2020 Helix Petit Verdot

Happy Saturday!  I have been working on my annual sauce production today, combining 25 pounds of tomatoes, freshly roasted garlic, pancetta, basil, wine and olive oil to make a festive Italian treat for my friends and neighbors.  And as that is simmering, I have time for a glass of wine and dinner.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2020 Helix Petit Verdot, a highlight of a normal blending varietal for Bordeaux, so let's see how this wine is shaping up! 

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, with nice clarity, almost having the look of a Cabernet, but just a bit lighter.  The nose presents aromas of leather, lilac and blackberry, with just a hint of anise over the top.  The first sip is a rush of ripe berry, blackberry, cherry and marionberry that wash over your palate before transitioning to some earthy loam midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, providing for a wonderfully smooth dry finish that lingers until your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a fine example of a single varietal that normally takes a back seat in a blend.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hard cheeses, but would also fare well with burgers, steaks and barbecue.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a grilled T-bone, with roasted hatch chilies, and some fresh corn on the cob that was just picked yesterday!  Cheers!

2021 Mark Ryan Water Witch

It was another very hot and humid Sunday, so I decided to go see a friend of mine perform in a play and stay in the air conditioning for most of the day.  Now it's time to brave the heat and grill dinner, which means it's time to open a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2021 Mark Ryan Water Witch, which I was surprised was the first vintage I've reviewed since the 2015 vintage!  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), Merlot (22%), Malbec (6%) and Petit Verdot (2%) from the Red Mountain AVA of Washington.  Let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep indigo at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, a testament to the impact of Cabernet in the blend.  The nose is a a surprisingly floral affair, with aromas of violet and rose, intermingled with notes of must and blackberry, for what would portend to be a very earthy affaire.  The first sip is an unexpected rush of tart cherry and blueberry that transitions to some earthy mushroom notes midpalate.  The tannins are well balanced, providing for a smooth dry finish with a bit of oak at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's very pleasant drinking, but not a terrific value for the price.  This wine would pair well with steak, grilled lamb or barbecued beef ribs, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a trio of my summer favorites, a cowboy ribeye grilled Pittsburgh rare with grilled hatch chilies and fresh local corn on the cob.  Cheers!

2021 Charles Krug Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Today it's been very hot and humid, and although this morning I spent a few hours helping friends clear out a house, the rest of the day has been spend huddling in the air conditioning!  At least inside, I can open up a nice bottle of wine to enjoy. Tonight, I've opened a bottle from a favorite Napa Valley producer, the 2021 Charles Krug Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.   Let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is an inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from a big Napa Cabernet.  The nose presents aromas of leather, ripe cherry and green herbs with some mineral undertones.  The first sip is a delight, a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant that wash over your palate before retreating and allowing the earthy mineral and warm spice notes present themselves midpalate.  The tannins are firm but yielding, ideal for the long, smooth dry finish that lingers until your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a delightful Napa Valley Cabernet that tends to be much more affordable than the bigger names out there.  This wine would pair well with a variety of bold dishes, but as always it would be best with a nice big steak.  Well, we're in luck as tonight I am enjoying this wine with a nice big T-bone grilled rare along with some grilled hatch chilis, the first of the season that I picked up at my local market this morning!  Cheers!

2019 Yokayo Buteo Rockpile Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  I am exhausted, I spent seven hours working in the yard today, trimming hedges and cleaning up all the scraps and now I need to relax with a nice dinner and glass of wine!  Although I may find it a strain to lift a glass to my mouth, tonight I've opened a bottle that was an impulse add on to an order from Wines Till Sold Out.  The 2019 Yokayo Buteo Rockpile Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (75%), Malbec (16%) and Petit Verdot (9%) from the Rockpile appellation in Sonoma. So, let's see if I can lift this glass and taste this wine!

The wine is an inky black at the center with deep garnet along the edges, just as you'd expect from a big California Cabernet.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of strawberry, plum and green cedar.  The first sip is a rush of ripe fruit, cherry, strawberry and plum with undertones of earthy peat and cedar that transition to some notes of mocha and dark chocolate midpalate.  The tannins are firm and vibrant, providing an ideal foundation for a long, smooth dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a very pleasant drinking Cabernet that punches above its weight class, as this wine was available for the bargain price of $17!  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from crispy skin salmon to mushroom risotto, steak to grilled lamb chops.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled T-bone steak, oven roasted shishito peppers with flaky salt and grilled corn on the cob.  Cheers!

2015 Château Aney Haut-Medoc

Happy Cellar Saturday!  It's the first Saturday of a new month, which means it's time to open a bottle of something that's been at least a decade in the making.  Tonight I've opened a bottle that's only been in my cellar for a month or so, as I purchased this bottle at a wine store in Hillsdale, Michigan on a recent steam train excursion.  The 2015 Château Aney Haut-Medoc does not list a specific blend, but given the requirements of this appellation on the left bank of the Gironde, I would guess this is weighted toward Cabernet Sauvignon, along with some Merlot, Petit Verdot, and perhaps a bit of Malbec.  Let's see how this wine is tasting. 

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity, a testament to this classic Bordeaux blend.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of leather, ripe blackberry, and hints of lilac, a very refined and rich bouquet.  The first sip is just classis Bordeaux, with a rush of blackberry, currant and fig that eases into the classic Bordeaux funk, earthy peat and white pepper spice midpalate.  The finish is supported by soft tannins, providing the classic smooth dry finish that doesn't linger, but makes itself hardly noticeable.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a solid examples of one of my favorite Bordeaux wines.  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from hearty pasta to braised short ribs, grilled lamb to classic steak.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a grilled ribeye along with some grilled portabella mushrooms and linguine tossed with sautéed garlic scapes and broccoli rabe and topped with parmesan.  Cheers!