2020 Seven Hills Founding Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  Yesterday was the day of my annual Christmas Party, and we had a great crowd which means there were not a lot of leftovers!  I use this party as an opportunity to try some new dishes for the guests, and this year we had three new ones that were all well received.  Today, after spending a good portion of the afternoon cleaning up, it's now time to open a bottle of wine and enjoy a good dinner.  Since this is the last Sunday of the month, it's also Dinner in the Diner Sunday, the last one of this yearlong effort, but more on that later.  For the wine, tonight I've opened a bottle of 2020 Seven Hills Founding Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the original vineyard planted by Seven Hills founder Casey McClellan and his father back in the early 1980s.  The other vintages I've enjoyed (including the 2017 and 2019) were well worth it, so let's see how the 2020 is faring!

The wine has the classic look of a big Cabernet, inky black at the center and bright ruby along the edges.  The nose presents aromas of leather, blackberry, cherry and dark chocolate, inviting you to take a sip.  That first sip is a wild ride of flavors as you experience and eruption of sweet cherry up front, that eases into some earthy notes of toasted oak and dusty limestone, before transitioning to some espresso and dark chocolate notes midpalate.  The tannins are youthful, but well behaved, providing for the wonderfully smooth dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a classic example of the age worthy potential of Walla Walla Cabernets.  This wine would pair well with a range of hearty dishes, from rack of lamb and braised short ribs, London broil to hearty pasta dishes.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a main course derived from the dining cars of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, fried country ham with red gravy, along with some mashed sweet potatoes and green bean casserole.  Cheers!

2021 Seven Hills McClellan Estate Petite Verdot

Happy Sunday!  Given that the last Sunday of November was 6 days ago, I missed it, so I've decided to do my "Eating in the Diner" tribute this Sunday, so you'll see what I've made from the Dining Car archives.  But first, I've selected a wine that I believe will go well with my selected repast, the 2021 Seven Hills McClellan Estate Petite Verdot, a 100% Petit Verdot from the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting.

The wine is a lovely bright ruby color in the glass, with a somewhat lighter body than you might see in the prime Bordeaux varietals of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.  The nose is in intriguing blend of green grass and floral notes of violet and buttercup, with undertones of leather and cocoa powder.  Take a sip and enjoy the rush of tart cherry, black currant and hints of baking spice, that easily transition to some flavors of cherry cola and dark chocolate midpalate.  The tannins are supple and 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 delightful examples of a supporting cast member of the Bordeaux family that stands up well by itself.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty fall and winter dishes, from braised short ribs to hearty stews, pasta to pot roast.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with Swedish meatballs as prepared by the Pennsylvania Railroad on many of their signature trains, like the Broadway Limited.  Although, the recipe only includes the meatballs, I've opted for a less traditional plating, serving them with pappardelle rather than mashed potatoes, but still with the pickled cucumber salad and lingonberries.  Cheers!

2020 Anvil Syrah

Happy Sunday!  And since it's the last Sunday of the month, it's time for Dinner in the Diner, where I explore a recipe from the dining cars of some of the most famous passenger trains of the 20th Century.  So, what to pair with my dinner?  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2020 Anvil Syrah, the premium label from Forgeron Cellars.  The 2020 vintage is a 100% Syrah from the Boushey Vineyard in the Yakima Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see what this wine has going on!

The wine is a deep garnet color in the glass, with moderate body and clarity, just what you'd expect from a nice Syrah.  The nose reveals aromas of blackberry, blueberry and eucalyptus with undertones of basalt minerality.  The first sip is a rush of sweet black fruit, blackberry, blueberry and currant that dance around a bit of cocoa powder and toasted oak midpalate, with a trail of black peppery spice.  The tannins are still a bit sharp, but still provide for a long, smooth dry finish that lingers until your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a wonderful example of a single-vineyard Syrah from one of the premier areas of Washington for production of this varietal.  This wine would pair well with a variety of fall dishes, from braised short ribs, to rack of lamb, earthy wild mushroom risotto to Beef Wellington.  Tonight, I am taking a road less traveled and enjoying this wine with a recipe from the diner on the New York Central, the individual deep dish chicken pie from the 20th Century Limited.  The recipes for the filling, crust and rich sauce (this is superb) are presented below (though to be fair, I substituted boneless chicken breast for the white/dark meat combination suggested).  Cheers!

2019 "The Pledge" Malbec

Happy Sunday!  It's the last Sunday of the month, which means it's "Dinner in the Diner" day, when I make a recipe from the golden age of passenger rail travel in the United States.  We'll get to that later, but first there is wine!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of wine I purchased recently from Costco, the 2019 "The Pledge" Malbec is an interesting wine made from fruit harvested from vineyards with vines that are more than a century old all throughout Mendoza, Argentina.  This seems to be an interesting concept, so I can't wait to try it!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a nice Malbec.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of leather, black cherry, anise and hints of oak.  The first sip is a rush of ripe berries, black raspberry, blueberry and currant that dance around your palate before inviting some mineral notes of dusty limestone and white pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are smooth and understated, but they work the background to support the long, smooth dry finish that lingers until your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a very pleasant drinking Malbec, that like so many wines from Mendoza is also a terrific value at just $15 at Costco!  This wine would pair well with many classic gaucho meals, from grilled steaks and chops to classic Yankee pot roast.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with some home style beef stew based on the recipe from the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad.  The C&O wasn't as well known for famous named passenger trains, but their dining cars featured many recipes from the old south, including Maryland and Virginia.  And please don't worry, I cut down this recipe from the quantities listed to something more manageable, as I didn't have a full dining car to serve tonight!  Cheers!

2021 Mark Ryan Winery Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  I'm glad to report that the weather finally broke here, as yesterday it was incredibly hot and humid, but a cold front came through and today we are enjoying highs in the low 70s and expected lows in the upper 40s tonight.  This was good news as I have been waiting for a cool day to don my long sleeves, jeans and gloves to remove some of the poison ivy that's grown up this spring (the price you pay for living in a personal forest!), but now it's time for a special dinner!  Tonight is the last Sunday of the month, which means it's time for Dinner in the Diner, where I craft dinner from a recipe served in the dinning cars of some of the great long-distance trains of the 20th Century.  But before we get to that, we have to open the wine! Tonight's selection is from Mark Ryan Winery, a personal favorite harkening back to my grunge years, the 2021 Mark Ryan Winery Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (95%) and Merlot (5%) from some of the oldest vines in the Quintessence, Red Willow, Ciel du Cheval Vineyards in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how these old vines are producing!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity, much different than some of the big Cabernets you commonly see.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of black cherry, strawberry and red currant intermingled with dried herbs and a hint of green cedar.  The first sip is a rush of fresh green herbs that transition easily to ripe red fruit notes of cherry, currant and marionberry, before easing into some notes of black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are velvety smooth and expertly integrated, providing for such a pleasing, long, dry finish that you'll be immediately reaching for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9 as it's just a wonderful example of the great quality of Cabernet being produced in Washington.  This wine would pair well with just about any red meat, from steaks and chops, to braised short ribs or classic burgers for the 4th of July.  Tonight, I am pairing this wine with a classic recipe from the Northern Pacific Railroad, the sirloin of beef with mushroom sauce.  I took the chef's prerogative and adjusted this slightly to grilled T-bone instead of baked sirloin, but the roasted vegetables and mushroom sauce stayed true to the recipe.  Cheers!

2021 Forgeron Cellars Grenache

Happy Sunday!  I had a chance to do a little relaxing today, went out to see a movie in addition to doing laundry and a little office work, so now it's time for a nice Sunday dinner and glass of wine.  For dinner, it's the last Sunday of the month, which means it's time for "Dinner in the Diner" when I try a recipe that was once features on one of the classic passenger trains of the 20th Century.  But first, the wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2021 Forgeron Cellars Grenache, which is a 100% Grenache from the Boushey Vineyard in the Yakima Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is an easy garnet color in the glass, just as you might expect from this varietal.  A swirl of the glass reveals aromas of blackberry, currant and a hint of mint over the top.  Take a sip and you're in for a rush of ripe fruit, cherry, currant and plum, that transitions to some notes of cinnamon and spice midpalate. The tannins are well integrated, providing for a lovely dry finish with some lingering earthy notes at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a pleasant drinking, food friendly, lighter red wine ideal for the summer months (did I mention it was 82 degrees here today?).  Tonight, I am pairing this wine with a classic recipe from the dining cars on the Pennsylvania Railroad, Seafood Newburg!  It doesn't get much more classically 20th century than seafood in a sherry cream sauce!  I admit I took a few liberties with this recipe and added just scallops and shrimp, as that's what I had on hand, but I also added some peas to give it a little color as well.  The spice and tart fruit of this wine are a perfect foil to the richness of this dish.  Cheers!

2023 DaMa Wines Grenache Blanc

Happy Easter!  It's been a wonderful day of celebration of the risen Christ and the culmination of the holiest week in Christendom, and I admit I've been cooking most of the day, starting with breakfast frittatas for the worship team at church, then when I got home I started preparing dinner, which cooked all afternoon (more on that in a moment).  Today is also the last Sunday of the month, which makes it Dinner in the Diner Sunday, and I picked a surprising recipe from the Missouri Pacific Railroad, which used to run behind my uncle's house when I was growing up.  As for the wine, I picked a nice white wine for this meal, one that I received last week in my wine club shipment from DaMa Wines, the 2023 Grenache Blanc.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a crazy pale gold color in the glass, making this a truly white wine!  A swirl of the glass reveals captivating aromas of ripe pear, honeysuckle and a hint of citrus.  The first sip has your mind racing to Asia, with a rush of sweet fruit, pear, white peach and hibiscus dancing around your palate, before easing into some modest minerality midpalate.  The finish is dry, crisp and refreshing, an ideal wine for sipping on the summer patio.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as even though I'm not a big white wine enthusiast, I'll make an exception for this one.  This wine would pair well with a variety of summer salads, Asian dishes, or lighter fish dishes like a roasted branzino.  Tonight, I am pairing this wine with a "Curry of Lamb, Indian Style" recipe from the Missouri Pacific Railroad dining car, though I took some liberty in braising lamb shanks with the curry broth, before adding some additional veggies and the coconut milk and rue to thicken this delicious sauces, served over steamed basmati rice and garnished with fresh pea tendrils.  Cheers!

2019 Château Lalande de Gravet Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

Happy Sunday!  Well, since it's the last Sunday of the month, it's time for Dinner in the Diner, where I explore a recipe that once graced the dining cars of some of the classic trains of the 20th Century.  Tonight, I've once again decided to go with a nice Bordeaux with my dinner and I've opened a bottle of 2019 Château Lalande de Gravet Saint-Émilion Grand Cru that I purchased from Wines Till Sold Out.  This wine is a blend of Merlot (65%), Cabernet Franc (20%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) hand harvested from 45-year-old vines.  Let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a nice Merlot heavy blend.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of blackberry, cherry and plum, with undertones of espresso, cedar and classic Bordeaux funk.  Take a sip and you are immediately awash in tart cherry fruit that quickly eases into some sweeter notes of plum and blackberry, before transitioning to some notes of dusty limestone and green cedar midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured to provide the base for a long, smooth dry finish that is classic old world.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a pleasant tasting Bordeaux that hits all the right notes at a value price of just $20.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a comfort food Sunday dinner of Corn Bread Pie using the recipe from the B&O Railroad (posted below), which is simple to prepare and has a sweet and spicy filling, with a hearty cornbread crust.  I took a few liberties with the recipe and topped it with come shredded cheese and jalapenos to add just a little more zip. Cheers!

2018 Château Le Conte Marquey Puisseguin St-Émilion

Happy Sunday!  Tonight I am embarking on a new adventure for 2024, this time on the Food side of this blog.  Last year I bought an interesting cookbook, called "Dinner in the Diner" which is a compilation of 300 recipes from the dining cars of famous railroads and trains of the 20th century.  For this year, I am devoting the last Sunday of each month to exploring the recipes in the book and pairing them with a nice wine.  Tonight, the wine is a 2018 Château Le Conte Marquey Puisseguin St-Émilion that I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out.  This wine is a blend of Merlot (95%) and Cabernet Franc (5%) from an appellation located to the northeast of the village of Saint-Emilion.  Let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, with bright color on the edges, just as you might expect from a heavy Merlot blend.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of blackberry, leather and a bit of tawny port, amid undertones of violet and forest floor.  The first sip is a rush of black fruit, with woody undertones, blackberry, plum and cedar with hints of peppery spice as the tannins seem to sing in harmony with the earthy flavors.  With the well-structured tannins, the wine ends with a lovely dry finish that lingers on the palate with just a subtle reprise of Bordeaux funk.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it is an easy drinking and well structured wine that's also a terrific value, as this wine was part of the WTSO case sale at just $12.49 a bottle!  This wine would pair well with wonderfully rich French dishes, or beautifully sauced dishes, from Italian to Moroccan to Thai.  Tonight, however, I am enjoying this wine with a Curry chicken recipe from the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, a dish which may have been served on such classic trains as the Capitol Limited, along with some steamed rice and oven roasted carrots.  The recipe is reprinted below.  Cheers!