2020 Browne Family Vineyards Bitner Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, it's been a busy day, from running to the farmers market to having lunch with two cousins who flew in from Chicago, to blowing leaves and mowing the lawn, I am about ready for a nice dinner and a glass of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of Washington wine that I recently purchased at Costco, the 2020 Browne Family Vineyards Bitner Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.  As I recall, the last time I visited Walla Walla, Browne Family Vineyards had just opened a tasting room in the same building that Rotie Cellars was located (or maybe next door, my memory isn't what it used to be!).  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep, inky indigo at the center, with garnet along the edges, just as you'd expect from a big Cabernet.  A little swirl of the glass reveals aromas of leather, graphite, oak and cassis reminiscent of an Ivy League library.  The first sip is a velvety rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and plum that coat your palate, before transitioning to some pipe tobacco and violet notes midpalate.  The tannins are big but well behaved, providing for a wonderfully dry finish with a bit of bitter herbs at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a pleasant drinking Cabernet, but I admit I am not as much of a fan of the bitter end notes.  This wine was also a good value, as I found it at Costco for just $25.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from braised short ribs to grilled steak, rack of lamb to hearty pasta.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a pan seared prime filet mignon with a big baked potato and some oven roasted broccolini and shishito peppers.  Cheers!

2008 Naisi Nero D'Avola Tannat

Tonight I've decided to open an little red blend from Sicily, the 2008 Naisi, a blend of Nero D'Avola (75%) and Tannat (25%), which should make a nice wine to stand up to my seemingly daily steak intake!  I bought this wine a few weeks ago at John Russo's in Grand Rapids, which has a really nice selection of interesting wines, particularly from areas of Italy that you don't see as often, like Sicily.

This wine is a deep purple in the glass, with a good bit of opacity near the center and graduating toward a brighter ruby along the edges.  The nose is an interesting combination of ripe cherry, dark chocolate and leather, with a good bit of smokiness as well.  The taste is nicely fruit forward, with a blast of tart cherry and prune up front, which sounds awful, but actually works quite well.  The fruit transitions to some bitter herbs and gravel midpalate, before the rather tightly wound tannins bring it all together for a smooth, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's a very nice wine that's a bit off the beaten path of your everyday red, with a more rustic quality that pairs nicely with red meat and game.  And the cost wasn't outrageous either, I think I bought this bottle on sale for $14.  Tonight I am enjoying this with a rare grilled New York strip and some grilled veggies and steak fries, which offer a perfect balance to the wine.  Cheers!