2024 Belles d'Eguilles Coteaux d'Aix en Provence Rosé

Happy Wine Wednesday!  I have to confess that I've been completely ignoring rosé season, as I think I may have only enjoyed one bottle this entire summer.  Well, now it's time to make up for my oversight, so tonight I've opened a bottle of 2024 Belles d'Eguilles Coteaux d'Aix en Provence Rosé that I bought last month from Wines Till Sold Out.  I have previously reviewed the 2021 vintage and thought it was all right, but still a good value.  This vintage is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Carignan, so let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a very pale peach color in the glass, signaling something crisp and refreshing is on the way for these last few days of summer.  The nose is a refreshing array of summer citrus and tropical fruit, grapefruit, apple and mango with hints of honey and some minerality.  The first sip is delightfully crisp and refreshing, with a cascade of citrus, honeydew, and mango, with hints of red berry and some mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is dry and crisp, a perfect ending for a wine destined for patio sipping.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it impressed me much more than the 2021 vintage.  This wine would be perfect for summer patio sipping (we have 4 more days of summer!) and would also pair well with barbecue, burgers and brats or fajita tacos.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with some crispy skin salmon, steamed rice and asparagus.  Cheers!

2021 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Winemakers Series Lot 1 Napa Valley Merlot

Happy Sunday!  It's been a crazy few weeks, starting a new semester while at the same time spending evenings rehearsing for a production at Elkhart Civic Theatre, but today I have the day off, so I am enjoying a nice bottle of wine with my Sunday dinner.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle from a recent 8-vintage vertical of Stag's Leap Merlot that I bought from Wines Till Sold Out.  Tonight, I've opened the 2021 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Winemakers Series Lot 1 Napa Valley Merlot, which is composed of Merlot (89%). Cabernet Franc (8%), Petit Verdot (1.5%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5%).  Let's see how this vintage is faring a year or so after release.

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a nice Merlot.  The nose presents aromas of leather, cedar and dusty limestone under inviting layers of ripe cherry and currant.  The first sip is a warm embrace of ripe red fruit, coffee and baking spice that eases into some notes of earthy minerals and dark chocolate midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured and well integrated, to form the backbone for a velvety smooth dry finish that lingers into your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's an ideal example of a high-quality Merlot that is likely to stand the test of time.  This wine would be an ideal sipping wine on the patio with friends and family as the temperatures start to fall, but it would also pair well with hearty pasta dishes, thick steaks or cedar planked salmon.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled ribeye, asparagus with hollandaise and a big baked potato.  Cheers!

2015 Force Majeure Parvata

It's the first Saturday of the new month, which means it's Cellar Saturday, that glorious time when I raid the cellar for something at least a decade in the making.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle that hasn't been in my cellar very long, as I bought it earlier this year from Wines Till Sold Out.  The 2015 Force Majeure Parvata is a Southern Rhone-style blend of Mourvèdre (46%), Syrah (34%) and Grenache (20%) from the Force Majeure Estate Vineyard in the Red Mountain AVA of Washington.  So, let's see if this wine is singing or if it's past its prime as some reviewers projected shortly after release.

The wine is a lovely, deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd like to see from such a blend.  The nose presents its own adventure with aromas of leather, blackberries and currant that jump to some smoked meat and dried herbs, then back to dark chocolate and hints of peppery spice.  The first sip is wildly decadent, with a rich velvety mouthfeel and flavors of ripe blackberry and plum up front, before an easing into some smoked duck and peppery spice, ahead of some earthy basalt at the finish.  The tannins are still right there, thick and chewy and playing their essential role in the long, smooth dry finish that lingers for what seems like ten minutes.

The experts were clearly wrong, as this wine is still singing well past their drinking window into 2023, and I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as it's one of the best Southern Rhone-style blends I've had from Washington state.  This wine would pair well with a variety of soft cheese, rack of lamb or classic steak.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a pan seared New York strip over a bed of sautéed onions and mushrooms along with a big baked potato.  Cheers!