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!

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!  

2021 Seven Hills SHW Founding Vineyard Merlot

Happy Sunday!  It was a rather melancholy weekend, as I spent a good portion of it taking down all the Christmas decorations and putting them away.  Even though the house is festive for a full month out of the year, it just seems to short when it all comes to an end.  In any event, after that I did some chores and clean up around the house and now it's time for a nice dinner and a glass of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2021 Seven Hills Founding Vineyard Merlot, a 100% Merlot from the original vines planted by Seven Hills founder Casey McClellan and his father in the early 1980s.  I previously reviewed the 2017 vintage and the 2020 Vintage, so let's see how this one is shaping up!

The wine is deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from this classic varietal.  A gentle swirl of the glass presents aromas of candied plum, blackberry and undertones of vanilla bean and violet that will have you on the edge of your seat.  Take a sip and your taste buds are unexpectedly elevated as the ripe fruit your nose expected is overwhelmed by earthy notes of basalt and cedar intertwined with toasted oak and caramel before that long-expected fruit makes an appearance with lovely blackberry, ripe plum and cherry.  The tannins are balanced with a bit of acidity that provides for a wonderfully smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as this Merlot is proving itself to be a consistent performer over the past five years.  This wine would pair well with a wide range of dishes, from steaks and lamb, to hard cheeses and pasta.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a classic Pacific Northwest inspired Sunday dinner of pan seared salmon along with creamy butternut squash pasta and oven roasted broccoli rabe and red peppers.  Cheers!

2021 Bledsoe Family Winery "The Mac" Red Wine

Happy Tuesday!  I thought it was about time for a random wine post in the middle of the week, so here we go!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of an inaugural release of a new wine from the Bledsoe Family Winery.  The 2021 "The Mac" red wine is named for Drew Bledsoe's father and is a blend of Syrah (36%), Merlot (34%) and Petit Verdot (30%) all sourced from the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is starting out!

A deep ruby color, and a gentle swirl of the glass get us started on this adventure, with green grass, ripe cherry, dusty limestone and floral undertones on the nose.  The first sip is an explosion of disparate fruit, tart cherry, blueberry, currant and marionberry that wash across your palate painting images of the mountain west.  The tannins are well balanced, providing a depth and complexity that will have you contemplating the experience as you reach for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a delightful example of an unusual combination of varietals that truly express the whole that's greater than the sum of its parts.  This seems like a very food friendly wine that would pair with anything from steaks and chops to hearty pasta, barbecue or burgers.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a classic Northwest pairing of pan seared sockeye salmon with a lemon dill cream, steamed rice and asparagus with hollandaise.  Cheers!

2021 Seven Hills McClellan Estate Malbec

Happy Father's Day!  It's been a relaxing day today, I had intended to do a bunch of chores around the house but decided instead to do laundry and catch up on my reading.  I also did a bit of butchering, but more on that later.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle from one of my favorite Walla Walla wineries, the 2021 Seven Hills McClellan Estate Vineyard Malbec.  This wine is a 100% Malbec from the McClellan Estate Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington, so let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is an inky black at the center, with bright fuchsia along the edges, just as you'd expect from a nice Malbec.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of macerated cherry, blackberry and plum, with undertones of tobacco and clove.  Take a sip and your palate is awash in ripe black fruit, blackberry, blueberry, marionberry and currant that ease up to some zesty white pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are well balanced, but not in your face, providing a nice base for the long smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's one of my favorite vintages of Seven Hills Malbec yet.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from spicy Mexican tacos to grilled steak.  Tonight I am going full gaucho and enjoying this wine with a rare grilled picanha topped with a homemade chimichurri, along with grilled garlic scapes and asparagus.  Cheers!

2017 Pepper Bridge Winery Seven Hills Vineyard Blend

Happy Monday!  Yeah, I feel the same way, I rarely get excited by Mondays unless they are coming to an end, which this one is!  And to cap it off I've decided to open up a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from the Pepper Bridge Winery in Walla Walla, the 2017 Seven Hills Blend!  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Cabernet Franc (19%), Merlot (11%), Malbec (11%) and Petit Verdot (4%) all sourced from the Seven Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington. So let's see how this vintage is shaping up!

The wine is a vibrant garnet color in the glass, somewhat lighter than a full Cabernet.  As you raise your glass, you're greeted by an array of earthy aromas, sage, tobacco and dusty limestone underlying aromas of cassis, raspberry and a hint of dark chocolate.  The first taste is a rush of raspberry, currant and cranberry that transition almost unnoticed to notes of dark chocolate and a hint of white pepper spice midpalate.  The bright acidity and balanced tannins make for a lovely combination on the long, and wonderfully dry finish that lingers on the tongue.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it seems to be a bit of a step up from the 2016 vintage (see here).  This is a classic Bordeaux style blend that would pair well with a variety of hearty fall dishes, from shepherd's pie to lamb chops to alder planked salmon.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a grass fed New York strip grilled rare with some grilled romanesco and steamed red potatoes with butter and parsley.  Cheers!

2016 Born of Fire Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's been a busy week and I have no idea how we've already blown past hump day and the weekend is almost here, but at any rate I've decided to open a bottle of Washington wine tonight.  I've not tried any wines from Born of Fire before, but my local market was having a wine sale last weekend, so I could't resist getting a 20% discount which made this 2016 Born of Fire Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon a bargain at just $12.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (90%) and Malbec (10%), from a new area of the Columbia Valley called "the Burn" which lies between the Columbia River Gorge and the Horse Heaven Hills.  So let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a deep purple color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a Cabernet.  The nose presents aromas of blackberry jam, rose petals and tar.  The taste is much less fruit forward than the strong aromas of blackberry would suggest, with a rush of green grass and dusty limestone that slips into some nice black fruit flavors with a hint of peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are well balanced and provide a nice foundation for the long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's not really spectacular, but its a classic value, Columbia Valley Cabernet suitable for everyday drinking.  This wine would pair with a broad variety of dishes, from steaks and burgers to barbecue and pizza.  Tonight I am going a little off on pairing and enjoying this wine with a panko crusted halibut filet with steamed carrots and rice.  The fruit and mineral qualities really make a nice foil to the halibut.  Cheers!

2006 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Cellar Saturday!  It's the first Saturday of the month, that magical day when I raid the cellar for something at least a decade old to enjoy.  Well tonight it was literally a bottle I stumbled upon in the cellar, as several weeks ago I was looking for a bottle of French wine and happened upon this bottle misplaced in the section where all the Bordeaux are sitting, the 2006 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon, so given that this is the first weekend of Washington Wine Month, it seems like an appropriate choice.  So let's see how this one has matured since I got it about 10 years ago!

Now keep in mind, I decanted this wine for about an hour before tasting.  The wine is a lovely color in the glass, with deep, inky purple at the center, garnet along the edges with just a hint of brown.  The nose is such a smack in the head, as it instantly brings back memories of tasting this wine when it was new, wonderfully earthy notes of leather, grass and peat over some start minerality, but then layered on that is some clear signs of maturity, roast meat, olive tapenade and rich herb notes.  How amazing that I feel like I'm done and I haven't even had a sip yet!  The taste is nothing like the aromas, you're greeted with a rush of ripe black fruit, cherry, plum and currant that transitions effortlessly to some earthy spice notes and olive midpalate.  The tannins are mature and well balanced, providing for an exceptionally smooth, voluptuous dry finish.

I was expecting this wine to be a nice cabernet, but man this was just a sensory experience that bordered on overload!  Overall, I'd rate this wine a solid 9.5 easy, as it's just a phenomenal Cabernet, and it wasn't even the top of the line wine from L'Ecole back in 2006!  This wine would pair exceptionally well with steak, wild game, roasts, or as I'm enjoying tonight, some wonderful Italian dishes!  I'm enjoying this wine with some pasta I picked up at Eataly a few weeks ago, topped with some Italian sausage marinara, but who am I kidding, I'll be enjoying this wine for the rest of the evening, long after dinner is through!  Cheers!

2013 Stolen Horse Columbia Valley Syrah

Happy Sunday!  I must admit I'm starting to get a bit excited as I have just over a week until I head out to Walla Walla on vacation, so why not open another bottle of Washington wine before I go?  Obviously these will be hard to come by once I get to Washington state right?  In any case, tonight I've decided to open a bottle of a wine I originally tasted at the Doubleback Winery tasting room nearly two years ago (see that post here), the 2013 Stolen Horse Columbia Valley Syrah, a 100% syrah from the Loess Vineyard in Walla Walla and the Echo Ridge Vineyard in the Columbia Valley.  So let's see what this one has to offer!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with aromas of raspberry, cherry, along with some lovely earthy spice notes.  The taste is a rush of ripe fruit up front as you experience a cascade of raspberry, black currant and cherry that transition gracefully to some lovely notes of anise, peppery spice and a hint of vanilla midpalate.  The tannins are balanced and well integrated, providing for a long, dry and exceptionally smooth finish that beckons you to take another sip.  This is a wine that I enjoyed during my tasting two years ago, and I could easily see myself sipping during a quiet afternoon on the patio.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's an exceptional syrah and certainly priced as such at $48.  This wine would be wonderful with a variety of hearty dishes, from steaks and chops to stews or Italian dishes, but for me, I've always thought Syrah was wonderful to enjoy with salmon, so tonight I am enjoying this wine with a lovely cedar planked wild Alaskan sockeye topped with lemon, rosemary and dill along with a baked potato and some steamed green beans that I bought from a farm stand yesterday.  The earthiness of the rosemary really plays well with the earthy goodness of this wine.  Cheers!

2014 Forgeron Zinfandel

Happy Selection Sunday!  Now that all the NCAA seeding is complete, we can get down to business, and enjoy a bottle of wine!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2014 Forgeron Zinfandel, a 100% Zinfandel from the Alder Ridge Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills.  This was a recent delivery from the Forgeron wine club so let's see how it is!

The wine is a lovely, bright ruby color in the glass.  The nose is a wonderful combination of leather, spice, boysenberry jam and clove with just a bit of earthiness.  The taste is a rush of ripe black fruit up front, blackberry and boysenberry, that transitions nicely to some notes of dark chocolate, tobacco and pepper spice.  The finish is very nice, with balanced tannins providing a nice base for the long, dry and very smooth finish that leaves you thinking about your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a really nice example of a varietal that can be difficult.  This Zinfandel would pair well with a variety of dishes, from a London broil to a smoky barbecue, but tonight I am going a different route.  My local market had red, yellow, green and orange peppers on sale today for 2 for $1 so I decided to make my mom's old recipe for stuffed peppers!  The richness of the peppers with a bit of spice in the sauce and creamy mozzarella melted on top makes an ideal pairing for this wine.  Cheers!

2012 Chappellet Mountain Cuvee

I'm finally getting back to the swing of things after my horrific travel week last week, so tonight I've decided to open a bottle I picked up last weekend in Grand Rapids, the 2012 Chappellet Mountain Cuvee.  This Napa County wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (39%), Merlot (35%), Malbec (12%), Petit Verdot (8%), Cabernet Franc (3%) and Syrah (3%), so pretty much every Bordeaux blending varietal and then some!

The wine is a lovely deep ruby in the glass with nice clarity.  The nose presents aromas of blackberry, cherry and cassis, overlaid with just a hint of toasted oak.  The taste is quite nice, with a blast of cherry cola up front that transitions to some earthy notes of cedar and baking spice midpalate.  The tannins are nicely balanced, supporting a velvety mouthfeel and long, voluptuous and very dry finish.  It's really a nice everyday wine that drinks like wines that are twice the price.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, particularly at the bargain price I found this one, just $25!  The wine is from the highly regarded 2012 Napa vintage, and while it could be ageworthy it's really drinking nicely now.  Tonight I am enjoying this with a classic pairing of bacon-wrapped petit filet mignon, baked potato and grilled asparagus.  This nice bold wine it ideal with a nice steak.  Cheers!

2005 Recoletas Reserva Ribera del Duero

Well, it's the first of August and it's Saturday, so that could only mean one thing, it's Cellar Saturday!  That wonderful time I raid the cellar to find something interesting to drink.  Tonight, after a hard day of yard work I've decided to open a bottle of 2005 Recoletas Reserva Ribera del Duero, a lovely Spanish Tempranillo I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out.  Now keep in mind for this wine, I did not decant it, but it does open up nicely within an our or two of the first pour.

The wine is a beautiful deep garnet in the glass, with nice clarity.  The nose is a lovely combination of blackberry jam, leather, dark chocolate and dried flowers.  The taste is a dramatic departure from your expectations on the nose, rather than a jammy fruit bomb, you are treated with some lovely cherry cola and dark chocolate notes at the outset that transition effortlessly to some coarse mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are perfectly balanced on the finish, which reprises some of those fruit expectation with hints of strawberry jam on the long, lush and  very dry finish.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's drinking quite nicely and was an exceptional value at just $16!  Tonight I am pairing this wine with a classic bone-in Angus ribeye topped with grilled leeks, baked potato and some steamed green beans.  The balance of fruit and acidity in this wine make it ideal paired with a bold red meat dish, but it would also be nice with small plates and cheeses.  Cheers!

2012 Havens Bourriquot Oakville Napa Valley Red Blend

Happy Friday!  It's been a very long week, but I managed to get most of my work done, get to the gym and now I'm home and definitely ready for a glass of wine!  Tonight I've opened a bottle that I just received in the mail at the office today from my "Cheapskate Marathon" orders from Wines Till Sold Out.  This one is a 2012 Havens Bourriquot, a red blend from Havens Winery in Napa Valley.  I couldn't find the spec sheet on this vintage, but based on the 2009 notes, this is likely a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, which should make for a pleasant glass on a Friday evening!

The wine is a bright ruby in the glass with great clarity, suggesting a weighting toward the Cabernet Franc side.  The nose is is quite complex with some big notes of ripe plum, fig and toasted oak that gives way to some lovely light floral notes of rose and jasmine.  The taste is quite nice with some candied fruit notes up front, plum, cherry and fig that transition to some earthy oak and mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is subtle, with well balanced tannins supporting an exceptionally smooth, long and dry finish.  This is a wine that might surprise you by how quickly and easily the bottle empties!

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8.5 as it's a very pleasant drinking wine at a price that is a value.  I bought this from Wines Till Sold Out for $17, so I'd have no problem drinking this one everyday!  This wine would be ideal with hearty meat dishes, like braised short ribs or a nicely grilled New York strip, but tonight I'm enjoying it with some baked cod, sweet potato fries and a baby arugula salad with aged balsamic.  The lovely fruit on this wine makes it ideal for dished with more subtle flavors like the cod, but can also stand up to the spicy sweetness of the arugula and balsamic salad.  Cheers!

2010 Woodward Canyon Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Easter!  It's been an absolutely beautiful Easter in northern Indiana, with sunny skies, flowers blooming and birds singing and a temperature in the low 70s, a perfect day!  So to celebrate I've decided to open a bottle (technically a half bottle) of 2010 Woodward Canyon Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon.  For those unfamiliar, the artist series was started with the 1992 vintage with a painting by a Northwest artist that will then be featured on the label for that year's vintage.  The 2010 is the 19th edition of the artist series and is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (84%), Merlot (7%), Cabernet Franc (5%) and Petit Verdot (4%) with grapes sourced from a variety of great Washington vineyards including Champoux (55%), Woodward Canyon Estate (24%), Sagemoor (17%) and Weinbau (4%).

The wine itself is a lovely deep, inky purple at the center that melds into a bright ruby along the edges.  The nose just seems to grab you by the collar and really let's you know that you're about to sip something truly sublime, with rich black fruit notes, leather and cedar all dancing in your mind.  The taste is wonderfully complex, with some bright fruit at the outset, blackberry, cassis that transitions effortlessly to some warm spice notes of black pepper and dried herbs.  The finish is divine, as the tannins are nicely structured and integrated to support a wonderfully complex finish that seems to last forever.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a great example of some of the best Cabernets being produced in the Columbia Valley today, but it's definitely a special occasion sort of wine as this half bottle was $26 even with the 10% case discount, but still worth every penny!  Later I might pair this with some dinner, but for now I'm just enjoying this glass out on the deck as the sun is just starting to settle in the west.  A perfect end to a beautiful day!

2005 Chateau Griviere Medoc

It's getting to be very hot and humid here, so it might be rose season again soon enough, but tonight I've decided to go a little more traditional with my wine selection in light of my dinner menu, so here we are with a 2005 Chateau Griviere Medoc, a lovely Bordeaux from a fairly respectable vintage!

The wine is a very lovely deep purple color, leading to some bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is quite nice, with wonderful notes of sweet cherry, blueberry, leather and tar that seems quite appropriate for a Medoc.  The taste has some nice dark fruit at the outset, plum and ripe berries with scattered floral notes that transitions nicely to some dusty limestone and baking spice notes midpalate.  The finish is delightful, as the well balanced tannins support a long, luscious dry ending to a lovely sipping Bordeaux.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a nice example of a Medoc that is drinking very well now, and it was a bargain at the World Market for less than $15!  As for my more traditional pairing, tonight I am enjoying this wine with a nice New Zealand lamb chop grilled medium rare and topped with a bit of French sheeps milk Feta over a bed of baby spinach, the ripe fruit and earthiness of the wine really accents the beautiful flavors of the lamb, cheers!

2006 L'Ecole No. 41 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

So I raided the cellar tonight for my latest celebration of Washington Wine Month, and I came up with a nice, and somewhat more mature Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2006 L'Ecole No. 41 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  At the ripe old age of 7, this wine is just starting to come into its own, and thankfully I'm here to enjoy the ride!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, and the nose is just spectacular, with rich aromas of ripe dark fruit that practically dare you to gulp this one down, but you know you have to savor it for all it's worth.  The aromas of ripe plum and rich blackberry and cassis are balanced by some lovely floral notes and hints of spice.  The taste was well worth the wait, as you are first hit with a rush of lush fruit flavors that quickly transform to some notes of cherry cola, cedar and cocoa powder midpalate.  The finish is just lovely, with wonderfully balanced tannins supporting a long dry finish that still has lovely hints of fruit and spice dancing around your tongue for what seems like a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this one a solid 8.5, as it's just a solid Columbia Valley Cabernet, that was probably a terrific value when I bought it four or five years ago (can I buy more?).  Tonight I am pairing it with a classic dinner meant for a lovely Cabernet, a wonderful Angus T-bone, about an inch and a half thick, grilled rare, with some lovely grilled asparagus tossed with olive oil and salt and pepper and a big ol' baked potato!  So much deliciousness that I can hardly contain myself!

2009 White Cottage Ranch Napa Valley Merlot

'Tis the season!  Yes, it's Christmastime, and I've just finished the last of my holiday shopping, and now it's time to wrap presents and fill gift bags and make up the gift baskets that will all be delivered over the next few days, so what could I possibly do to make the season bright?  That's right, open a bottle of wine to help me get through the last few hours of hectic humbug!  And so to help out with that I've opened a bottle of 2009 White Cottage Ranch Napa Valley Merlot, one of the sadly ignored wine of the last few years!  This wine is from the Howell Mountain AVA of Napa Valley, produced on the eastern slope of Napa Valley at an elevation of 1,700 feet, near the town of Angwin, CA.

This wine has a nice deep ruby, almost purple color in the glass, and a consistency that makes it shine as a solid example of a good Napa Valley vintage.  The nose is filled with spices and rich ripe fruit, with notes of anise, tarragon and black pepper, balanced by sweet aromas of ripe plum, black currant and just the faintest hint of leather.  The taste is just superb, with rich, ripe fruit up front, laden with plums and ripe black cherries, giving way to some tart and spicy notes midpalate, easing into a finish with nicely balanced tannins creating a somewhat tight, yet smooth, long finish that seems to last a minute or more!

This is the kind of wine that makes you quickly forget that you are sipping wine, bringing forth a lifestyle of taste and grace that we seldom find today.  As for pairings, it would be just lovely with a variety of grilled meats, but amidst my giftwrapping wonderland, I've been enjoying this with a sharp Vermont cheddar and some lovely slices of baguette and it's been a gifted partner, helping me get through my chores!  Overall, I would rate this one a solid 8, and it was at a really reasonable price of just $14, and a recent wine club selection from my friends at G.B. Russo.  So if you have a chance, pick up a bottle, I'm just sad this is my last one!