2021 Anvil Chardonnay

I am very happy to have a long holiday weekend as I feel like I've been working too much and haven't had a vacation yet this year!  So at least I can enjoy some nice wine and food this weekend, and tonight I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from Forgeron Cellars.  The 2021 Anvil Chardonnay is an old-vine Chardonnay sourced from the French Creek Vineyard's "Old Wente Block" which was originally planted in 1981 in the Yakima Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a very pale golden color in the glass, a bit lighter than I would have expected.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of pear, green apple, lemongrass and hints of white floral.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of persimmon, pineapple and citrus, with buttery undertones, that ease into notes of pear and gradient minerals midpalate.  The finish is crisp and inviting, providing for a subtle dryness that will leave you reaching for more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a very different sort of Chardonnay, that portrays the crispness of a lighter white varietal, with the depth of flavor that can only come from old vine Chardonnay.  This wine would pair exceptionally well with summer seafood dishes, from light white fish, to shrimp, to chilled oysters.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some seared sea scallops along with linguine tossed with garlic scapes and broccoli rabe.  Cheers!

2021 Reininger CPR Reserve Chardonnay

Happy Saturday!  I spent the afternoon trimming hedges and mowing, and since it was in the upper 80s and humid, I am now sweaty and tired and ready for a nice dinner and glass of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of a rare white wine, the 2021 Reininger CPR Reserve Chardonnay which was just released a few weeks ago.  I secured a couple bottles, and I thought it would pair well with my dinner this evening.  This wine is a 100% Chardonnay from the Stillwater Creek Vineyard in the Royal Slope AVA of Washington.  This wine was aged for nearly two years in a large French Oak barrel, so let's see how it's shaping up!

The wine is a pale golden color in the glass as you might expect.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of pear, lemongrass and oak with undertones of orange blossom.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of exotic flavors that have your mind doing summersaults with citrus, melon and mineral notes that exude refreshment and reserve.  The sur lie fermentation creates such a velvety mouthfeel you might find yourself at times thinking you were drinking a hearty red wine, before you come back to earth and enjoy the remaining moments of a buttery dry finish that lingers on your palate for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as it has to be my favorite Chardonnay and perhaps my favorite white wine.  This wine is ideal for summer, but could easily extend to fall, and would pair well with light fish or seafood, summer salads or crisp and light pasta dishes.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with some pan seared sea scallops on a bed of baby arugula, along with some roasted elote corn on the cob.  A taste of summer has arrived, cheers!

2019 Forgeron Columbia Valley Chardonnay

As most of you are no doubt aware, I am not much of a white wine consumer.  That said, I also can't resist a mystery box, so when Forgeron recently offered a mystery case of wine for just $150, I couldn't pass it up!  And one bottle in the mystery case was a 2019 Forgeron Chardonnay, a 100% Chardonnay sourced entirely from the Weinbau Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a bright golden color on the glass, more akin to lemon as opposed to a golden olive oil color.  A swirl of the glass reveals aromas of lemongrass, pear and hints of tropical fruit amid undertones of oak.  Take a sip and you are treated to a rush of lemon, pear and pineapple notes that envelope your palate before transitioning to some mineral notes and hints of oak midpalate.  The finish is crisp and dry with just a faint impression of the classic Chardonnay "buttery sweetness" at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a lovely Chardonnay that would be ideal for the upcoming holidays.  This wine would pair well with a variety of seafood, Thanksgiving turkey or pork.  Tonight, I am exploring the latter and enjoying this wine with an Asian zing grilled pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes with chives and some maple bacon shaved Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2020 DaMa Wines Chardonnay

Happy Sunday!  It's fall, so that means every weekend that it doesn't rain I'm spending at least one afternoon gathering leaves and putting them out in the street for pickup, and so that's how I spent my afternoon today.  But at least the weather was gorgeous, with lots of sun and highs in the upper 70s, I got one last chance to work in the yard in shorts.  And now that I'm done, I'm ready to sit down for Sunday dinner, which has been roasting as I was working.  And to go with it, I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from DaMa Wines, the 2020 Chardonnay, which is sourced from the Conner Lee Vineyard in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this unusual white wine for me to review is tasting!

The wine is a pale gold color in the glass, and a gentle swirl reveals aromas of faint lemon citrus, hints of pear and pineapple, suggesting a much more fruit forward Chardonnay than the classic butter bombs.  Take a sip and it's like you've washed ashore on a tropical island, with a rush of pineapple, mango and hibiscus that capture your imagination as you follow the flavor adventure to some vanilla cream notes on the finish, which is crisp and dry.

I am not a but white wine fan, and many Chardonnays I find very one dimensional, but this one is really a pleasant drinking wine that's sure to please a wide crowd of wine drinkers.  For that, I would happily rate this wine a solid 9, perhaps the highest rating I've ever given a white wine.  This wine would pair well with a wide range of dishes, from halibut to classic fish tacos, moules frites or Thai curry, but tonight I am enjoying this with a classic Sunday dinner of roasted chicken with mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy, along with some asparagus with Hollandaise.  Cheers!

Woodward Canyon NV Red Wine

Well, it's finally starting to feel like fall, with highs in the 50s and lows in the 40s, and with that it seems that leaves and pumpkins and preparing for the winter will soon be upon us.  In the meantime, I'll enjoy the local high school football games and a whole lot of yard work, along with some wonderful big red wines.  Tonight is one such wine, a perennial favorite for and everyday drinking red wine, the Woodward Canyon non-vintage red wine.  This one is a combination of Cabernet Franc (46%), Merlot (18%), Barbera (16%), Petit Verdot (7%), Cabernet Sauvignon (5%), Chardonnay (4%!), Syrah (1%), Mourvedre (1%), Grenache (1%), and Dolcetto (1%). These wines were sourced from vintages including 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 from the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a beautiful deep ruby color in the glass with nice clarity, a testament to the two right bank Bordeaux varietals.  A quick swirl in the glass releases aromas of leather, oak, violet and undertones of black cherry.  Take a sip to have a rush of blackberry, black cherry and currant wash over your palate, with intermittent hints of earthy tar and spice box, before transitioning to some peppery spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are nicely integrated to support the smooth dry finish that is very old world in style.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5 as it's such a treat to drink and a wine you can enjoy often at just $25.  This wine would really pair well with just about anything, from steaks and chops, to barbecue and pizza.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a barbecued chicken breast along with some oven roasted root vegetables (see I told you fall was here!) and some steamed Italian green beans.  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! 

2017 DaMa Chardonnay

Happy Friday!  It was an eventful day of wine deliveries for me today as both the UPS and FedEx guys stopped by to deliver wines, so I had plenty of choices to open tonight.  I decided to open the 2017 DaMa Columbia Valley Chardonnay, simply because I'm not really a fan of white wines, but fortunately I was making something for dinner that I thought we definitely benefit from pairing with a Chardonnay, more on that later.  I will also admit that I'm a big fan of the artwork that DaMa incorporates on their labels, but this Chardonnay label has be scratching my head, as I'm not sure if it's the bride of Frankenstein or Marie Antoinette...though either would be appropriate "in times like these"!  So let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a crisp golden color in the glass, reminiscent of a field of buttercups.  The nose presents aromas of pear, pineapple and citrus (I'll admit when I first opened and poured a glass there was a strong alcohol aroma, but that dissipated after it opened up a bit in the glass).  The taste is a basket of summer fruit, with honeydew, kiwi and strawberry intermingled with white grapefruit that transitions to some dusty mineral notes midpalate.  The acidity is somewhat subdued, though the taste of this wine is nowhere close to the classic buttery Chardonnay, as it seems to be plowing it's own ground.  The finish is crisp but dry, with a lingering reprise of minerality.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, just because I am not really a fan of white wines, but I'm sure futures guests will enjoy my remaining bottles!  As for pairing, this would go well with summer salads, fresh fruit or a light pasta.  Tonight I am pairing this with some homemade ham and bean soup that's been simmering in the crock pot all day, along with some fresh cornbread (I really wish I had this yesterday as it was raining with a high of 43 and I just could not get warm yesterday no matter how hard I tried!)
.  The crispness and mineral notes offer a nice balance to the richness of the soup.  Cheers!

2018 Anvil French Creek Vineyard Chardonnay

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!  I'll admit this has historically been more of a beer holiday than a wine holiday, but Let's go with it!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club selection from Forgeron's Anvil label, the 2018 Anvil French Creek Vineyard Chardonnay!  Marie Eve made her name in Chardonnay, and this wine is a 100% Chardonnay from the French Creek Vineyard, Old Wente Clone in the Yakima Valley AVA of Washington.  So on this rare occasion of reviewing a white wine, let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a pale golden color in the glass while the nose presents aromas of pineapple, citrus and a hint of stony mineral.  The taste is crisp and refreshing, with an interesting combination of apple, citrus and dusted limestone up front that transitions to a hint of white floral and candied pineapple toward the crisp dry finish that leaves you refreshed.

This wine is an ideal summer sipper that would pair well with a range of dishes, from lighter salads, to sushi or as an aperitif with some fresh fruit.  Tonight of course, I am enjoying this wine with a classic St. Patty's day dinner of corned beef and cabbage that has been simmering all afternoon, along with carrots and red potatoes served with a slice of buttered soda bread.  Cheers!

2017 DaMa Columbia Valley Chardonnay

Well, sometimes it just happens that my wine club peeps randomly send out a white wine, even though I really don't have much tolerance for them, and such is the case tonight.  You'll get a rare instance of me blogging about a white wine, which could be interesting.  Tonight's selection is a 2017 DaMa Wines Columbia Valley Chardonnay, and that's about all I know since there was no tech sheet in the shipment nor could I find any info on this wine on the DaMa website.  So tonight we are flying blind!

The wine is a light golden color in the glass, almost the color of pineapple juice.  The nose is chock full of green grass and floral notes that evolve into some mineral notes with a bit of pear.  The taste is a good bit of pineapple, pear and a bit of citrus up front that transitions to some mineral notes before the crisp, dry, buttery finish.

In a way, this is just a classic Chardonnay, crisp, refreshing and ideal for summer evenings on the patio, but for a die hard red wine guy, it's really somewhat lackluster.  So, I guess I would rate this wine a 7, only because it's just not my type of wine (there may be Chardonnay lovers out there that think this is the bomb, but as a big Cab guy, this leaves me flat).   I'm guessing this would pair well with some summer dishes like salads and cantaloupe, but tonight I'm enjoying it with a pan seared halibut filet, some couscous and steamed broccoli.  Cheers!

2017 Forgeron Anvil Chardonnay

Happy Wine Wednesday!  This time we have a special treat, one of those rare events when I taste a white wine (dun dun dun!).  Yes, I am really just a red wine drinker, but my friends at Forgeron keep trying to convert me with the annual Anvil Chardonnay shipment.  So tonight I've opened a bottle of 2017 Anvil Chardonnay, a 100% Chardonnay from the old Wente Block in the Yakima Valley of Washington.  As our friends at Forgeron have told me, this block "was planted in 1981 on a south facing plateau just above the Yakima River. The chalky, stony soil, drains well and warms easily, producing a full-bodied, layered wine, of great balance and complexity."  So let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a pale golden color in the glass and the nose is a cascade of bright fruit, pineapple, pear and citrus with a hint of white floral aromatics at the back end.  The taste is mildly fruit forward with some notes of citrus and apple that transitions effortlessly to some faint mineral notes before the wonderfully rich and classic buttery finish of a finely structured Chardonnay.  Admitting I am not a white wine drinker, I can say that when I opened a bottle for some guests the other night, it was a big hit!

I am not going to rate this wine, since I really don't consider myself qualified, but I think I can safely say this wine would be a solid choice to please a diverse crowd of wine drinkers.  As for pairings, I think this wine would be ideal with the classic white wine dishes like chicken, fish and seafood.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some seared sea scallops along with some four cheese risotto and steamed asparagus.  Cheers!

DaMa Cowgirl Blanc

Happy Sunday!  It's been a good day to stay indoors and watch old movies, as it's been cold and snowing/sleeting all afternoon.  And given the melancholy weather, it also seems appropriate to enjoy a little comfort food for dinner, which is what I plan for tonight.  But what wine to enjoy with this particular comfort food was a challenge, but one that I was up to when I got out a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from DaMa Wines, the non-vintage Cowgirl Blanc.  This wine is a blend of Chardonnay (65%) and Viognier (35%) from both the Mill Creek and Sagemoor Vineyards in the Columbia and Walla Walla Valley AVAs of Washington.  So let's see how this unusual evening of white wine progresses!

The wine has pleasant aromas of rich tropical fruit, mango, passion fruit and some apricot notes with some mineral notes over the top.  The taste is more subdued tropical fruit on the outset, which seems more dominated by citrus notes and bright acidity, which easily transitions into some earthy mineral notes midpalate.  The tropical fruit makes another appearance on the crisp refreshing finish, which is surprisingly long for a white wine.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as you know, white wines are really not my thing, but I could easily see this wine as a Thanksgiving favorite.  Tonight I am enjoying this one with my Mom's recipe for classic tuna noodle casserole, creamy goodness that of course is topped with crumbled potato chips, it doesn't get more comfortable than that.  Cheers!

Snooth Murrieta's Well Virtual Tasting

Well, tonight is another wonderful Snooth.com virtual wine tasting featuring wines from Murrieta's Well Estate Vineyard located in the Livermore Valley of California.  The virtual tasting was curated by their winemaker, Robbie Meyer, who struck me as being very down to earth and truly connected to vineyards and someone that treat winemaking more as an art than a science.  In listening to him speak about the vineyards, vines and the wines, he reminded me of some of the wonderful wine craftsmen of the Northwest, like Chuck Reininger, who let their passion shine through their wines.  Overall a pleasure to listen and interact with such a wonderful artist!

We tasted through the wines is a somewhat quixotic order, but I've organized my tasting notes putting the white wines first, followed by the rose and then the reds.

2015 The Whip, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc (30%), Semillion (30%), Chardonnay (30%), Viognier (7%) and Muscat Canelli (3%) - Very nice aromas, notes of flowers, mild citrus and some marked mineral notes, very nice use of the Viognier and Semillion really come through on the nose.  Taste is a perfect summer food wine, I could easily sip this in the patio with some hummus or enjoy with a light summer dinner.

2016 Muscat Canelli (100%) - Pineapple, papaya, white floral, lovely crisp refreshing white, perfect for summer.

2016 Dry Rose, a blend of Grenache (55%) and Cournoise (45%) - Farmed to be a rose, canopy management, picking, to give a great fruit/floral expression.  Lovely floral notes on the nose, peach, apricot and some mineral notes.  Crisp acidity and a very nice, dry finish.  Would be great with cedar planked Coho Salmon filet.

2014 Spur, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (45%), Petite Sirah (22%), Petit Verdot (14%), Merlot (10%) and Cabernet Franc (9%) - Some may group this wine with a Bordeaux style blend, but the addition of Petite Sirah really makes a difference and places it outside the traditional Bordeaux Blends (it also makes a big difference in the taste of the wine, bringing in more fruit.  Nose just makes me want to drink this wine immediately.  Aromas of leather, smoke, oak, warm spice, lovely black fruit, blackberries, cherries.and some notes of dried fig.  Lovely fruit up front, lovely mineral and smoke notes midpalate.  Wonderfully dry, velvety finish.  This was absolutely my favorite of the wines we tasted, and would pair well with a big grilled steak any day of the week!

2014 Cabernet Franc, a blend of Cabernet Franc (88%), Cabernet Sauvignon (6%) and Petit Verdot (6%) - Great earthy nose, white pepper spice, perfect for a chilly autumn evening in front of a fire.  Great with pasta, perhaps with a creamy white sauce, would also be wonderful with a more mellow fish dish, perhaps a halibut steak.

2014 Merlot, a blend of Merlot (90%), Cabernet Sauvignon (7%) and Petit Verdot (3%) - you know I love me some Merlot and this one was a standout!  Notes of cinnamon and ripe blackberry on the nose, wonderful black fruit and spice midpalate.  Midpalate some notes of cocoa, mocha and vanilla bean come through.  The finish is smooth and very dry, well structured tannins on the backbone, pure Merlot joy!

Finally, I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to Snooth.com and Murrieta's Well for sponsoring this wonderful tasting, it was a real treat!

2013 Anvil Columbia Valley Chardonnay

Ok wine peeps, it's Sunday, time for a wonderful classic Sunday dinner, and given my menu this evening I've decided to go rogue!  Yes, not only am I reviewing a non-red wine, I'm reviewing a Chardonnay!  Well, even though it seems that this varietal has become pretty boring over the past decade or so, tonight's wine is anything but, as it's a special wine in many ways.  First, it was produced by one of the best Chardonnay producers in Walla Walla, Marie-Eve Gilla, founder of Forgeron Cellars, and in this case it was a bottle signed by her that was available this past Christmas (how fun!).  Second, it was sourced from the French Creek Vineyard, one of Washington's oldest Chardonnay vineyards, planted in 1981.  So this should be a treat even for the non-Chardonnay lovers among us!

The wine is a light gold color in the glass, while the nose presents aromas of fresh citrus, peach, green grass and floral notes.  The taste is quite unusual for a white wine, it has some lovely citrus fruit notes on the outset, but then there is a hearty mineral quality or iron and basalt that brings strength and rounded mouthfeel midpalate.  The dry finish brings a reprise of citrus and a hint of butter and smoke that just makes you want another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's just a wonderfully executed example of the varietal, and one that even a red wine fan like me can enjoy!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic Sunday dinner of oven roasted chicken with corn bread stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy and of course, green bean casserole!  This is a perfect wine for such a heady feast, almost makes me wish I had a bottle last Thanksgiving!  Cheers!

2012 La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

So tonight I am enjoying another wonderful Snooth virtual tasting, this time featuring the wines of La Crema, a wonderful producer out of California.  Now this is a bit unusual as I am doing this virtual tasting from my office of all places as my home internet is still not up and running (moving to a new home can be such a joy!) So the first wine of the virtual tasting that I am trying is the 2012 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay.

Now as a complete novice to white wines, I can only say what I've heard in the past, particularly that Chardonnay may be a more popular wine, perhaps a bit overdone, but heck I'll try anything once!  The wine itself has lovely aromas of green grass, ample citrus, honey and just a hint of caramel.  The taste is ripe and crisp, with very little of the tart fruit I so often encounter when I venture into the world of white wine.  I would characterize this wine as a classic, buttery sort of Chardonnay, with many rich flavors that would be perfect with a varierty of fall and winter dishes.  The finish is somewhat soft with some metallic notes, but ultimately a very nice wine.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's a very nice example of a very food friendly white wine, particularly for fall and winter dishes.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some thick cut oven roasted pork loin chops, mashed potatoes and roasted Brussels sprouts, a perfect dish on a cold winter evening!