2014 Raymond Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It's been a hot, humid day of working around the house, completing a few random projects, including cleaning all the patio furniture and getting them out, now that my new roof is done.  And now I'm about ready for a nice glass of wine and a bit of relaxation.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of wine from a favorite Napa producer, the 2014 Raymond Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, part of their district collection.  This wine is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from a single vineyard in the district.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center, with deep ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from a nice Napa Cabernet.  After letting this one breathe for an hour or so, a quick swirl in the glass reveals aromas of blackberry, tart cherry and currant, intermingled with some floral notes of lilac and violet.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and plum, with some bright acidity, which is somewhat unexpected.  The tannins are extremely smooth, and well structured, providing for a wonderfully long, dry finish that's reminiscent of a quality Bordeaux.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a wonderful example of a lovely Napa Cabernet from a single district that punches well above it's weight class, particularly at a price of $43 from Wines Till Sold Out.  This wine practically begs to be paired with a big steak, and it just so happens I picked up some enormous prime tomahawk ribeyes from Costco yesterday.  I'm enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime tomahawk ribeye along with some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2013 Boyd Big Ranch Vineyard Syrah

Happy Sunday!  I have to admit this was a rather uneventful day.  After church I came home and started the laundry then went out to buy a leaf vacuum and then grocery shopping.  It was a crazy day as it seemed everyone was out of at least one thing I needed (I went to 4 stores to find leeks!), but finally made it home in time to finish laundry and start dinner.  And with dinner I've decided to open a bottle that my boss gave me, the 2013 Boyd Big Ranch Vineyard Syrah from the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley.

The wine has a classic look of Syrah, dark and brooding in the glass.  The nose presents aromas of earth, ripe black fruit and peppery spice.  The taste is just lovely, with a gradual building of fruit, blackberry, plum and cherry that reaches a crescendo as the fruit transitions to some lovely mineral and spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat youthful, but firm, lending a solid foundation for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5 as it's a great example of the varietal with wonderful complexity.  It's also a beautiful wine for fall as the flavors just scream autumn harvest.  And it's a good thing as I'm enjoying this wine with a fall dinner of pan seared duck breast, along with roasted fingerling potatoes, golden beets and leeks.  Autumn on a plate and in the glass, cheers!

2012 Boyd Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Friday!  I finally made it to the weekend and I just got home from getting new tires for my truck, and it's time to relax with a nice glass of wine.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of wine that my boss gave me a month or two ago, and I've been excited to try this one, the 2012 Boyd Cabernet Sauvignon from the Oak Knoll district of Napa Valley.  This one is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Mogambo vineyard.  As Napa is famous for big, bold Cabs, this one should fit the bill quite nicely!

The wine is an inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose presents aromas of blackberry, cherry and currant over leather and oak, with just a slight floral hint over the top.  The taste is wonderful, with a rising cascade of black fruit, that culminates in some mocha and spicy black pepper notes midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat chewy but an excellent foundation for the long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this one a solid 9, as it's just what you'd expect from a big, bold Napa Cabernet from an outstanding vintage.  This is clearly a red meat wine, which is good since I'm enjoying this one with a rare grilled Angus New York Strip, grilled Brussels sprouts and a big old baked potato.  Cheers!