2020 Helix Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Today has been an extra work day as I try to catch up on a number of projects (I think I have a bad habit of allowing too much on my plate, and not just at dinner!), so now I've decided to open a bottle of wine that just arrived yesterday.  I think I ordered this around Father's day as Reininger was running a sale, but because of the heat of summer it didn't ship until last week.  The 2020 Helix Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend if Cabernet Sauvignon (89%), Tempranillo (7%) and Malbec (4%) from the Phinny Hill, Stone Tree and Stone Valley Vineyards in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass with nice clarity.  The nose reveals and intriguing and complex layer of aromas, graphite, blackberry, leather, pipe tobacco, floral notes of violet amid hints of basalt, all of which have your mind racing in anticipation of the taste.  The first sip is a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant, surrounded by bright acidity that catapults you to some wonderful mineral notes midpalate.  The fine grain tannins provide for a lengthy dry finish amidst notes of toasty oak that make this wine a rustic champ.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a wonderfully complex, yet easy drinking wine that belies it's inexpensive price tag (I bought a half case for $160, and wish I'd bought more!).  This wine would pair well with a range of fall comfort dishes, from hearty beef stew or chili, pasta and risotto, or classic grilled steaks or lamb.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled, prime bone-in ribeye with sautéed onions, peppers and mushrooms with some steamed corn on the cob.  Cheers!

2010 Tiedmann Signature Series Napa Valley Red Wine

Well happy Saturday, and since this is the first Saturday of the month it's also Cellar Saturday, that magical day when I raid the cellar for something at least a decade in the making.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle that although it was harvested 14 years ago, has been in my cellar for less than two weeks!  The 2010 Tiedmann Signature Series Napa Valley Red Wine is a new one for me, as after doing some sleuthing on the web, I learned that this wine was made by or for a local resident who would source wines from Napa and either blend them himself or have them made and bottled.  Unfortunately, I also learned that this person passed away in 2022, but somehow I managed to find a few bottles of the 2010 vintage at my local wine store, so let's see what this wine has to offer!

Although a blend, this wine has the classic look of a Napa Valley Cabernet, inky black at the center and bright garnet along the edges.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of leather, blackberry and cassis, reminiscent of a university library.  The first sip is a wonderful blend of blueberry, blackberry and currant with undertones of sweetness that transition easily to some earthy notes of basalt and black tea midpalate.  The tannins are velvety smooth, providing for a lengthy and very dry finish that lingers until you take another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a pleasant drinking blend from a local guy in Elkhart, Indiana with a passion for making great wine.  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from barbecue and fajitas, to roast lamb or grilled steak.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare, pan seared prime filet topped with béarnaise and served with oven roasted purple potatoes and bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2020 Château Laurou 'Les Complices' Fronton

Well, I got a lot of chores done today, laundry, mowing, and I broke out the leaf vacuum, as I had some leaves come down in the front yard from a recent storm, but fall is rapidly approaching, so it's good practice!  At any rate, I'm now ready for a nice dinner on my labor day weekend, and a nice bottle of wine!  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2020 Château Laurou 'Les Complices' Fronton that I purchased a month or two ago from Wines Till Sold Out.  This wine has a new varietal for me, as it's a blend of Negrette and Syrah from the southwest of France.  So, let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity.  The nose presents a wonderful fruity, floral presence, with aromas of blackberry intermingled with violet and rose petals the grab your attention.  The first sip is trip, with the floral notes continuing amid some tart cherry and earthy peat notes, amid robust tannins that coat your palate.  The finish is very dry, with a continuation of the floral notes resulting in an elegant complexity.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a wonderfully drinking wine, but the floral and earthy notes were a bit too much for me.  This wine would pair well with rich foods, much like the foods of France, with lots of heavy cream sauces, like a seafood Newburg, or filet mignon topped with Béarnaise.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a long tradition of Labor Day meals, steamed Maine lobster with drawn butter and corn on the cob.  This meal dates back to my sophomore year of college, when the Civil Air Patrol had their annual fall fundraiser selling lobsters for $5 each!  So, a bunch of my fraternity brothers would each pitch in $10 and we would have a feast!  I still have the lobster pot I bought to cook them in, and thus a tradition was born, though the price has changed a bit.  Cheers!