finish that had me wishing for another bottle at the end of the night.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled New York strip, topped with Béarnaise and grilled garlic scapes, with wild mushroom farro and steamed broccoli.  Cheers!