2020 Stolen Horse Syrah

Happy Saturday!  It's certainly starting to feel like fall, in fact we are supposed to get some frost tomorrow night!  Thankfully I made a quick call to my sprinkler guy yesterday and we got everything winterized before the first freeze.  In any case, tonight it's time for a nice dinner that might be a last hurrah of summer, along with a wine that I've enjoyed for nearly a decade (see my previous reviews of the 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 vintages).  The 2020 Stolen Horse Syrah is a Syrah (97%), co-fermented with a bit of Viognier (3%) sourced from the Loess, Flying B, Kenny Hill and LeFore Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting.

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, ideal for a nice Syrah.  A gentle swirl in the glass reveals aromas of smoked meat, blackberry jam, blueberry and hints of lavender.  Take a sip and you're treated to an evolving mix of black and blue fruit, charred oak, and a bit of tart cherry before easing into some notes of earthy tar and white pepper midpalate.  The tannins are silky smooth, a perfect base for the long dry finish that will have you contemplating the depth of flavor you just experienced.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a lovely example of the varietal with a cascade of terroirs from the Walla Walla Valley.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from cedar planked salmon to barbecue, fall pasta to risotto.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a last gasp of summer, some barbecued beef ribs, corn on the cob and sriracha slaw.  Cheers!

Eclipse Bourbon Barrel Cabernet Zinfandel

Happy Sunday!  I got a few things accomplished this afternoon, including painting the base coat of the windmill I brought home yesterday as well as smoking a large short rib plate which will be my dinner tonight.  Which brings me to the wine I've opened this evening, the Eclipse Bourbon Barrel Cabernet Zinfandel blend from the Dry Creek Valley of California.  This wine was made by a friend of mine which he does as a hobby, sourcing grapes from California and blending and aging the wine for his friends.  So, given that my dinner will be barbecued tonight, I couldn't think of a better wine than a Zin-Cab blend!

The wine is an inky color with a deep garnet color along the edges, as you might expect from such a blend.  The nose presents aromas of leather and oak, with some undertones of blackberry jam.  Take a sip and you are treated with an evolving series of black fruit, blackberry, blueberry and currant that transition easily to some notes of charred oak and mineral midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat subdued, which opened the door for some pronounced acidity on the dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a 7.5, as it's a solid effort from my friend, but could be a bit more refined in complexity.  As I mentioned, this wine would pair well with barbecue, and it just so happens that I'm enjoying this wine with dinner on the patio, barbecued beef short ribs along with some mustard baked beans and sriracha slaw.  Cheers!

2015 L'Ecole No. 41 Perigee

Happy Sunday!  I was excited on Friday when my wine club shipment from L'Ecole came to the office and I was happy to come home to four wonderful wines, including tonight's wine, the 2015 Estate Perigee.  I have to admit that the Perigee is, in fact, my favorite of all the vintage Walla Walla Blends, and the 2015 vintage is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (56%), Merlot (16%), Cabernet Franc (14%), Malbec (7%) and Petit Verdot (7%) all from the Seven Hills Vineyard in Walla Walla.  So let's see how this vintage is tasting!

The wine is a beautiful, deep inky purple in the glass, a credit to the heavy hand of Cabernet in the blend.  The nose is very Bordeaux-esque, with aromas of leather, lavender, dusty minerals and a bit of tarragon.  The taste is remarkable fruit forward given the nose, which results in your tastebuds taking a double take with a rush of blueberry, blackberry jam and cherry cola that transitions nicely to some mineral notes of dusty limestone intermingled with warm spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are beautifully structured, providing the perfect framework for the silky smooth and exceptionally dry finish that seems to linger on for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's one of my favorite blends from Walla Walla, and this one seems to be even more elevated than usual.  This wine would be perfect with almost any kind of steak, braised short ribs or hearty pasta.  Tonight I am enjoying it with a rare grilled prime sirloin cap steak, with oven roasted Brussels sprouts and a baked potato with sour cream and scallions.  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!

2012 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Franc

Ahhh...Monday... I have to admit, I am not a big fan.  But if I have to endure it, I may as well be drinking a nice glass of wine.  And tonight I've opened a bottle from one of my favorite Walla Walla wineries, L'Ecole No. 41!  The 2012 Estate Cabernet Franc is a 100% Cabernet Franc from the Seven Hills Vineyard with a limited production of just 340 cases, so let's see how this one stacks up!

The wine is a beautiful deep ruby color in the glass.  The nose presents aromas of dusty limestone, cedar, dried herbs and a hint of mint.  The taste is wonderfully fruit forward, with flavors of blackberry jam, blueberry and plum which transitions to some spicy black pepper notes midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured and integrated, providing for a wonderfully long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a classic example of what a pure Cabernet Franc can be.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from steaks and chops to pasta and Thanksgiving turkey.  Tonight I am enjoying this with another classic pairing, a maple glazed salmon filet with rice and heirloom carrots.  The rich fruit of the wine is a perfect complement to a nice salmon filet, cheers!

2015 House Wine Red Blend

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, my local supermarket was having a sale on all wines, 15% off, so I decided to pick up a bunch of wines that I likely wouldn't have bought otherwise.  So tonight I've twisted off the cap on a bottle of 2015 House Wine red blend, originally a creation of Charles Smith in Walla Walla, this value priced wine has evolved to include wine sourced from Washington, California and Idaho, making this a true "American" blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot, and other red varietals.  So let's see if this one makes it in my house!

The wine is a lighter body, with bright garnet color in the glass.  The nose is somewhat subdued, with notes of leather, smoke, blackberry and cassis.  The taste is somewhat fruit forward, with a blast of blackberry jam that transitions to some hints of mint and peppery spice midpalate.  That tannins are a bit sharp, but the finish is nice and dry with a lingering of black fruit.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7, it's nothing spectacular, but it's a decent drinking red table wine that was a bargain at just $8.  This wine would be good with a variety of hearty dishes, from steaks and burgers, to barbecue and pizza, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with pasta on the patio, some three cheese tortelini with a tomato cream sauce.  Cheers!

2014 Spring Valley Vineyard "Muleskinner" Merlot

So I keep reading in different places that this is Merlot month or something like that, so I figured since I'm always late to the party it might be good to open one of these wines of the month.  So tonight I've opened up a bottle that's been in my cellar for a year or two, the 2014 Spring Valley Vineyard "Muleskinner" Merlot. This particular wine is 100% Merlot from the Spring Valley Estate Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA.  2014 was a somewhat warmer vintage, but not as warm as the following two vintages, so let's see how this wine tastes.

The wine is a deep inky purple at the center, with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is very inviting, with aromas of leather and ripe black fruit, blackberry jam, plum and currant over a hint of dusty limestone.  The taste is rich, ripe and wonderfully smooth, with a rush of ripe fruit up front, black cherry, plum and current that transitions to some notes of green herbs and minerals midpalate. The tannins are quite subdued, leading to a lush, ripe and velvety dry finish that just beckons you to take another sip.

A little pre-cooked image tonight!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's really a wonderful example of a quality Merlot with some nice aging potential.  This wine would be great with hard cheeses, steak, chops or barbecue, but tonight I am totally going Fred Flintstone and enjoying this wine with a big bone-in, USDA Prime ribeye that was on sale at Costco today, along with some grilled asparagus and corn on the cob.  It's been really hot out the past two days, so it seems appropriate to have a mid-summer dinner tonight, cheers!

2013 Seven Hills Ciel du Cheval

Well, I'm off work this week for vacation, so you might see a few more blog posts than normal this week.  Tonight I am enjoying a bottle of 2013 Seven Hills Ciel du Cheval, their 13th vintage of this wonderful red blend from the Ciel du Cheval vineyard on Red Mountain.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (42%), Merlot (30%), Petit Verdot (14%) and Cabernet Franc (14%).  What makes this is bit different is that the wine is blended early and then placed back in the barrel to age another 18 months before release, providing a real taste of the Red Mountain terroir.

The wine is a deep purple in the glass, with highlights of garnet along the edges.  The nose presents aromas of leather, blackberry, black pepper and a hint of smoke.  The taste is surprisingly well developed for such a young wine, with subdued fruit up front that seems to come alive with blackberry jam and caramelized plum, that transition effortlessly to notes of dusty limestone and toasted oak midpalate.  The tannins are a bit chewy given their youth, but still provide a nice base for the long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, with much room to develop over the coming decade.  This is a wine that begs to be paired with a nice steak, so I've obliged tonight as I'm enjoying this with a nice rare grilled Angus bone-in ribeye, mashed sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli.  The wine stands up to the steak just fine, but there's something magical about the ripe black fruit combined with mashed sweet potatoes!  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!