2023 Bledsoe Family Winery Healy Rosé

Happy Sunday!  I spent yesterday trimming hedges and mowing, so today I needed a break!  I did some laundry and now I'm ready for a nice glass of wine and my Sunday dinner.  Given the recent heat and humidity, I thought it appropriate to once again celebrate rosé season!  Tonight, I've opened a bottle from a recent wine club shipment from the Bledsoe Family Winery, the 2023 Bledsoe Family Winery Healy Rosé.  This wine is a 100% Syrah from the Flying B Estate, Los Oidos and Kenny Hill Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how summer is treating this wine!

The wine is a pale peach color in the glass, with a more solid color than some recent rosé vintages.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of peach, orange blossom and citrus that signal a bit of refreshment coming your way.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of sweet summer fruit with subtle acidity that practically begs you to enjoy this bottle fully engaged on your patio. The mild acidity and well integrated tannins create a finish that is lingering on the palate, much different from the acidic crush of most rosés.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as I think it's the best vintage yet of this fun summer wine.  This one would pair well with summer salads, particularly a nice caprese with aged balsamic, seared tuna or fun fish tacos.  Tonight, I am taking a decidedly Mediterranean route with this wine and enjoying it with some grilled octopus and fresh summer veggies grilled with herbs de Provence and flaky sea salt.  Cheers!

2022 Bledsoe Family Winery Flying B Estate Red Wine

Happy Independence Day!  I am always happy for the 4th of July, the heat of summer and all the outdoor cooking and eating, it's just an all around pleasant time of year!  We had a lot of rain today, which may have impacted the parade and early fireworks, but it cooled things down enough for a great cookout and a good excuse to open up a nice red wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle that I recently received from Bledsoe Family Winery, the 2022 Bledsoe Family Winery Flying B Estate Red Wine!  Some of you more astute fans may recognize this branding as it was what Bledsoe used for the family Cabernet Sauvignon from 2015-17, but then it became the Bledsoe Family Cabernet, so let's see what this throwback blend has to offer!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, reminiscent of the old Cabernet, though we are uncertain of this current blend!  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of leather, green grass, tart cherry and lavender that hearken back to the old wine, but there is something just a bit different.  The first sip is a rush of rich, black fruit, plum, currant, cherry and blackberry that thickly coat your mouth before transitioning to some earthy mineral notes and eucalyptus midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, providing a solid base for the long, smooth and very dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's not quite to the level of the old Flying B Cabernet, but it's a very interesting and lovely red wine to enjoy with food or sipping on the patio with family and friends.  Speaking of food, this wine would pair well with steaks and chops, but it won't stop there, as it would be great with grilled vegetables, hearty pasta or spicy fajitas.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with my 4th of July dinner of grilled picanha with fire roasted poblanos and smoked black beans, corn and rice.  Cheers!

2022 Stolen Horse Syrah

Happy Memorial Day!  It's been a busy long weekend of planting flowers at the cemetery and then planting even more flowers by my house, and with rain much of the weekend, I'm pretty tuckered out by now!  So, I've decided to open a bottle of one of my favorite wines from my recent wine club shipment, the 2022 Stolen Horse Syrah from Bledsoe Family Winery.  This wine is a classic Syrah (98%) co-fermented with Viognier (2%) sourced from the Loess, Flying B Estate and LeFore Estate Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is starting out!

The wine is a deep garnet color in the glass, with a bit of brooding purple at the center, just as you'd expect.  The nose presents aromas of lavender, black cherry and plum intermingled with a bit of ripe olive and tobacco notes.  The first sip is rush of ripe, sweet cherry that evolves into some earthy notes of peat and minerality before an explosion of peppery spice near the finish.  The tannins are well integrated, providing for a wonderfully long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a classic Syrah, that would pair well with a wide range of dishes, from holiday burgers and brats, to pasta or braised lamb.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a classic holiday barbecue of baby back ribs, hot honey baked beans and sriracha slaw.  The wine has all the structure to stand up to such a sweet and spicy meal, cheers!

2021 Bledsoe Family Winery "The Mac" Red Wine

Happy Tuesday!  I thought it was about time for a random wine post in the middle of the week, so here we go!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of an inaugural release of a new wine from the Bledsoe Family Winery.  The 2021 "The Mac" red wine is named for Drew Bledsoe's father and is a blend of Syrah (36%), Merlot (34%) and Petit Verdot (30%) all sourced from the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is starting out!

A deep ruby color, and a gentle swirl of the glass get us started on this adventure, with green grass, ripe cherry, dusty limestone and floral undertones on the nose.  The first sip is an explosion of disparate fruit, tart cherry, blueberry, currant and marionberry that wash across your palate painting images of the mountain west.  The tannins are well balanced, providing a depth and complexity that will have you contemplating the experience as you reach for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a delightful example of an unusual combination of varietals that truly express the whole that's greater than the sum of its parts.  This seems like a very food friendly wine that would pair with anything from steaks and chops to hearty pasta, barbecue or burgers.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a classic Northwest pairing of pan seared sockeye salmon with a lemon dill cream, steamed rice and asparagus with hollandaise.  Cheers!

2020 Stolen Horse Syrah

Happy Saturday!  It's certainly starting to feel like fall, in fact we are supposed to get some frost tomorrow night!  Thankfully I made a quick call to my sprinkler guy yesterday and we got everything winterized before the first freeze.  In any case, tonight it's time for a nice dinner that might be a last hurrah of summer, along with a wine that I've enjoyed for nearly a decade (see my previous reviews of the 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 vintages).  The 2020 Stolen Horse Syrah is a Syrah (97%), co-fermented with a bit of Viognier (3%) sourced from the Loess, Flying B, Kenny Hill and LeFore Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting.

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, ideal for a nice Syrah.  A gentle swirl in the glass reveals aromas of smoked meat, blackberry jam, blueberry and hints of lavender.  Take a sip and you're treated to an evolving mix of black and blue fruit, charred oak, and a bit of tart cherry before easing into some notes of earthy tar and white pepper midpalate.  The tannins are silky smooth, a perfect base for the long dry finish that will have you contemplating the depth of flavor you just experienced.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a lovely example of the varietal with a cascade of terroirs from the Walla Walla Valley.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from cedar planked salmon to barbecue, fall pasta to risotto.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a last gasp of summer, some barbecued beef ribs, corn on the cob and sriracha slaw.  Cheers!

2021 Bledsoe Family Winery Cabernet Franc

Happy Sunday!  So the past two weekends have been raining so I haven't been able to mow and my grass desperately needs it.  But there is one small problem, this being autumn my grass was covered with leaves which need to be removed before I could mow.  So, I spent six hours on the only non-rainy day of the weekend to blow leaves and mow, making me tired and sore at this point.  What to do?  I know, I'll open up a nice bottle of wine and cook a good dinner to make me feel better!  Tonight, I've opened a recent wine club shipment from Bledsoe Family Winery, the 2021 Walla Walla Cabernet Franc.  This wine is a 100% Cabernet Franc from the McQueen, LeFore and Schafer Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep, inky purple in the glass just as you'd expect from a nice Cabernet Franc.  Take a whiff and you're greeted by aromas of tart cherry, dusty limestone and a bit of tobacco that is more reminiscent of a nice Syrah.  The first sip is a rush of black fruit, plum, cherry and currant that dance around some nice minerality midpalate.  The tannins are still developing, but the finish is pleasant and smooth, with a bit of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine s solid 8.5, as it's a solid example of this Bordeaux varietal that will likely improve quite a bit with some time in the cellar.  This wine would pair well with hearty beef dishes, barbecue or risotto, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a pan seared Scottish black pearl salmon filet, steamed rice and some oven roasted broccolini.  Cheers!

2022 Bledsoe Family Winery Healy Rosé

Happy Sunday!  I finished planting all the annual flowers along the garage today, so my planting season is officially over.  To celebrate, I've opened a bottle of summer rosé since it's been in the upper 80s every day for the better part of a week.  Tonight, it's the 2022 Bledsoe Family Winery Healy Rosé which was just delivered in a club shipment yesterday (or maybe it was Friday, the days are running together lately!).  This wine is a 100% Syrah sourced from the Schafer, Flying B and Los Oidos vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is shaping up!

The wine is a lovely pink salmon color in the glass, and give it a swirl and you're greeted with aromas of tropical sunshine, with mango, citrus and pineapple intermingled with white floral notes and just a hint of minerality.  Take a sip and you're palate is inundated with sweet tropical fruit, bright citrus and a crisp freshness that awakens your senses.  The tannins are mellow, providing for a crisp dry finish that exhibits a roundness that lingers until your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as I think this is the best effort yet of the Healy Rosé.  This wine practically begs to be enjoyed on long afternoons on the patio with friends, enjoying summer caprese salads, light seafood or summer barbecue.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a butter poached lobster risotto, as the creamy richness of the dish is a perfect foil for the bright acidity of this wine.  Cheers!

2020 Bledsoe Family Winery Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It was another cold and rainy day here in the Midwest, sometimes I forget how we apparently skip spring and go right from winter to summer.  In any case, this is a good time to open up a nice bottle of wine to enjoy with my Sunday dinner, and this time it's a selection from a recent wine club shipment from the Bledsoe Family Winery, the 2020 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon!  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (78%), Merlot (9%), Malbec (7%) and Petit Verdot (6%) from six different vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center with bright garnet along the edges, just as you might expect from a big Cabernet.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of lavender, blackberry and currant with just some hints of minerality.  Take a sip and you're treated to a rush of ripe dark fruit, blackberry, currant and plum that transition easily to some earthy notes of graphite and basalt midpalate.  The tannins are velvety smooth, providing for a luxuriously long dry finish that lingers effortlessly for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as I think this is the best vintage yet from the Bledsoe Family Winery (even better than the Flying B wines of 2015, 2016 and 2017 or the Bledsoe Family Vintages of 2018 or 2019!).  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from grilled steaks and chops, to Yankee pot roast and Sunday lasagna!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a pan seared ribeye basted with butter and rosemary, along with some asparagus with hollandaise.  Cheers!

2021 Bledsoe Family Winery Healy Rosé

Happy Monday!  It's been a while since I've done a Monday post, but I'm having a special dinner tonight, which calls for a special wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from the Bledsoe Family Winery, the 2021 Healy Rosé which is made from 100% Syrah from the Kenny Hill, Flying B and Los Oidos Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  Now I'll admit we aren't even close to rosé season given that's it's barely broken the 50s hear lately, but why not be optimistic and start early?  At any rate, let's see what this wine has to offer for the summer!

The wine is a lovely peach color in the glass, with just a hint of honey color.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of peach, honeydew and a bit of citrus zest that would be ideal for a warm evening on the patio.  Take a sip and you're greeted by a rush of pear, strawberry and a hint of lemon that ease into some mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is dry and crisp, with lingering citrus notes, making this a wonderful summer favorite.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, though I may be biased given this is my first rosé of the year.  This wine would be great with summer salads, burgers and brats or even Thai lettuce wraps.  Tonight however, I am enjoying this wine with a crispy skin Scottish black pearl salmon filet with some wild rice and oven roasted carrots and asparagus.  Cheers!

2019 Bledsoe Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It's been raining all day, with temperatures in the 40s, so I decided to make some butternut squash soup today, which turned out well.  And now I'm ready for a nice Sunday dinner and a glass of good wine. Tonight I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from the Bledsoe Family Winery, the 2019 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (75%), Merlot (13%), Malbec (11%) and Cabernet Franc (1%) from four different vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, 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 might expect from a great Cabernet.  A quick swirl in the glass reveals aromas of blackberry, cherry with undertones of earthy minerals.  The taste is a lovely combination of tart cherry and ripe blackberry up front that transitions easily to some earthy notes of graphite and cedar midpalate.  The fine grain tannins are ideal to support the long, velvety dry finish that lingers to your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's young and drinking nicely now, but will doubtless improve over the coming decade.  This wine is a classic Cabernet that demands to be paired with a big, juicy steak which is fortunate as tonight I am enjoying this wine with a big porterhouse grilled rare along with some grilled leeks, steamed cauliflower and a baked potato.  Cheers!

2020 Elizabeth Chardonnay

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Tonight I had the pleasure of enjoying a virtual wine tasting with Drew Bledsoe and Josh McDaniels of the Bledsoe Family Winery!  It was a real treat to listen to these two great influencers of Walla Walla wine.  I learned of Drew's grandmother Betsy who is the namesake for the Elisabeth Chardonnay and things just got more interesting from there.

Drew and Josh spoke at length about the Bledsie Family Winery, and their vineyards as well as the community feel they have for the other wine members of the Walla Walla Valley.  The wine itself was really nice, and you know I'm not a white wine fan.  This Chardonnay was not the classic buttery, oak laden wine that so many are used to.  The nose presents lovely floral notes, with hints of green grass and earthy mineral elements.  A taste reveals notes of pear, citrus and hibiscus that just scream summer/  The summer flavors ease into some wonderful mineral notes midpalate. before leading to a long, smooth dry finish that lingers on the palate. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a pleasant drinking Chardonnay that is ideal for sipping on the patio on a summer evening.  This wine would pair well with a variety of summer salads. but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic lemon pepper sockeye filet with wild rice and baby cauliflower.  Cheers! 

2019 Stolen Horse Syrah

Happy Sunday!  It's been a busy one for me, as I went to a graduation party and then completed a few projects around the house, and now I'm definitely ready for Sunday dinner and a nice glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of a wine club shipment from the Bledsoe Family Winery that arrived on Friday.  The 2019 Stolen Horse Syrah is a classic Syrah (98%) co-fermented with Viognier (2%) sourced from the Lefore, Flying B, Loess and Kenny Hill Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this new vintage is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with nearly a Cabernet sort of feel.  After letting this one breathe for an hour or so, a easy swirl reveals aromas of green grass, smoky oak, and hints of wild berries that beckon you to taste.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a cascade of flavors, from blueberry reduction, to olive tapenade, smoke and earthy mineral notes.  The mouthfeel on this wine is a real treat, with velvety texture and well structured tannins to provide for a delightfully dry finish that lingers.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's such a solid example of the varietal, but also such an intriguing wine.  This wine practically begs to be paired with a hearty meat dish, from a grilled pork tenderloin to barbecued beef ribs.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic Sunday dinner of herb crusted rack of lamb with potato puree, red wine demi and haricots verts almondine.  Cheers!

2020 Healy Rose

Well, it's officially the first holiday weekend of summer, and I can confirm that I really needed this!  So, on the first day of the three day weekend, I've taken advantage of a sale at my local market which spurred a bit of a challenge for an appropriate wine pairing.  Fortunately, I received my Bledsoe Family Wine spring club shipment not long ago, which had an ideal solution in the 2020 Healy Rose.  Although the blend is proprietary, the fruit was sourced from some solid vineyards in the the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this first taste of summer is tasting!

The wine is a lovely peach color in the glass, almost welcoming summer, though around here we've had several false starts, with the lows reaching the 30s just a couple days ago!  A modest swirl in the glass releases a load of citrus notes, grapefruit, lemon and a hint of blood orange, that eases into some lovely herb notes.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a lovely mix of citrus, ripe melon and persimmon that transition easily to some earthy mineral notes with bright acidity throughout.  On the finish, we the texture and acidity continue for a crisp dry finish that just screams summer.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a super pleasant and easy drinking rose that I could see myself enjoying on the patio all summer long.  This wine would pair well with a fresh caprese salad, a warm orzo with fresh herbs or a wide range of seafood.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a steamed live Maine lobster (thanks to my local market for only $9.99!) and some fresh corn on the cob with lots of butter and some Srirach cole slaw.  Here's to summer!

2019 Bledsoe Family Winery Healy Rose

Well, this past week featured some remarkably early summer like days, with highs in the mid- to upper-70s and lots of sun, which had me yearning for rose season, but alas today it was cloudy and windy with a high of 42.  But that's not stopping me, I am tasting some rose, and tonight it's the 2019 Bledsoe Family Winery Healy Rose, a lovely rose from the Walla Walla Valley that just arrived with a wine club shipment last week.  So let's see how this preview of summer is tasting!

The wine is a lovely pale peach color in the glass.  The nose is a basket of summer fruit, peach, watermelon and citrus all dancing around, beckoning you to take a sip.  The taste is just a mouthful of summer, with a rush of ripe peach, honeydew, pink grapefruit and strawberry that just dance around your palate before transitioning to some mineral and herb notes of thyme and lavender midpalate.  The acidity is quite pronounced leading to a wonderfully vibrant yet dry finish that lingers like a long summer evening.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's my first taste of rose season and it's already got me wanting more!  This wine would pair well with summer salads, barbecue or pasta.  Tonight, since it's still chilly, I am pairing this with a recipe I saw from one of my favorite food bloggers Chris of Don't Go Bacon My Heart (you really should check him out on Instagram or his site: https://www.dontgobaconmyheart.co.uk/ a wonderful Gorgonzola pasta with pancetta, leeks and mushrooms (you can find the recipe here: https://www.dontgobaconmyheart.co.uk/gorgonzola-pasta/) and this rose is just perfect with that hearty pasta dish.  Cheers!

2017 Stolen Horse Syrah

Happy Wine Wednesday!  This week has gone by fast, but at least there are often new wine club shipments to enjoy mid-week, as I am doing tonight.  I received two wines in my fall shipment from the Bledsoe Family Winery, the 2017 Flying B Cabernet Sauvignon and tonight's wine, the 2017 Stolen Horse Syrah.  This wine is made from Syrah (96%) co-fermented with Viognier (4%) from the Lefore and Kenny Hill Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this wine is shaping up.

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, a bit darker than you might expect from a Syrah.  The nose is chock full of sweet berry fruit, cherry, raspberry and marionberry with floral notes lingering over the top.  The taste is at first cool, with blueberry and cherry up front that gives way to some warm spice notes and earthy minerality that is characteristic of the Rocks District.  The tannins are chewy, creating some nice textural balance to the fruit and sets up perfectly for the long, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a bit of a departure from previous vintages, with a more pronounced expression of Rocks fruit.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, which shouldn't be a surprise as I find Syrah to be a very food friendly varietal.  I could easily enjoy this wine with steaks, chops, stews, salmon or pasta among other dishes, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with some barbecued beef ribs along with some oven roasted root vegetables and steamed baby Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2017 Flying B Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  This should be a relaxing day, but alas I have been working on setting up my upcoming half semester class I am teaching and getting ready for an audition at Elkhart Civic Theatre tonight as well.  So, I guess I can fit in a glass of wine amid all that activity and tonight's wine was in a recent wine club shipment from the Bledsoe Family Winery, and one which has some big shoes to fill as the last vintage was just stunning (see here: 2016 Flying B Cabernet).  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (75%) and Syrah (25%) from the Bob Healy, Lefore, Seven Hills and Loess Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this year's vintage is tasting!

The wine is a classic inky black Cabernet with nice garnet at the edges.  The nose is a rich combination of leather, cherry, blueberry and plum with a hint of vanilla.  The taste is remarkably smooth, with ripe black fruit that sort of eases up on you, blackberry, currant and plum, that fade as easily as they came, revealing hints of vanilla bean and mocha midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured, with a bit of tightness at the end of the long, smooth and wonderfully dry finish that seems to last a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's just a classic Walla Walla Cabernet, but not quite to the level of the 2016 vintage.  I have no doubt this one will remain a classic in my cellar, so I'll have to ration it accordingly!  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty fall dishes, from braised short ribs to ratatouille to hearty pasta or risotto.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare Angus New York Strip along with grilled leeks and some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts and a baked purple potato, which is a first for me! Cheers!

2018 Healy Rose

Happy Wine Wednesday! I know it’s a little early, but winter has been really harsh and I’m really in the mood for summer, if not spring, so why not open a bottle of rose and just pretend it’s summer? Tonight I’ve open the bottle of 2018 Healy Rose from Drew Bledsoe‘s Family winery in Walla Walla. This one has become a favorite rose for me and I’m excited to try this new vintage that just arrived this week from my wine club shipment. This wine is a proprietary blend from the Kenny Hill, Mill Creek, Los Oidos and McQueen Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley of Washington.  So let’s see how it tastes!

The wine is a pale peach color in the glass, perfect for summer gatherings on the patio. The nose presents pleasant aromas of strawberry, melon, peach and a hint of citrus. The taste is just a rush of summer fruit, citrus, strawberries and melon intermingled with some sharp mineral notes. These wonderful flavors and aroma are combined in a crisp, dry finish that just makes me want to sit out on a warm summer night on the patio.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it’s just an ideal summer rose, very dry very crisp and a perfect representative of Washington rose. This one would pair well with so many summer dishes from grilled burgers and salads, to barbecued ribs, to steaks and chops -  truly a versatile wine. Tonight I’m enjoying this wine with a grilled jerk chicken breast along with some black beans and yellow rice a perfect midweek dinner with a fresh glass of rose. Cheers!

2017 Bledsoe Family Wine

Happy New Year!  I can't believe the teens are almost over and we will soon be in the roaring 20s, but at least for now we will enjoy 2019, which of course will mean plenty more wine and food to enjoy.  Tonight being a holiday and a rather subdued one at my house, I thought I'd open a bottle of 2017 Bledsoe Family wine to enjoy with dinner tonight.  This wine is quite interesting as it is a blend of many of the same grapes used for the the high-end Doubleback Cabernet, including Cabernet, Malbec and Merlot from the Healy and McQueen Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley.  This wine comes in very cool 1L bottles that make this a crowd favorite.

This vintage is still quite young as it was released a bit early (the 2016 vintage was released in the spring of 2018, but this wine was just released several weeks ago).  The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, characteristic of the heavy Cabernet influence.  The nose is soft, with elegant fruit aromas intermingled with earthy notes of leather and a hint of lavender.  The taste is a rush of soft, ripe fruit, raspberry, cherry and black currant that transitions nicely to some white pepper spice midpalate, before kicking it back to a reprise of some floral notes just ahead of the finish.  The tannins are still a bit tight, but well integrated for the long, but somewhat sharp and dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a very nice everyday drinking red wine from a quality producer.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of foods, from steaks and chops to barbecue and pizza.  But since New Year's falls on Taco Tuesday, I am enjoying this wine with some bean and chorizo tacos with all the trimmings.  Cheers!

2016 Stolen Horse Syrah

Happy Sunday!  I spent the afternoon reading and doing laundry after a day of yard work yesterday, so now I'm ready to relax with a nice glass of wine.  Tonight I'm opening a recent wine club selection from the Bledsoe Family Winery, the 2016 Stolen Horse Syrah.  I've been a fan of this Syrah for a while so I'm looking forward to seeing what the latest vintage has to offer.  This wine is a Syrah (93%) that was co-fermented with viognier (7%) from the Loess and Lefore Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley.  So let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a deep violet color in the glass, with a bright fuchsia along the edges.  The nose is a lovely combination of blackberry, blueberry and plum, intermingled with some wonderful dusty mineral and smoke.  The taste is a rush of fruit up front, blueberry cobbler, blackberry and plum that transitions wonderfully to some earthy notes of leather, dusty limestone and a hint of mint midpalate.  The tannins are well developed, but youthful, providing a solid base for the long, smooth dry finish which features just a bit of black pepper spice at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's drinking well now, but it will likely improve considerably with a year or two in the bottle.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from steak to barbecue to tacos, but tonight I am going in a completely different direction.  I am enjoying this wine with an alder planked coho salmon filet with lemon and dill, some oven roasted candy stripe beets and a four cheese risotto.  The earthy flavors of the wine really complement the salmon, while the rich fruit and acidity are perfect foils for the richness of the risotto.  Cheers!

2016 Flying B Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

So today as I was about to head out and run some errands, the UPS guy showed up with my Bledsoe Family Wines fall wine club shipment!  Woo hoo!  What a way to head into the weekend!  So I've decided to open a bottle of the 2016 Flying B Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon and see how the second vintage is tasting (I reviewed the first vintage here).  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (85%) and Syrah (15%) from the Bob Healy, Lefore, Loess and Seven Hills Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley.  I had a chance to meet the winemaker, Josh McDaniels last spring and I was impressed, so let's see how he's done with this wine!

The wine is a deep inky purple at the center with bright garnet along the edges, just as you might expect from a quality Cabernet.  The nose is chock full of blueberry, raspberry and green cedar aromas that give you a strong sense of what you're about to experience.  The taste is just a showstopper, much beyond what the aromas had me expecting.  A harmony of earthy green grass overlaid with floral hints, that reach higher to notes of dark chocolate and tobacco amid the full and velvety mouthfeel.  The tannins are silky smooth as the dry finish just marks the apex of a tasting experience that should rightfully last an entire afternoon.

It's hard to describe this wine without superlatives, so I would happily rate this wine a solid 9.5, perhaps one of the best wines I've tasted this year and such a big leap beyond the first vintage (though I really liked that one too!).  This wine practically begs to be paired with a big, rich, prime steak grilled to perfection, but I could also just see myself sipping this one on the porch tonight!  I am enjoying this wine with a marinaded tagliata steak along with a loaded baked potato and grilled Brussels sprouts, but none of that seems very important to me right now.  Cheers!