Happy Saturday! I am pleased to say that I have completed all of my Christmas shopping, and all the the presents have been wrapped and are awaiting delivery to their intended recipients. So, now that I can breathe a little easier, it's time to open a nice bottle of wine. Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2019 Helix Cima Piccola, which is a Super Tuscan style blend composed of Sangiovese from the Stillwater Creek Vineyard as well as Merlot (33%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (17%) sourced from other vineyards in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington. Let's have a taste of this Pacific Northwest interpretation of Tuscany!
.jpg "2019 Helix Cima Piccola")
The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with a somewhat heavier body no doubt a credit to the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. The nose presents an intriguing combination of cedar, violet and spice box that marks the Sangiovese in the blend. The first sip is not what I expected at all, a rush of blueberry and tart cherry wash over your palate before transitioning to some earthy tar and white pepper spice midpalate. The tannings are so well integrated, you can miss them entirely as you enjoy the lush smooth finish that will have you coming back for more.
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as this vintage is right up with the wonderful 2017 vintage I enjoyed nearly four years ago. This wine is very food friendly and would pair well with a range of dishes, from classic pasta and risotto, bisteca Fiorentina, or simple Tuscan toast. Tonight, I am going the classic as classic can get route and enjoying this wine with a mixed green salad with pomegranates and sage blossom vinaigrette along with linguine and meatballs. Cheers!
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