2015 Force Majeure Parvata

It's the first Saturday of the new month, which means it's Cellar Saturday, that glorious time when I raid the cellar for something at least a decade in the making.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle that hasn't been in my cellar very long, as I bought it earlier this year from Wines Till Sold Out.  The 2015 Force Majeure Parvata is a Southern Rhone-style blend of Mourvèdre (46%), Syrah (34%) and Grenache (20%) from the Force Majeure Estate Vineyard in the Red Mountain AVA of Washington.  So, let's see if this wine is singing or if it's past its prime as some reviewers projected shortly after release.

The wine is a lovely, deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd like to see from such a blend.  The nose presents its own adventure with aromas of leather, blackberries and currant that jump to some smoked meat and dried herbs, then back to dark chocolate and hints of peppery spice.  The first sip is wildly decadent, with a rich velvety mouthfeel and flavors of ripe blackberry and plum up front, before an easing into some smoked duck and peppery spice, ahead of some earthy basalt at the finish.  The tannins are still right there, thick and chewy and playing their essential role in the long, smooth dry finish that lingers for what seems like ten minutes.

The experts were clearly wrong, as this wine is still singing well past their drinking window into 2023, and I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as it's one of the best Southern Rhone-style blends I've had from Washington state.  This wine would pair well with a variety of soft cheese, rack of lamb or classic steak.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a pan seared New York strip over a bed of sautéed onions and mushrooms along with a big baked potato.  Cheers!

2021 Le Quart du Roi Côtes-du-Rhône

Happy Sunday!  I confess I've sheltered in place today with the heat wave we've been having, 87 degrees and 78% humidity is not my cup of tea!  So, I did some laundry and a few other indoor chores and now it's time for Sunday dinner and a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2021 Le Quart du Roi Côtes-du-Rhône which I bought last year from Wines Till Sold Out.  This wine is a classic Rhône blend of Syrah (50%), Grenache (30%), Cinsault (10%) and Carignan (10%).  Let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a beautiful deep ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity.  The nose is chock full of ripe red fruit, cherry, plum and currant with hints of green pepper and dried herbs.  The first sip is a fruit forward affaire, with almost jammy red fruit, cherry, currant and strawberry that eases into some spicy notes of white pepper and a bit of rosemary.  Having tasted many French wines, I come to expect a bit of earthiness on the finish, but this wine is well balanced with firm tannings and a smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a wonderfully drinking and food friendly wine that was a terrific value at just $12.49!  This wine would be exceptionally well paired with unusual, hard-to-pair dishes, like Asian or Indian, which is a good thing, since tonight I am enjoying this wine with some chicken Tikka Masals with lots of veggies over basmati rice and a bit of naan to mop up the sauce.  Cheers!  

2018 Vallée des Aigles IGP Côtes Catalanes Carignan

Happy Saturday!  I was planning to do yard work today, but it was too windy to get the leaf blower out, so instead I decided to build my raised garden bed and dig around the foundation of the shed and fill it with river rock to help drainage.  So a productive day of hard work and now I'm ready for a nice meal and glass of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2018 Vallée des Aigles IGP Côtes Catalanes Carignan that I recently purchased from Wines Till Sold Out.  Carignan is mainly used as a blending grape with Southern Rhone blends, and I think this is the first time I've tried the single varietal.  This wine was made from fruit harvested from 60-100 year old vines in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in the south of France near the Spanish border and the Mediterranean.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting.

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, somewhat reminiscent of a nice Cabernet.  A gentle swirl in the glass reveals aromas of sweet cherry, raspberry and aged leather, with soft floral undertones.  Take a sip and you're palate is awash in sweet fruit, cherry, raspberry and currant, that has acidity that at first blush makes you think of sweet-tarts candy, but then the taste evolves into some rich minerality and white pepper spice, before the smooth tannins kick in for added complexity on the long dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a surprisingly pleasant expression of a varietal that happily lives in the background.  This wine was also a terrific value at just $14 (I wish I'd bought more!).  This wine would pair well with hearty lamb dishes, beef stew or hearty pasta dishes.  Tonight, I am taking a bold departure and enjoying this wine with a sesame crusted tuna steak topped with sunflower sprouts, steamed rice and broccoli, with a citrus wasabi dipping sauce.  Cheers!

2021 Réserve de l'Abbé Côtes du Rhône Rosé

Happy Sunday!  It's been an incredibly busy week with work, so I'm afraid I haven't had much time for blogging or drinking wine, but at least tonight I have a small break.  Since we are now in the heart of rosé season, and because today has been incredibly warm and humid, I've decided to open a bottle I recently purchased from Wines Till Sold Out.  The 2021 Réserve de l'Abbé Côtes du Rhône Rosé is a blend of Grenache and Syrah from the left bank of the Rhone in the Enclave des Papes region of France.  So, let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a very pale peach color in the glass, nearly bordering on the look of a white wine.  A swirl of the glass reveals aromas of ripe red berry fruit, strawberry, currant and raspberry with just a hint of citrus undertones.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of ripe red fruit, as this is a very fruit forward wine, with notes of cherry and raspberry up front that transitions to hints of lemongrass and watermelon midpalate, creating a lively crispness on the palate.  The finish is crisp and dry, making this a refreshing and food friendly rosé for summer.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a pleasant drinking rosé for summer and it was also a terrific value at just $10.  This wine would pair well with summer salads, such as caprese or a roasted beet and feta over arugula, as well as spicy dishes, including fajitas or even a rich curry.  Tonight I am enjoying this with a comfort food favorite as I made some fresh eggplant parmesan with a couple of eggplants I bought at the farmers market yesterday.  Cheers!

2019 Caves du Fournalet Côtes du Rhône

Happy Sunday!  Tonight I am going to prove the inherent wisdom of P. T. Barnum, as the wine I've selected this evening was one that I bought completely based on the packaging, the only question remaining is whether I was a sucker!  So, let's try to answer that question.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2019 Caves du Fournalet Côtes du Rhône which I recently picked up at Trader Joe's mainly because it has a very interesting bottle, and after all, it was only $7, so what could go wrong?  I like Rhône varietals, so this could be a hidden gem!

The wine is a lighter body, with great clarity and a bright ruby color as you might expect from a Rhône wine.  The nose is rather subdued, with some aromas of blueberry, tart cherry and hints of tarragon.  The taste is very fruit forward with notes of sweet cherry, blueberry and cassis, that transitions to some notes of peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are soft, but still supportive of a nice, dry finish that's a bit abrupt.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7, it's nothing spectacular, but it was certainly a value and a classic pizza and burger wine, as you wouldn't feel bad opening this one for a casual dinner.  This wine would also pair well with some lamb and pasta dishes too, which comes in handy since I'm enjoying this wine tonight with some grilled lamb loin chops along with mashed potatoes and grilled purple cauliflower.  So, was I a sucker?  Cheers!

2016 Les Vieilles Pierres Costieres de Nimes

Happy Independence Day eve!  Advanced warning: I will not be posting tomorrow since I will be busy much of the day getting ready for 4th of July rib fest at my house!  So, in honor of my last evening of relaxation, I've opened a bottle of wine that was a gift from a former boss who has very similar taste in wine to me, the 2016 Les Vieilles Pierres Costieres de Nimes.  Now this AOC was once part of the Languedoc region, but given they seem to have more in common with the Rhone Valley, they shifted to the Rhone region.  Which makes some sense with this blend of Syrah (80%) and Grenache (20%) from a region that's been making wine since before the Romans arrived in France.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, as you'd expect from such a Syrah dominant blend.  The nose is a wonderful cascade of ripe red fruit, raspberry, cherry, strawberry and cassis overlaid with lovely floral notes.  The taste is a rush of tart cherry at the outset that transitions to some notes of green grass and olive notes midpalate.  The tannins are a bit tightly wound, resulting in a somewhat sharp, but very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's a pleasant blend but still a bit young.  With a few years in the cellar this wine will no doubt improve.  As for pairings, this wine would go well with some nice chevre or perhaps with some steak or seafood.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a bit of an unorthodox pairing, with a big cold water lobster tail, mashed potatoes and chives and some steamed green beans.  The tart cherry in the wine is a nice foil to the richness of the lobster.  Cheers!

2017 Vacation to Walla Walla Wine Country - The Last Day!

Well, my last full day in Walla Walla was sure busy, and although I wish I had one more day, this was still a fun filled and relaxing vacation (and my first vacation of the year too!).  My day started at 11:00 am for a lovely pairing menu at Seven Hills Winery.

Seven Hills Winery founder and winemaker Casey McClellan at the head
of the table as Danielle pours some Artz Vineyard Reserve Cabernet.

I have to thank Julie and Danielle at Seven Hills for arranging a wonderful tasting menu with the help of Chef Sarah of Sipid Bites Catering.  And the best part was that founder and winemaker, Casey McClellan was able to join us for a while and talk about his wines, the upcoming harvest and the recent vintages.

The wonderful line up of small bites and fantastic wines!

As for the pairings, we enjoyed the 2014 McClellan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon with a tartine with roasted tomato, whipped chevre and fresh basil.  Then a sauteed mushroom risotto cake with arugula paired with the 2014 Seven Hills Vineyard Merlot (this was my favorite pairing by far!), followed by a Panamanian grass-fed beef empanada paired with the 2014 Pentad and finally a lamb ragu polenta with Romano and fresh herbs paired with the 2014 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from the Artz vineyard which was drinking beautifully!

Barrel tasting the 2015 Summit View Cabernet Sauvignon.

Then we were off to the barrel room to taste the 2015 Summit View Cabernet that will be released this fall, and it was fantastic with a very limited production.  We also had the chance to see the new catwalks that were recently installed which should make punch downs so much easier this year.

The recently remodeled tasting room at Rotie Cellars in Walla Walla.

Next I was off to Rotie Cellars for a tasting of their wonderful Rhone style blends.  We tasted through the whites and rose, then the Northern blend and Southern blend, all of which were very well done, old world style blends.  Ultimately I settled on a bottle of the 2013 Homage to bring home with me.

Pepper Bridge winemaker Jean-Francois Pellet in the library room.

Then I was off to my last stop of the day, down to Pepper Bridge Vineyards for a tasting with Jean-Francois Pellet, partner and winemaker.  After the winemaker dinner at Ox & Cart the night before, JF invited us to do tour and tasting with him.

The barrel room at Pepper Bridge Winery.

We toured the facilities and library as well as the barrel room which was very impressive.  There were five of us on the tour, so I spent most of my time taking it all in!  We tasted through the 2014 Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as the 2013 and 2014 Trine, all of which were delicious.

The view as we relaxed on the deck at Pepper Bridge, I can't imagine a
more pleasant way to spend an afternoon!

At the end of the tour, we went out on the deck overlooking the vineyard and the Blue Mountains and JF opened a bottle of Seven Hills Rose (back to where I started the day!) which was interesting as I thought it really spoke to the sense of community in Walla Walla.  After the rose, we had a chance to open a bottle of 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon which was spectacular!  I couldn't think of a better way to end an afternoon of tasting than in that perfect environment.

Dinner on the patio at Passatempo, wonderful pasta!

II ended the day with dinner at Passatempo, a new (well new since my last visit in 2015) pasta restaurant in the old Pastime Pub in Walla Walla.  It's a lovely environment as I enjoyed an al fresco dinner on the patio, including a lovely beet salad and pesto bucatini.  It was definitely well worth it!  And alas my wonderful Walla Walla Wine Country vacation came to a close as I type this before heading to the airport.  I just need to make sure it's not another two years before I return!

2013 Helix Stone Tree SoRho

Happy Sunday!  It's time to get some Sunday dinner and a great glass of wine!  It's been snowy and then rainy all weekend here, so alas I got nothing done in the yard, so I tried to do some indoor projects.  Needless to say, I am the only person on earth that could possibly turn changing out the hinge on a toilet seat into a half-day project!  So tonight I need me a good glass of wine, and where else could I turn than the Columbia Valley of Washington.  I'm a big fan of Rhone blends, so I've opened a bottle of the most recent wine club selection from Reininger, the 2013 Helix Stone Tree SoRho, a southern Rhone style blend of Mourvedre (40%), Grenache (33%) and Cinsault (27%).  So let's see how this one stacks up!

The wine is a bright ruby in the glass with great clarity.  The nose presents aromas of blueberry, cherries, pomegranate and some lovely dried herb notes.  The taste is surprisingly isn't a rush of fruit I was expecting, but instead there were some delicate notes of blueberry and cherry cola that transitioned nicely to some notes of tobacco, black pepper, dried cherry and cinnamon midpalate.  The finish was quite nice, as the tannins pull you in for the crescendo of cherries and herbs that seem to linger on till you take your next sip.

I must admit, I've reviewed the 2010 vintage (see here) and the 2012 vintage (see here) and this has to be the best one yet!  I think this one ranks a solid 8.5, as it's such a pleasant drinking and food friendly wine.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some grilled pork tenderloin along with some steamed asparagus and grilled leeks.  This wine is ideal for savory meat dishes, whether port, beef or chicken, as the notes of fruit coupled with lively spice notes make this a sure Sunday dinner crowd pleaser!

2012 Helix Stone Tree SoRho

Happy Thursday!  So tonight I've come home at a reasonable hour and what the heck?  Why not open a bottle of wine?  For this evening, it's a recently delivered wine club selection from Reininger Winery in Walla Walla, the 2012 Helix Stone Tree SoRho, a southern Rhone style blend of Mourvedre (42%), Cinsault (31%) and Grenache (27%) that ends up being such a food friendly sort of wine!

The wine is a deep garnet color in the glass with great clarity.  The nose is a classic Rhone, with aromas of  black cherry, cassis and blueberry over some earthy notes of fresh cut grass, rose petals and leather.  The taste is just lovely, some fantastic fruit blasts forward, blueberries, black currant and boysenberry that effortlessly transitions to some notes of vanilla spice and toasted oak midpalate.  The finish is lovely, with a touch of anise and cassis that lend some complexity to young tannins, and making for a long, smooth finish that has you begging for more!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a great blend and the price is reasonable at $36 before any wine club discounts.  As I mentioned, this is a very food friendly wine, and tonight I'm pairing it with a nice panko crusted walleye filet, with some oven roasted fingerling potatoes and steamed asparagus, the fruit in this wine really accents the flavors of the walleye, a personal favorite when it comes to fresh water fish.  Cheers!

2011 Domaine du Grand Montmirail Gigondas

For tonight I've decided on a nice GSM blend to enjoy in the evening, and which I think will pair well with a rather challenging dinner.  So I've opened a bottle of 2011 Domaine du Grand Montmirail Gigondas, a classic Rhone Valley blend of Grenache (60%), Syrah (30%) and Mourvedre (10%), produced with fruit from vines about 40 years old, so hopefully that will add to the depth of flavor in the wine.

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, with nice clarity.  The nose is wonderful,with great fruit notes of black cherry and plum overlaid with some lovely spice notes of black pepper and lavender, with just a hint of leather.  The taste is a blast of ripe red fruit, cherries, raspberries and plum, with some pronounced floral notes, that transitions to some wonderful minerality midpalate, notes of limestone and oak, iron and spice. Though young, this wine shows some nice finesse with fine tannins supporting a long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, with potential to improve with age, and it was a terrific value as I bought this one from Wines Till Sold Out for only $20!  And for the pairing, ahhh...the pairing, tonight I am enjoying this with a nice chicken Korma, a rich and very fragrant Indian curry dish with a variety of root vegetables over some steamed basmati rice.  The fruit and mineral notes in this wine make it a perfect foil to the aromatic and fragrant spice of the curry.  Cheers!

2010 Rotie Swordfight

Ok wine folks, I have to ask, how can anyone not like a wine called "Swordfight"?  Particularly when it's a blend of Syrah (75%) and Mourvedre (25%)?  Well, that's what I've decided to open tonight!  After a long day enjoying the local county fair, looking at animals and tractors and eating food that's just terrible for you, I've decided to come home to a nice bottle of wine and perhaps a healthy dinner (oh who am I kidding!).  The wine I've chosen tonight is one of just a few bottles that I brought back from my 2013 venture to Walla Walla when I stopped in at Rotie Cellars, a maker of fine Rhone style blends.

The wine has a deep, inky purple color in the glass, almost black at the center.  The nose is rich and jammy, with nice aromas of ripe plum, raisin and a bit of leather and toasted oak.  The taste is very fruit forward with a blast of dark fruit, black cherry and plum that transition nicely to some hints of mint, dark chocolate and fresh herbs.  The tannins are round and supple laying the foundations for a long, dry and velvety smooth finish that will leave you wanting more.  This is the type of wine that just makes a great companion, whether sipping it on the deck or enjoying it with a hearty dinner.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's truly a beautiful example of a great Rhone style blend half a world away from the Rhone Valley!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a healthy dinner of surf and turf, a petite T-bone grilled rare and some snow crab legs, along with some corn on the cob and sliced ripe tomatoes, a perfect summer dinner!  Salut!

2011 Domaine la Soumade Rasteau

So tonight I am trying something new, the 2011 Domaine la Soumade Rasteau from the Southern Rhone region of France.  Now before today I really wasn't familiar with Rasteau and the likely reason was that this appellation was formerly known for sweet, fortified wines, the so-called "vin doux naturel."  But beginning with the 2009 vintage, they began including a dry red blend into Rasteau that is typically the classic southern Rhone blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre.  The wine I am enjoying tonight is just such a blend of Grenache (70%), Syrah (20%) and Mourvedre (10%).

The wine is a lovely deep ruby in the glass with nice clarity.  The nose was at first a burst of sweet ripe fruit, blackberries, plums, raisins but as it's opened up the nose has transitioned to some earthy notes of leather, forest floor and oak.  The taste is not at all what I expected, a burst of tart cherry, dark chocolate and tobacco greeted me, but soon it transitioned to some earthy limestone notes layered with dried herbs.  The tannins are very nicely structured supporting the smooth, dry, velvety finish that beckons you to take another sip.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's drinking very nicely now, but will likely improve over the next couple of years.  It was also a nice value as I bought this one from Wines Till Sold Out for just $20!  Tonight I am just enjoying this one on the deck watching the sunset as I've worn myself out from cleaning chores today, but it would pair very nicely with any Mediterranean dishes, I'm thinking some nice mussels with linguine or perhaps a nicely prepared branzino grilled with lemon and rosemary as the fruit of the wine would make a nice foil to the savoriness of those dishes.  Cin cin!

2010 Maison Nicolas Perrin Syrah Viognier

Tonight's wine is an interesting one that I picked up yesterday at G.B. Russo's and it's interesting for a number of reasons, not least of which is the lesson in bureaucracy I received, though it's that bureaucratic effect that led to my getting this wine at a bargain price!  The winemaker, Nicolas Perrin wanted to make a wine in the style of a Hermitage in the northern Rhone, but at a price that would make it much more approachable to young people (as opposed to $300 a bottle!).  So he came up with a blend of 97% Syrah and 3% Viognier sourced from the northern Rhone.  Unfortunately when it came time to bottle the wine, the French authorities would not allow him to classify it as anything but a "Vin de Table" which was the lowest classification and only allows you to state on the label the producer and that it comes from France.  Then, as he tried to export it to the United States, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives would not allow him to state a vintage on a "Vin de Table" so he ended up with the very basic label we see before us.  But by 2012, the French had changed their rules creating the "Vin de France" category which allowed a vintage to be added, so now he is changing the label and liquidating all the wine in the old labels, voila!  A bargain!

The wine itself is very dark ruby with a tinge if India ink.  The nose is very rustic, with aromas of peat moss, forest floor and wild herbs, over just a hint of fresh cut grass.  Now keep in mind this wine needs some time to breathe, so you might consider decanting or letting it breathe for an hour or more as I have this evening.  The wine has a very rustic taste up front, with wild herbs, grass and great minerality at the outset, with very mild red fruit that expresses itself nicely midpalate.  The finish is very smooth, as the tannins accent the mineral characteristics and make for a very smooth finish.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's not a wine for everyone, but for those who really appreciate the great mineral character and terroir that can be expressed in a wine from the Rhone valley.  As I mentioned earlier, it was also a great bargain at only $8!  The wine would pair well with richer dishes as a nice contrast for heavy cream sauces or sweeter dishes.  Tonight I am pairing this wine with some maple and bourbon glazed roast pork tenderloin, some baby potatoes with butter and parsley and some baby carrots from my garden.  Bon Appetit!

More Tasting in Walla Walla

So after a wonderful lunch at the Green Spoon I stopped at the new Maison Bleue tasting room which just opened up last weekend (perfect timing eh?).

Maison Bleue is a winery started in Proser that specializes in Rhone style blends. I tasted a variety of their wines including the whites and a Mourvèdre rose that was really nice. What impressed me most was the 2010 Le Midi Grenache from the Boushey Vineyard in the Yakima Valley. The wine had lovely fruit on the outset with a good balance of pepper that made this a pleasure to drink (so much so I had to order a couple bottles to ship home!). And to show was a fun small town community Walla Walla is, here I met Dawn, the tasting room manager who was trained by Julie Titus, the tasting room manager at Seven Hills and Brandon who was formerly the tasting room manager at L'Ecole, and as we were tasting who should walk through the door but Jaime from L'Ecole! Small world indeed!

Next off to Rotie, on the recommendation of the folks at L'Ecole and Seven Hills, a great producer of Rhone style blends. Tried a number of their basic blends, and the "Little G" (100% Grenache) and "Northern Blend" (95% Syrah and 5% Viognier) were very nice indeed, but I ended up ordering a couple bottles of the 2010 Swordfight, not just because of the cool name but because its a blend of Syrah (75%) and Mourvèdre (25%) that I think will taste fantastic! Cheers!