2015 Chateau Grand Tayac Margaux

Happy Cellar Saturday!  It's the magical first Saturday of a new month, the time where I raid the cellar for something at least a decade in the making to share.  Tonight, I've waited so long for a nice Margaux to get to 10 years, so I've opened a bottle of 2015 Chateau Grand Tayac Margaux.  This wine hasn't been in the cellar for a full decade, but it's pretty close, as I know I bought it at least 6 years ago..  In any case, this is a classic Bordeaux composed of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), Merlot (27%) and as my high school French guided me, "le reste en Petit Verdot" (3%). I have reviewed other vintages of Margaux from this Chateau, including the 2009 Vintage and the 2011 vintage, so, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The nose presents a classic French Bordeaux profile, leather, earthy peat, lilacs and roasted game.  Take a sip and and your palate is awash in black cherry, mulberry and blackberry, before transitioning to some dusty limestone  and vanilla bean midpalate.  The tannins still stand at attention a decade in, a testament to the classic Bordeaux structure, providing for a bone dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a classic example of a true Bordeaux that takes you back to a sidewalk café in Paris.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from a classic onion soup, to braised lamb shank, to classic steaks and chops.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a pan seared New York strip over some sautéed onions and mushrooms, mashed potatoes and gravy, and oven roasted broccoli rabe.  Cheers!

2008 Feudi di San Gregorio Serpico Aglianico

Well, it's the first Saturday of the month and that means it's Cellar Saturday!  This is the magical day when I raid the cellar and find some wine that's at lease a decade in the making.  Tonight I've opened a bottle that hasn't been in my cellar very long, as I recently purchased it through the Platinum selection at Wines Till Sold Out.  The 2008 Feudi di San Gregorio Serpico Aglianico is a deep, brooding wine that is well known in the southern regions of Italy, particularly near Puglia, and it usually strikes me as a hearty wine to balance out the lighter wines of Tuscany and north.  So, let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center, with bright garnet along the edges, much more reminiscent of a big Cabernet, and classic for this black skinned varietal.  A gentle swirl reveals aromas of leather, blackberry, currant and an interesting freshness amid notes of anise and cocoa powder.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of blackberry, plum and cherry that transitions easily to some notes of volcanic ash and white pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are exceptionally structured, providing for a velvety yet bone dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a great wine to remind you of why you should love Aglianico.  This wine would be idea with a big grilled porterhouse,  a hearty roast beef or even a spicy pasta dish.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with an Italian classic of sweet Italian sausage sautéed with onions and peppers and served with some vermicelli with garlic and olive oil topped with shaved Parmesan.  Cheers!

2016 Domaine La Sangliere Cotes de Provence Rose

Well, here it is, my last gasp of summer!  As the temperatures have been coming down, with highs only in the 60s and 70s and lows reaching into the 40s, I thought I needed one last bit of summer before the leaves start falling in earnest.  So today I've opened a bottle of 2016 Domaine La Sangliere Cotes de Provence Rose!  I saw this wine at Costco a few weeks ago and was fascinated by the blend of Cinsault (70%) and Grenache (30%) and the price was such that I couldn't resist getting a bottle even though it was late in the rose season, so let's see how this one tastes.

The wine is a lovely peach color in the glass.  The nose is a lovely combination of peach, strawberry, white floral notes and some minerality.  The taste is somewhat mellow when compared to the nose, with subdued flavors of citrus, mango and strawberry that transitions to some warm mineral notes midpalate.  This wine displays the classic French stealth finish, with mild acidity and incredible dryness that is feels like there wasn't a finish at all.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's not a spectacular rose, but one that would be ideal with a variety of food on the patio during the summer.  It was also a wonderful value at just $8!  This wine would be ideal for summer salads, or a variety of seafood, which is handy since I'm enjoying this wine with my end of summer crab boil, featuring Alaskan king crab legs, corn on the cob and red potatoes with parsley and butter, the kind if dinner that you never notice you've just eaten a stick of butter!  Cheers!

2016 DaMa Wines Rose of Cabernet Franc

What a day!  It started by pouring down rain this morning when I am in a pinch to get my yard and garden ready for having some folks over for a cook out this week (you can't be ill prepared for the first yard gathering of the season!).  But alas, I was able to clean all the patio furniture, pick up branches that came down in the storm, pull weeks and mow in what seemed like a very compressed timeframe, though now that I look at the clock it's been seven hours!  Well with patio get together's and warm weather, it's definitely the start of rose season, and tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2016 DaMa Wines Rose of Cabernet Franc.  This is a 100% Cabernet Franc, the second vintage from the Chene de Mille Vineyard in the Columbia Valley, so let's see how this one stacks up!

The wine is a lovely, very pale peach color in the glass, such that you might even mistake it for a white wine if you weren't paying attention.  The nose presents aromas of grapefruit, melon, strawberry and a hint of lemongrass.  The taste is quite nice, very fresh, notes of citrus, mango, and a hint of pineapple that transitions to some wonderful white floral and lemongrass midpalate.  The finish has nice backbone, clear acidity and a bone dry finish.

Overall, I like this one better than the 2014 or 2015 vintages, so I'd rate this one a solid 8.  It's crisp and refreshing and this girl is ready for summer!  This wine would pair with a variety of summer dishes, from salmon to a caprese salad, but tonight I am going way off script and enjoying this wine with some chicken Tikka Masala!  What's better with Indian food than a nice dry rose?  Cheers!

2016 Seven Hills Dry Rose

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Today it was unseasonably warm, 83 degrees, which felt remarkably summer like, which means it was a perfect day to chill some rose!  And tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2016 Seven Hills Dry Rose, a bottle I got a few months ago and I've been hankering to try once the weather warmed up.  Well tonight's the night!

The wine is a lovely peach color in the glass.  The nose presents aromas of peach, orange blossom and a hint of basalt.  The taste is crisp and refreshing, with some interesting Chardonnay like notes of buttery fruit, peach, grapefruit and papaya that transition nicely to some lovely mineral notes midpalate.  A rose like this, made primarily from Cabernet Franc has somewhat mellow acidity and a smooth, bone dry finish, similar to the classic dry rose wines of France.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's an ideal wine for summer, perfect for salads, lighter meals or just sipping on the deck.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a wonderful dinner of bucatini tossed with broccoli rabe sauteed in olive oil and garlic and topped with a bit of shaved parmesan.  And after dinner I'll finish enjoying this lovely rose on the deck as it should be!  Cheers!

2012 V. Sattui Vittorio's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

So as I mentioned in my post on my recent Napa Valley Wine Train experience, most of the wineries I visited could not ship to Indiana (it's a peculiar rule for my state, in that they won't allow direct shipments to consumers if a winery has a distributor in Indiana), but the last winery we visited was the exception, as V. Sattui only sells their wines from the winery, so you can't buy them in stores or restaurants.  Needless to say, I had some pent up demand and order a case to be shipped home, including tonight's wine, the 2012 Vittorio's Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon!  The vineyard is named for Dario Sattui's great grandfather, who founded the winery in 1885, and this sustainably farmed, organic Cabernet was blended with a bit of Petit Verdot (4%) to add a bit of depth to the final wine.  So let's see how this one stacks up!

The wine is a deep, inky purple color, just what you'd expect from a nice quality Cabernet.  The nose presents aromas of leather, oak and ripe berries that practically dare you to resist taking a sip.  The taste is taste is a rush of black cherry and raspberry that quickly transition to some complex mineral notes of dusty limestone midpalate.  The finish is long, smooth and bone dry, capping such a pleasant sipping experience.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a very fine Napa Cabernet that would stack up with many of the more expensive wines in the valley, but this one was just $60 or less with a club discount.  This is a great steak wine, which is a good thing that I like steak!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime ribcap steak with some grilled Brussels sprouts, asparagus, leeks and baby bok choy and some truffle mac & cheese, so yummy!  Cheers!

2014 Forgeron Rose of Sangiovese

Happy Tuesday!  I've been waiting for this night as I had the chance to do a little seafood shopping at Whole Foods last weekend and I chilled a nice bottle of rose just for the occasion.  Yes, I know it's still winter, but a little rose at least reminds me that summer is just around the corner!  And tonight it's a good one I picked up on my trip to Walla Walla last summer, the 2014 Forgeron Rose of Sangiovese, which I know realize includes a preview of their new labeling!  This wine is sold out at the winery, but thankfully I scored a couple bottles last year.

The wine is a lovely peach color in the glass, and the nose evokes aromas of pink grapefruit, basalt and a bit of green cedar.  The taste is just lovely, like a gorgeous summer afternoon in a bottle, with vibrant citrus notes up front that transition seamlessly to flavors of strawberry overlaying some mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is bone dry, perfect for summer drinking but also ideal for some great food pairing with heartier dishes and particularly big seafood dishes.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a great summer rose and as I recall was a terrific value under $20.  Tonight I am pairing this wine with some macadamia crusted mahi mahi, mashed red skin potatoes and steamed cauliflower.  A perfect wine for a big fish meal, Sante!

2014 The Vincent Columbia Valley Rose

Summer is apparently having its revenge in the last few weeks it will be around, as it's just been incredibly hot and humid this week.  I sure am glad I had the foresight to bring back ample bottles of nice Washington rose wine to help combat the heat!  Tonight I have opened a bottle of 2014 "The Vincent" Columbia Valley Rose wine from Mark Ryan Winery's Board Track Racer label.  Back in 2013, I reviewed the 2012 vintage which you can see here: Link, so let's see how this one stacks up!

The color strikes me as a bit more orange-pink, but quite deep and vibrant.  I don't have the technical specifications, but my sense is that this one is still a GSM blend, but likely with a bit more emphasis on the Syrah.  The nose presents lovely, earthy aromas of cut grass and iron, intermingled with some floral and citrus notes.  The taste is a vibrant rush of strawberry, grapefruit and lime that eases into some nice mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is just bone dry, a perfect summer refresher for my palate!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, the flavor is all there and the structure is very pleasant, and to top it off, this was a terrific value at about $15!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some maple glazed wild Alaskan Coho on a bed of baby kale and arugula, some steamed wild rice and green beans, a perfect summer dinner.  Cheers!

2012 Legend of the Vine Cabernet Sauvignon

Well it's a weeknight and time to have a bottle of everyday wine to sip.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2012 Legend of the Vine Cabernet Sauvignon from California, a wine I recently picked up at G.B. Russo's in Grand Rapids for a terrific price.

The wine has a nice ruby color in the glass with nice clarity.  The nose is better than I was expecting, with notes of blackberry, violets and a hint of leather.  The taste was somewhat lackluster, with somewhat syrupy fruit up front that transitioned to some earthy notes of oak and black pepper midpalate.  The tannins are still a bit tight, leading to a very dry but pleasant finish.  After a little while, the wine does open up quite a bit, but it's still quite earthy though the fruit rush subsides quite a bit.

Overall, I would rate this wine a 7, it's not a particularly memorable wine, but it's very easy to drink and a good value as I bought this one for about $8.  Tonight I am pairing this with some linguine with spicy marinara and a fresh arugula salad, a nice simple dinner with enough spice to balance out the fruit of this wine.  Cheers!

2013 Seven Hills Dry Rose

What a day!  It's a Friday, which should be a gentle slope into a relaxing weekend but today was nothing of the sort!  I was awakened at about 3:30 this morning by the sound of a wind storm moving through, and when I got up three hours later there was a huge branch laying in my back yard!  So I had to leave work early today to take my truck in as the window washers weren't working (thankfully they just had a calcium clog so the blew them out and no charge later I was back to my house to deal with the branches.  Thankfully my handyman arrived by then and we took down the branches and then cut some more dead limbs from the tree, all in 85-degree humid weather, but in a couple hours the branches were piled up by the street.  So needless to say I'm in need of a nicely chilled glass of high quality rose to sip this evening, and am I in luck as I put a bottle of 2013 Seven Hills Columbia Valley Dry Rose in the fridge last night!

The wine is a lovely blend of mainly Cabernet Franc with a bit of Petit Verdot and Malbec which makes for a nice structure and some great fruit expressions.  This wine is a very pale rose, with a color that just reminds me of magnolia blossoms.  The nose is just a breath of summer, with aromas of fresh herbs, green grass and some fresh summer fruit notes of grapefruit and peach.  The taste is a burst of summer flavors, cool citrus and tropical notes that quickly transition to fresh herbs and a hint of spice.  The finish is absolutely bone dry, in fact I've never had a rose this dry before, but it was such a wonderful treat, such a crisp and refreshing wine that was quite unexpected.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's just a great rose, ideal as a summer wine for heavy, dry red wine fans like me.  Tonight I've already enjoyed a glass on the deck as I watched the birds descend on the freshly filled feeder, but I plan to enjoy some with a dinner of grilled kielbasa along with some spinach and feta pierogis, a perfect accompaniment to the sweetness of the sausage and the richness of the spinach and feta.  Here's to a more relaxing weekend!

2012 Mark Ryan "The Vincent" Rose

So as some of you know, though I am not a white wine drinker per se, I've come to appreciate the more chilling aspects of white wine in the summer months, hence my more recent fondness for rose wines - great blends of traditionally red wine grapes to provide a refreshing summer respite without the sweetness that can be so common among white wines.  With a wonderful sunny, summer afternoon developing, and after the wonderful dinner I had paired with a rose last night, I've decided to open another rose that I picked up last week in Walla Walla, the 2012 Mark Ryan "The Vincent" rose, from his very affordable second label, Board Track Racer.  Another interesting note about this wine is that although I bought this at Mark Ryan's new tasting room on Main Street in Walla Walla, the winery is based out of Woodinville, the new hot area for Washington Wine (leave it to me to stick with a wine region after all the cool kids leave!).

The wine itself is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, though I didn't pick up the tasting notes, so I have no idea what the exact percentages are, in any case who wouldn't love a GSM rose?  The nose on this wine is very subdued, with pleasant notes of strawberry and some faint floral and grass notes.  The tastes is quite nice, with a bit of fresh strawberry on the outset that shifts to some nice minerality midpalate.  The finish is very dry with just a hint of pink grapefruit on the mildly acidic finish.  Overall a very refreshing and dry rose that's just perfect for a summer afternoon on the patio.

Overall I would rate this one a solid 8, a very nice rose that I loved in the tasting room and like just as much at home, and it was a good value at just $15.  Today I am pairing this one with a lovely Caprese salad, with some sliced red and brown tomatoes and fresh buffalo mozzarella, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and some 25-year balsamic and topped with a few sprigs of fresh basil from the garden.  The dryness and mild acidity of the wine provide the perfect balance to the sweetness of the aged balsamic and creaminess of the cheese.  What a great afternoon, salut!

2009 Wattle Creek "The Triple Play" Red Blend

It's officially day 3 of my staycation, that time near the end of May when I rush to use up my remaining vacation days before they are sacrificed on the alter of work-a-holism!  And for this vacation day, I have opened up a nice bottle from the Yorkville Highlands of Mendocino County, California, the 2009 Wattle Creek "The Triple Play" red wine blend. This blend is made in the Rhone style, with a combination of Syrah, Viognier and Petite Sirah, for what should make a very interesting wine.

The wine is a pleasant ruby color in the glass, and the nose exhibits notes of ripe red fruit, spicy pepper and a hint of mint over some very subtle oak.  The taste is somewhat fruit forward, with a bit of blackberry jam on the outset, which transitions to some fresh herbs and mint midpalate.  The tannins are very well structured, leading to a firm, dry finish that would complement a wide variety of grilled meats and savory dishes.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's a pleasure to drink, but I honestly can't remember where I bought this wine, so I have no idea if it was a bargain or not!  Tonight I am pairing this wine with some Tuscan herb grilled lamb chops, a bit of pasta with creamy pesto, and a Caprese salad with 25-year balsamic, yum!

2007 Hess Select Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, it's been a busy day of running errands, groceries, dry cleaners, wine store, butcher, car wash, so much stuff to do, and so little time!  So now it's time to relax with a bit of wine as I make my dinner, and tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2007 Hess Select Cabernet Sauvignon!  This wine is sourced from three different areas of California that specialize in Cabernet, Mendocino County (47%), Lake County (37%) and Napa County (16%).  This particular bottle I bought about three years ago, when the Amway Grand Hotel in Grand Rapids closed their famous 1913 Room restaurant, and they sold off the china and more importantly the wine cellar in the lobby of the hotel!

The wine itself has some deep ruby color, with only mild opacity toward the center.  The nose is quite nice, with a good bit of leather, tobacco and spice surrounding a rich, jammy core of black fruit.  The taste belies the fruit in the nose, with only mild hints of ripe cherry and cassis up front, which transitions easily into some lovely spice notes with a bit of mint over the top.  The finish was bone dry, though not particularly overpowering, as the tannins were very subdued.  In my view, this is a very nice sipping Cabernet.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's a nice wine, but it was also a good value as I bought this one for the princely sum of $12.75!  Tonight I am enjoying it with a first course of a baked stuffed scallop, followed by big ol' Angus T-bone, grilled rare, along with some haricots vert almondine and some steamed Klondike fingerling potatoes, so yummy!

2004 La Mora Barolo

So here we are again, another Cellar Saturday, and tonight I've decided to open up a bottle that's almost 10 years old.  This might be a big deal for some wines, but for a Barolo, a decade is about the minimum age to make the wine really enjoyable.  And such is the case for the 2004 La Mora Barolo we're enjoying tonight!  Now Barolo is made in the northern part of Italy, in the Piedmont region from the Nebbiolo grape, which is very different than the popular wines of Tuscany which are made primarily from Sangiovese.

The wine was very light in the glass, almost like a pinot noir, but the color was a bright ruby.  The nose was a lovely combination of leather, anise, floral notes and grass.  The taste was very different, with an explosion of tart cherry right at the outset, which then gave way to some earthy notes and a hint of spice midpalate.  The finish was bone dry, accented by the well structured tannins.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it was a very good example of a nice Barolo, but such a different style than most other Italian wines that it was a real treat to drink.  Tonight I enjoyed this wine with some friends with a nice Italian dinner of pasta, fresh marinara and eggplant, and the wine really made a great combination with the rich, earthy flavors of the eggplant.  Delicious!

2009 Three Rivers Winery Rivers Red Blend

Another day in March, another Washington wine to review!  Tonight it's the Three Rivers Winery 2009 Rivers Red Blend, a lovely bordeaux style blend and a terrific value to boot.  I remember the first time I went to visit the wonderful wineries of Walla Walla (say that 5 times fast!) and coming in on the old U.S. 12, you first passed Woodward Canyon and L'Ecole No. 41 on the north, and then a half mile up the road you came to Three Rivers on the south side of the road.  My first visit they had just finished their tasting room and it was simply gorgeous, so naturally I picked up a few bottles and continued on my trek.  Imagine my surprise and disappointment when I last went to visit and there was a new superhighway in place of the old U.S. 12, and Three Rivers was off to the side of the old road, what a miscarriage of road construction!

At any rate, back to the wine, that's what you're here for right?  Well, this one has a lovely deep ruby color, with wonderful notes of green grass and ripe red fruit on the nose.  The taste is a lovely combination of black fruit up front, accented with a bit of anise and black pepper, that transitions to some lovely ripe plum with a luscious mouthfeel. The tannins are nicely structured for such a young wine, leading to a long, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a solid drinking everyday red wine at a spectacular value, I bought a case of this at my local wine merchant for only $13 a bottle!  To me, this is a great house red, perfect for almost any dinner, from rich pasta to grilled steaks and chops.  Tonight I'm enjoying it with a dinner that's a bit off the red wine path, some whole grain penne tossed with some alfredo sauce and fresh asparagus tips, yum!

1988 Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino

It's "Open that Bottle" night!  A day once a year when we open special bottles we've been saving for special occasions that never seem to arrive.  So tonight I am opening a bottle to enjoy with some friends that I've had since 1995, a bottle I paid 24,000 Lira for when I was in Rome!  The 1988 Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino is a wine that I am hoping has aged well over it's time in my cellar.  Of course I also get a kick out of the English translation on the back of the label that sounds like Google translator a decade before Google existed, "From a severe selection of the Sangiovese grapes this wine of great structure is produced." Hopefully the wine isn't as severe!

So in the glass, the wine was a bright ruby color, with a bit of cloudiness.  The nose was a nice combination of leather, dry spice and floral notes.  The taste was actually somewhat of a surprise, particularly how much fruit was left after a quarter century. Up front the taste was quite peppery, but the spice quickly transitioned int some nice fruit, ripe plum, anise and some berries.  The finish was just bone dry, but still very pleasing, and interesting to see how a more mature Brunello presents itself.  As an aside, after the first glass, we decanted the bottle, and ironically the air seemed to suppress the pepper and spice, but the fruit was still fairly bright as it opened up.

Overall, I would rate this one a solid 9, primarily because 25-year-old wines are not easy to come by, and this one was a super bargain at only 24,000 Lira, which if I recall at the time was about $15.  Tonight my friends and I enjoyed this bottle with a lovely Italian dinner, starting with a spinach salad with goat cheese, pickled beets and candied walnuts, and some wonderful eggplant involtini with pasta and fresh tomato sauce. And of course for dessert we had some mini canoli, one of my favorites! Ciao!

2005 Chateau de Camensac Haut-Medoc

So yesterday I received my 2012 State Tax forms in the mail, and that made me think of this wine.  No, I don't have anything against this wine or chateau, but it was a gift last year from my friend Chea for helping her do her taxes.  And since tax time is coming up again, I thought I should crack open this bottle and enjoy it!  For those of you who know me, I am a big fan of Bordeaux, and in fact I learned to like red wine in Paris back in the mid-1990s, and one of my favorite Bordeaux was the Haut-Medoc (I think I brought back like 5 bottles in my carry-on bag!) so you can imagine I've been looking forward to this one.

This wine has a wonderful deep purple color at the center, edging out to bright ruby.  The nose is just what you would expect from a well crafted Haut-Medoc, rich aromas of leather, mint, a touch of cedar and dried flowers.  The taste is somewhat fruit forward, with muted flavors of cassis and berry that transitions to a bit of sour cherry and some black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are soft and well rounded, making for a classic, bone dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's a little more expensive, but well worth it!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare New York strip, with some Danish bleu cheese crumbles melted over the top, along with a baked potato and some steamed broccoli, a classic steak house dinner done at home.  The wine paired very nicely with this meal, as the flavors stood up well to the red meat, but the dry finish really played well with the rich flavors of the Danish bleu.  And now I need a nap!

2009 Cousino-Macul Antiguas Reservas Cabernet Sauvignon

So this afternoon, I went on a mini, impromptu pub crawl with some friends of mine from work, and unlike the old days when I was a youth, and pub crawls literally meant drinking so much you had to crawl to the next pub, this was a more staid affair.  I had a grand total of three beers and an aborted glass of Cabernet Franc in our afternoon out.  So, I have more than enough energy to enjoy a glass or two of wine this evening!

And tonight, we have a lovely sustainably farmed Cabernet Sauvignon from the Maipo Valley of Chile, the 2009 Cousino-Macul Antiguas Reservas.  Now I happened upon a couple bottles of this wine at a recent "Big Reds" wine tasting at a local establishment called Bar Divani, where I had a lovely time, and best of all, the opportunity to order some of the wines we tasted, this being one of the last minute additions to the menu.

The wine itself is a lovely deep ruby in the glass, and the nose is full of ample rich, ripe fruit, leather, cedar and anise.  The taste is very dry all around, with some very subtle fruit, black currant and cherries, yielding to some mild spices midpalate.  The finish is somewhat short, but bone dry, making this an ideal accompaniment to a variety of grilled meats and savory dishes.  As a side note, it's advisable to let this wine breathe a bit before serving, it's not undrinkable straight from the bottle, but it does open up nicely with a half hour or so in the air.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's drinking well now, but I think it could improve a bit over the next few years.  As for pairings, again prepare to be disappointed with my weeks of leftovers, since tonight I am enjoying this wine with some leftover chicken, mushrooms and steamed Brussels sprouts.  Yum!

2007 Tangley Oaks Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

That's it, I'm done!  I finished my last day of work before my Christmas Vacation (hold on, I think I'll watch that tonight!) and I am done working until 2013!  And to celebrate, I've opened a nice bottle of 2007 Tangley Oaks Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, and purchased a special cut of meat for my meal on the way home, so this should be good!

Now, I'll admit I'm unfamiliar with "Tangley Oaks" as a winery, but I happened across this wine last weekend at a tasting at my local wine merchant, G.B. Russo's, and what I learned was that this wine was made from the same grapes used to make the Rutherford Napa Valley Cabernet, which typically costs about twice what this bottle costs.  When there is a surplus of grapes, they simply bottle the wine under the Tangley Oaks label so as not to dilute the value of their premium brands - it's really a win-wine (get it?) as we get some stellar wine for a bargain price!

The wine itself has a deep purple color, as you might expect from a Napa Valley Cabernet from this super vintage.  The nose is quite subdued, with notes of cedar, leather, cocoa and some mixed floral notes accented by rich ripe fruit of blackberry and black currant.  The taste is exactly what a high-quality '07 NV cab should be, rich ripe fruit up front, followed by some chocolate and earthy notes midpalate, and a finish that is bone dry, with supple tannins creating a long, smooth balance of woodsy flavors.  This really represents a solid Napa Valley Cabernet effort.

Now this wine is a big, bold Cab that stands up to the best of a bold beefy dinner, which it so happens I am lucky enough to enjoy tonight!  I stopped at a local supermarket in Indiana where I've been working the last two days and picked up a "cowboy cut" ribeye!

Can you believe they classify this as "semi-boneless"?  In any case I am enjoying this wine with this monster steak and it's delicious in every way!  A rare steak, big baked potato and some steamed Brussels sprouts, what could be better?  Oh, the wine, yes I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's really a great Napa Valley Cabernet from a great vintage but for only $22!  So if you happen across this one, pick up a bottle or two for the holidays!

2009 Château Sigognac Medoc

It's a Wednesday evening, so it must be time to open a bottle of wine to celebrate "hump day"!  Tonight I've decided to open a lovely bottle of Bordeaux from the exceptionally hyped 2009 vintage, the Château Sigognac Medoc!

You know how I love a nice Bordeaux, and the characteristics of a lovely Medoc really bring my mind back to my printemps au Paris!  This wine is a lovely, deep ruby color in the glass, and the nose presents aromas of licorice, spices and a hint of gravelly limestone, but there's also something warm and syrupy that I can't quite place.  The taste is classic Medoc, with the faintest hint of fruit at the outset, quickly transitioning to a gravelly earthiness midpalate before the delightfully structured tannins leave you with a long, bone dry finish.

Tonight I am just enjoying this wine with my appetizers of sliced ripe tomatoes with 25-year balsamic and some aged cheeses as I think about what to have for dinner (sorry for my lack of pairing recommendations!) but I think this wine would pair quite nicely with a variety of steaks, or perhaps some lighter pasta dishes with grilled seafood, even though I know that might sound wierd to some of you!  Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, though it might have gone higher but it was somewhat expensive at $17, marked down from the normal price of $22.  In any case, I'll enjoy this one all evening long!