2022 Woodward Canyon Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  For most, you are enjoying a long holiday weekend, but now that I am teaching, I don't get many of the traditional holidays, so for me, this is just a routine Sunday dinner.  But at least there is wine!  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of a perennial favorite, the 2022 Woodward Canyon Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon!  I have reviewed many vintages (not always in the correct time sequence), going all the way back to the 2010 Vintage.  The current vintage is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (98%) and 1% each of Petit Verdot and Malbec.  Let's see how this vintage is shaping up!

The wine has a classic Cabernet look, inky black at the center and bright ruby along the edges. The nose presents aromas of green grass, black currant and blackberry, with hints of floral undertones.  The first sip is classic Washington Cabernet, with a rush of black fruit, overtaken by earthy basalt and oak, that eases into some dark chocolate midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, providing for a very smooth dry finish that lingers until your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's drinking very nicely now, but is sure to evolve meaningfully over the coming decade.  This wine would pair well with a range of hearty dishes, as well as hard cheeses, but it seems like this would feel most at home with a big honkin' steak.  Well, as luck would have it, tonight I am enjoying this wine with perhaps the biggest tomahawk steak I've ever grilled (and don't worry, this will likely be my dinner for the entire week!), with the last of the hatch chilies I just roasted.  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!

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!

2020 Helix Cabernet Sauvignon XM

Happy Sunday!  I made the critical error of pulling weeds and then mowing in the current heatwave, and now that I've been indoors for 4 hours I think I may have finally recovered from the heat!  In any case, it's time for a nice dinner and a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2020 Helix Cabernet Sauvignon XM, which is one of the latest trends pioneered by Chuck Reininger in allowing wine to age in barrel for an extended period of time, hence the XM for extended maturation.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (89%), Tempranillo (7%) and Malbec (4%) from the Phinny Hill, StoneTree, and Stone Valley Vineyards in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  Let's see if this wine was worth the wait!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity, but a bit lighter than your typical Cabernet.  The nose presents aromas of leather, oak amid hints of black pepper, umami and black olive.  The first sip is a rush of ripe cherry, blueberry and currant that transitions easily to notes of charred meat, tobacco and dried herbs midpalate.  The tannins are smartly structured, providing a velvety, smooth dry finish that lingers until your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's an interesting departure from your typical big, bold Cabernet.  This wine would pair well with summer dishes, from grilled burgers and brats to steaks and barbecued ribs.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with an eclectic Sunday dinner of a grilled porterhouse with garlic scapes, steamed purple broccoli and risotto alla milanese.  Cheers!

2022 Château Lamothe Bordeaux

Happy Saturday!  It is hot as blazes here today, I did just a bit of yard work and could not stop sweating, so I decided to run errands and do my grocery shopping in air conditioned locations instead!  Granted it was only 95 today, but with the 70% humidity it was remarkably unpleasant, though not entirely unbearable.  In any case, now that the sun is low, it's time for dinner and a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle that I bought a few months ago from Wines Till Sold Out.  The 2022 Château Lamothe Bordeaux is a classic right bank Bordeaux with a heavy hand of Merlot (80%) accompanied by Cabernet Sauvignon (12%), Cabernet Franc (4%) and Malbec (4%).  Let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with great clarity, a testament to the Merlot influents.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of rich leather, earthy peat and oak with defined aromas of blackberry, currant and black olive.  The first sip is a rush of lovely black fruit, blackberry, plum and currant that ease into earthy notes of dusty limestone and olive tapenade midpalate.  The fine grain tannins provide the ideal foundation for the long, smooth dry finish that is classic Bordeaux.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it punches above its weight class, especially considering the price as this wine was a bargain at just $15!  This wine would pair well with a ranges of dishes, from hearty steaks and chops, to pasta or seared salmon.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled ribeye with sautéed onions, peppers and mushrooms and some grilled corn on the cob.  Cheers!

2020 Seven Hills Pentad

Today was my annual pilgrimage to Illinois to plant flowers at the cemetery for all my family members and at least the weather was very pleasant.  Five flats of flowers planted and now I'm ready for a nice dinner and a glass of wine, before the serious flower planting commences tomorrow.  Tonight I've opened a perennial favorite, and although I have gone out of order in reviewing the 2021 vintage before this one, I am happy to share the 2020 Seven Hills Pentad this evening.  This wine is a blend of the five primary Bordeaux varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carmenere, but I can't find the fact sheet for the 2020 vintage, so we'll just have to enjoy this wine without knowing the breakdown of the blend.  Here goes nothing!

The wine is has a hearty look in the glass, inky black at the center and bright ruby along the edges.  The nose presents aromas of green grass, leather and undertones of blackberry and currant.  The first sip is a rush of ripe black fruit that transitions easily to some earthy notes of olive tapenade, and black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are well structured, providing for a wonderfully dry finish that has just enough earthy funk to pay homage to the Bordeaux heritage.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as it's a classic version of what Walla Walla does so well with Bordeaux style blends.  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from rack of lamb to braised short ribs, thick steaks to grilled octopus.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled T-bone steak with cowboy crust seasoning, oven roasted purple fingerling potatoes and bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2022 Pepper Bridge Vineyard Red Wine

Happy Saturday!  I have to admit, I had intended to get a bunch of work done today, but I ended up spending some time with friends, going to the farmers market and picking up some groceries and before I knew it, it was time to make dinner and get to the theatre for tonight's performance!  Oh well, the best laid plans of mice and men I guess, but at least there is wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of the recent wine club shipment from Pepper Bridge Winery, the 2022 Pepper Bridge Vineyard Walla Walla Red Wine.  This latest vintage is a blend of Merlot (40%), Malbec (30%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (30%) all from the Pepper Bridge Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  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 these varietals.  Swirl the glass gently and you're treated to aromas of blackberry, plum and cherry intermingled with baking spice, sage and a bit of vanilla caramel.  The first sip is a rush of candied cherries and boysenberry that is the opposite of what your nose had you expecting, before you take another turn toward some dusty limestone and green cedar midpalate.  The tannins are smooth and well integrated, providing for a delightfully smooth dry finish that lingers until your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a perennial favorite and a prime example of why Walla Walla does so well with Bordeaux style blends!  This with would pair well with a wide range of hearty dishes, from beef stew to braised lamb, hearty pasta to cedar planked salmon.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a pan seared prime New York strip, with blistered cherry tomatoes and some linguine tossed with garlic, asparagus and broccoli rabe.  Cheers!

2022 Woodward Canyon Grenache Mourvèdre Syrah Malbec Red Wine

Happy Easter!  Although the weather forecast was for rain, it's been an absolutely beautiful sunny day in the low 60s, perfect for relaxing and finishing the last bit of yard work for the weekend.  And of course there is Easter dinner to look forward to, and tonight is a good one, ideal for a new blend from Woodward Canyon that arrived a week or two ago.  This is what I affectionately call a GSMM blend with the addition of Malbec.  This wine is a blend of Grenache (41%), Mourvèdre (29%), Syrah (24%) and Malbec (6%) from the Woodward Canyon Estate Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  Let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from this blend.  The nose presents rustic aromas of green grass, earthy peat and undertones of ripe blueberry, cherry and currant.  The first sip is a rush of ripe black fruit, cherry, blackberry and currant that wash across you palate with just the right amount of sweetness before transitioning to some notes of forest floor and black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are youthful but well behaved, providing for a wonderful smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a step up from the standard GSM blend, as the Malbec really gives this wine some nice backbone.  This wine would pair well with a range of hearty dishes, from steaks and chops to pappardelle Bolognese, lamb to ratatouille.  Tonight, I am going the classic lamb route, but rather than the standard rack of lamb, I found a lamb loin roast at my local market, so a boneless rack of lamb!  I served this herb crusted with mashed potatoes, oven roasted Brussels sprouts and a red wine reduction.  Cheers! 

2020 Château Haut-Therón Malbec Cahors

Happy Saturday!  I started the day rather mellow, heading to the farmers market and then home to do yard work and that's where the trouble started!  I finished raking all the small sticks from winter and then began my annual war with the dandelions, bending over and digging up three gallon buckets of them, I'm sure I will feel it tomorrow!  In any case, it's time for a nice dinner and bottle of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2020 Château Haut-Therón Malbec Cahors that I picked up in a $150 case sale from Wines Till Sold Out.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

I'll admit, I'm a fan of Argentine Malbec, but I am approaching this French version with an open mind.  The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you would expect from a nice Malbec.  The nose presents aromas of leather, smoky charred oak, spicy pepper and bright red berries.  The first sip is a rather surprising rush of red fruit, cherry, currant and raspberry that transition easily to notes of mint and peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are very mellow, providing for a classic French smooth dry finish, that will have you forgetting that you are drinking wine at all.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a very classic Malbec, but not as bold as it's long, lost cousins from Mendoza.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hard cheeses, smoked meat or a classic steak.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled bone-in ribeye, mashed sweet potatoes and oven roasted broccoli rabe.  Cheers!

2015 Reininger Tahoma

Well, it's the first Saturday of the new month, meaning it's Cellar Saturday!  This is the special day when I raid the cellar for something at least a decade in the making.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2015 Reininger Tahoma, a classic Bordeaux style blend that is a specialty of Washington wine makers.  This wine is a blend of Sangiovese (50%), Merlot (22%), Cabernet Sauvignon (22%), Malbec (3%) and Petit Verdot (3%) from the Seven Hills, Pepper Bridge and XL Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  Of note, this wine was aged in barrel eight years before release, giving a very different character to this wine.  Just a couple months ago I reviewed the 2017 vintage, so let's see what the older sibling has to offer!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with a heartier look than the prevalence of Sangiovese would suggest.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of blackberry, leather, and hints of floral.  Take a sip and you're treated to a rush of ripe black fruit, cherry, currant and blackberry that transition effortlessly to some notes of earthy peat and black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are vibrant and well structured, providing for a very dry yet velvety smooth finish that lingers until your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a classic example of a Washington blend, but also highlights the creativity of Chuck Reininger and his team.  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from classic ratatouille to Yankee pot roast, hearty pasta to braised lamb shank.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with an Angus ribeye grilled rare along with some grilled leeks and steamed asparagus with hollandaise.  Cheers!

2019 Forgeron Anvil "The Minnick" Proprietary Blend

Sunday has been a rather relaxing day, I did a couple loads of laundry and now I am having an early dinner before heading out to an audition at my local community theatre.  For no reason other than it's been sitting on my counter for months or maybe years, tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2019 Forgeron Anvil "The Minnick" Proprietary Blend.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot, meant to pay homage to the classic Bordeaux-style blends, so prevalent in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  Let's see how this one is tasting.

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, a testament to the influence of the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the blend.  The nose presents aromas of black raspberry, currant and cherry with undertones of eucalyptus and hints of floral.  The first sip is a surprising rush of tawny black fruit, intermingled with hints of forest floor and white pepper spice, before easing into some hints of vanilla bean midpalate.  The fine grain tannins present the ideal structure for the velvety smooth dry finish that seems to linger for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, having enjoyed the vintages going back to 2017, this is a perennial favorite for Walla Walla blends.  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from hearty pasta to lamb, steaks to barbecue.  Tonight, I am going a bit off the beaten path and enjoying this wine with some herb crusted cod and bucatini tossed with asparagus and broccoli rabe sautéed in garlic and olive oil.  Cheers!

2020 Reininger Walla Walla Malbec

Happy Sunday!  I have been making a regular habit, for the past two weeks at least, of making classic pot roast for comfort food Sunday dinner.  Last week it was a bison chuck roast, and this week it's a beef round roast.  So, choosing a wine is fairly straightforward, it should be red, but then the nuance kicks in.  Should I go with a big Cab? A subdued Merlot?  A Bordeaux?  Well, if you haven't already looked at the title of this post, I settled on a 2020 Reininger Walla Walla Malbec!  This wine is Malbec (98%) with a but if Cabernet Sauvignon (2%) sourced from the Pepper Bridge (49%), Stone Valley (49%) and Seven Hills (2%) Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  Let's see how I did choosing a Malbec with beef!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from the varietal.  The nose presents aromas of leather, violet, blackberry and just a hint of anise, opening up to invite you to an exotic dance of flavors.  The first sip is a cascade of ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant that is at first a bit sweet, before turning a bit tawny with other earthy notes. The tannins are well integrated, providing just the right amount of structure to the wine and its long, smooth dry finish with just a bit of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a very solid effort for a varietal that can be hard to get right.  This wine would pair with about any beef imaginable, as I just picture this wine going so well with the endless train of beef served by the gauchos and a Brazilian steakhouse.  As you likely guessed, tonigth I am enjoying this wine with my Sunday comfort food dinner of bacon lattice wrapped beef round roast, with carrots, celery and pearl onions and a heap of mashed potatoes and gravy.  Cheers!

2023 Seven Hills McClellan Estate Malbec

Happy Saturday!  It was a long week, and it's not even over yet!  At least I got to sleep in today before working some more, but now it's time for a relaxing dinner and a nice bottle of wine before the time change which will have me groggy for the next week.  Tonight I've opened a bottle from a wine club shipment from Seven Hills Winery that I got yesterday.  The 2023 Seven Hills Walla Walla Malbec is sourced from fruit grown on the McClellan Estate Vineyard in Walla Walla, so let's see how this wine is starting out!

The wine has a dark center and bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect for a classic Malbec.  The nose presents a an intriguing combination of smoke, blackberry and leather, with undertones of earthy peat.  The first sip is jarring rush of tart cherry that eventually subsides, evolving into some notes of blackberry, olive tapenade and dried herbs midpalate.  The tannins are well structured, providing for a long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a wonderfully drinking Malbec, but is still quite young.  I expect this wine will age gracefully and be quite a stunner with a few years in the cellar.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from hearty pasta, lamb or Sunday pot roast, but like any great Malbec, this wine yearns for a nice steak.  We wouldn't you know it, tonight I just to happen to have a pan seared Za'atar seasoned New York Strip over sautéed onions, peppers and mushrooms with some steamed asparagus with hollandaise.  Cheers!

2020 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It was a rather relaxing but productive day for me, doing some work, chores and getting to the gym, so I figure I deserve to open a really good bottle of wine, so tonight I've opened a bottle of 2020 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon!  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (89%), Merlot (6%), Malbec (3%) and Petit Verdot (2%) sourced from the McQueen, LeFore, Bob Healy, Figgins, Flying B, Loess Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  I've reviewed this wine since the 2011 Vintage (you can see the posts here), so let's see how this vintage is shaping up!

The wine is a deep inky black at the center, with bright garnet along the edges, just what you'd like to see in a high-end Cabernet.  The nose exudes notes of leather, subtle floral notes under black fruit that hearken back to an eighteenth century library.  The first sip is a subdued combination of black raspberry, cherry and plum amid toasted oak, that transitions to notes of vanilla and baking spice.  This wine has such a velvety mouthfeel it's ridiculous, as the rich tannins provide for a voluptuous dry finish that will have you reaching for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as it's just a spectacular Cabernet from a somewhat challenging vintage.  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from rack of lamb to braised short ribs, wild mushroom risotto to thick steaks.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with my Sunday dinner of pan seared New York strip, steamed asparagus with hollandaise and a baked potato with sour cream and chives.  Cheers!

2021 Seven Hills Pentad

Happy Saturday!  It's been a somewhat relaxing day today, finishing up a few chores and errands before settling in for dinner before the theatre tonight.  For this post, I've opened up a bottle of 2021 Seven Hills Pentad, a classic Bordeaux style blend of five grape varietals (hence "Pentad") from the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Merlot (19%), Petit Verdot (9%), Malbec (9%) and Cabernet Franc (8%), so let's see how this previous vintage is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with an inky center, a testament to the heavy hand of Cabernet Sauvignon on the blend.  The nose presents welcoming aromas of leather, cedar and ripe blackberry amid undertones of baking spice.  The first sip is a marked departure from the Cabernet heavy expectations, as you are awash in mellow notes of boysenberry and plum, before the heavy hand of Cabernet makes its presence known with a rush of acidity, leather and earthy limestone midpalate.  The tannins are up front but well structured, providing for a wonderfully smooth dry finish that lingers into your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it represents the best of Walla Walla when it comes to blending Bordeaux varietals, and although I think it's drinking well now, it will likely improve with a few years in the cellar.  This wine would pair well with hearty meals, pasta, beef stew, braised short ribs or lamb rack, and of course steak.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a cowboy crusted ribeye grilled Pittsburgh rare, oven roasted potatoes and steamed sugar snaps.  Cheers!

2019 Reininger Walla Walla Malbec

Happy Saturday!  It's been a crazy weather day today, with cold and freezing rain, but I made it through grocery shopping and am back home for a nice dinner and glass of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle that's been hanging around and ignored with it's siblings from 2020 and 2021.  The 2019 Reininger Walla Walla Malbec is a 100% Malbec sourced from the Pepper Bridge Vineyard (86%) and Stone Valley Vineyard (14%) in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting after a few years in the cellar!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a classic Malbec.  The nose presents aromas of violet, espresso and blackberry, an fresh earthy blend that will have you anxious for a sip.  The first taste is a rush of tart cherry, blackberry and espresso that gives way to some earthy loam and tobacco midpalate.  The tannins are expertly structured to provide for the perfect foundation for the smooth, long dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a quintessential example of the promise of Malbec in the capable hands of a Walla Walla winemaker.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from braised short ribs to rack of lamb, but honestly this wine just begs to be paired with steak, like the gauchos of Argentina.  Well, we're in luck as tonight I am enjoying this wine with a pan seared filet mignon, mashed potatoes and gravy and steamed asparagus with hollandaise.  Cheers!

2020 Woodward Canyon Old Vines Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  I had a rather uneventful Sunday, did a little laundry, went to the gym, ran some errands and now I'm ready to finish my weekend with a nice dinner and a glass of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a rather special wine, that is seemingly always at the top of the ratings.  The 2020 Woodward Canyon Old Vines Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (94%), Petit Verdot (3%) and Malbec (3%) sourced from the Sagemoor, Wienbau and Woodward Canyon Estate Vineyards in Washington state.  I can't wait to take a sip!

The wine has an inky black look at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from a nice Cabernet.  The nose presents aromas of blackberry, anise, black currant, lemongrass and cocoa that egg you on to take that first sip.  And that sip is a delight as you experience a rush of ripe black fruit that fills your mouth as your brain catches up.  Soon, you are whisked to an Ivy League library with rich leather, anise and vanilla caramel midpalate, before the firm yet smooth tannins set you up for the long, velvety dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as it's exemplary of what great Washington Cabernet can be.  While this is likely not an everyday sipper, it's well worth opening with family and friends for a special evening.  This wine would pair well with braised short ribs or rack of lamb, but who are we kidding, this big wine wants nothing but steak!  Tonight, I am doing just that, and enjoying this wine with a rare grilled Angus ribeye, blistered tomatoes on the vine, bacon roasted Brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes and gravy.  Cheers!

2016 Aruma Malbec

Happy Sunday! it's been a heck of a week, but now I have some time for a nice bottle of wine with my Sunday dinner.  Given my penchant for beef, tonight I've opened a bottle of 2016 Aruma Malbec that I purchased from Wine Till Sold Out. This wine is a 100% Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina, which is a classic region for this wine. So, let's see how this wine is shaping up!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, just as you'd expect from a nice Malbec.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of leather, white pepper, cassis and earthy basalt.  Take a sip and you are awash in ripe cherry, blackberry and currant, that transitions easily to some ripe fruit notes, before easing into some dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are well structured, providing for a long, smooth dry finish that will have you reaching for another sip.

Overall. I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a classic steak friendly wine a a value price (I think I bought this one for under $20!).   This wine would pair well with almost any beef dish, as well as braised lamb, chili or steak tacos.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled T-bone steak, oven roasted candy stripe beets and broccolini.  Cheers!

2021 Pepper Bridge Vineyard Red Wine

Happy Taco Tuesday!  Well I guess that ruined the surprise of what's for dinner this evening.  Of course, there are so many good red wines to enjoy with classic tacos, but tonight I've settled on a bottle of 2021 Pepper Bridge Vineyard red wine.  This wine is a classic Walla Walla red blend of Merlot (34%), Malbec (33%), Cabernet Sauvignon (24%) and Petit Verdot (9%), making this an ideal wine for steak tacos! This wine is composed of varietals exclusively sourced from the Pepper Bridge Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington, so let's have a taste shall we?

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, as you might expect from such a blend.  The nose presents an intriguing blend of aromas, blackberry, ripe plum with undertones of anise, baking spice and cocoa powder.  The first sip is a rush of ripe black fruit counterbalanced with tart cherry, that eases into notes of cedar and dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, providing for a lush mouthfeel and a deliciously smooth dry finish that will have you reaching for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a solid example of the quality of red wine blends consistently produced in Walla Walla.  This wine would pair well with grilled steak, classic spaghetti and meatballs, rack of lamb, tacos or barbecue.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with my Taco Tuesday dinner of steak fajita tacos with all the trimmings.  Cheers!