2015 Manu Propria Ex Animo

First let me say it’s been a couple weeks since I last posted and that’s because I had eye surgery to address a vitreous hemorrhage.  Now this eye surgery prevented me from looking at screens, or reading or watching television, or doing a lot of the normal everyday things that we're used to, including publishing blog posts. So with that out of the way, I am back officially or at least partially since I’m limited to about two hours a day of screen time in total, in 30-minute increments. So tonight I’ve decided to open a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from a new producer that came to me from Mark Ryan Winery. the 2015 Manu Propria Ex Animo Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (89%), Merlot (7%) and Cabernet Franc (4%) from the Red Willow vineyard in the Yakima Valley AVA of Washington. So let’s see how this wine tastes.

The wine has a deep inky purple color in the glass, classic for Cabernet. The wine has wonderful earthy aromas of smoke, leather and peat that beckon you to take a sip. The taste is a rush of warm ripe fruit blackberries, blueberries and cherries at the outset that gives way to some mellow earthy notes midpalate.  The tannins are wonderfully structured and well integrated providing nice foundation for a smooth, warm and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall I would wake this wine a solid 9 as it seems to be a really great example of the quality Cabernet that’s coming from Yakima valley AVA.  This wine would pair exceptionally well with a variety of big beefy dinners like a nice big steak or roast lamb chops or even some wonderful Italian dishes. Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a big thick prime sirloin steak grilled rare, along with some bacon roasted asparagus and a big baked potato with sour cream and scallions.  Cheers!

2012 Stella Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Friday!  Yes, this has been a crazy month with me traveling a lot and crazy and unpredictable schedule, but I've made some time to enjoy a nice dinner at home tonight, so what shall I do?  I know, I'll open a bottle of wine!  Tonight I've decided to open a recent purchase from Wines Till Sold Out, the 2012 Stella Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon!  And yes, I know it's unbearably hot out, but I'm in the air conditioning so a Cabernet seems like an ideal choice!

The wine is a lovely deep purple color at the center with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose presents lovely aromas of ripe fruit, blueberries, cherries and blackberries, with an overlay of rich leather.  The taste is classic Napa Cabernet, with come lovely fruit up front that transitions to some wonderful notes of vanilla and green tea intermingled with some nice mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is exceptional, with some fine tannins supporting a long, dry and voluptuous finish that seems to last a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as this is a wonderful Napa Cabernet from a strong vintage, and it was a great value at just $20!  Tonight I am enjoying this wonderful wine with a wonderful dinner of rare grilled prime filet mignon with grilled leeks, oven roasted fingerling potatoes and haricots verts almondine.  This is a great steak wine, with rich fruit and balanced mineral notes that are perfect for big meat!  Cheers!

2013 Ruffino Chianti

Here we are at the second post of my reviews of the Ruffino wines we recently tasted during the Snooth.com virtual tasting, the 2013 Ruffino Chiant!  Although this is my second post, this is actually the first wine we tasted, being the youngest and lightest of the four wines.  This wine is a blend of mainly Sangiovese (70%) with the balance made up of red varietals including Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  So here goes nothing!

The color is a bright ruby in the glass with great clarity.  The nose is chock full of red fruit, raspberries, cherries and plum with a bit of a floral note over the top.  The taste is wonderfully fruity, with some red berries and cherries up front that transition nicely to some hints of spice midpalate,  The typically robust tannins complement the bright acidity of the wine cementing a crisp, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's a very good Chianti at a tremendous value price of around $8.  This wine would be the perfect summer red, light, and perfect for a cool June evening on the patio.  Tonight I am sipping this with some olives and a bit of Podda cheese, enjoying the first of some spring weather, cheers!

2011 Owen Roe Ex Umbris Syrah

Alas, Washington Wine Month is quickly winding down and it seems like I've hardly had time for a single glass much less many blog posts!  Well my travel schedule at work is winding down (at least until next month), so perhaps I'll have some time to do some nice posts this week, as heaven know's I have plenty of Washington wine to open!  Tonight's bottle is the 2011 Owen Roe Ex Umbris Syrah, a lovely offering from the Columbia Valley that I found at my local wine merchant yesterday.

The wine is a lovely, inky indigo in the glass with rich brooding darkness that makes me recall the wonderful angst ridden culture of the Northwest back in the glory days of Grunge, but I digress.  The nose is beautifully fruity, with hints of warm berries, leather and smoke.  The taste is just divine, with an explosion of very bright fruit, blackberries, cherries and currant that subsides almost as quickly as it came, transitioning to some spicy notes of black pepper and toasted oak.  The finish is lovely, as the young tannins hold a firm grip on the long, smooth, dry finish that makes you want to sip this wine all afternoon.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's one of my favorite Syrah's I've tried from the Northwest, and I picked it up here in Indiana for only $29, so not wildly expensive.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with my delayed traditional St. Patrick's day dinner of corned beef, cabbage, red potatoes and carrots, as the lovely fruit of this wine makes a perfect contrast to a salt and fat laden dinner!  Cheers!

2009 Chateau La Tour de Bessan Margaux

Well, a year or so ago I had a blog post on this wine, but it was just a tease, as when I took delivery of my futures order the wine was much too young to enjoy, but now that we are nearly five years along, it's time to open up a bottle and see how the wine as developed!  The 2009 Chateau La Tour de Bessan Margaux is a lovely blend of Cabernet Saivignon (54%) and Merlot (46%) by esteemed winemaker Marie Laure Lurton.

The wine is a lovely bright ruby color in the glass with great clarity. The nose is very earthy with great fruit, an array of cherries, blackberries and cassis envelope a base of oak, leather, Asian spice and just a hint of smokiness. The taste is still rather tightly wound, with a burst of tart cherry that transitions to some wonderful earthy mineral notes of dusty limestone and forest floor. The tannins are still a bit young, but supportive of a long, smooth, exceptionally dry finish. 

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8 with ample potential to improve with a little time in the cellar. I'm enjoying Thai first glass with a bit of aged Italian cheese and some olives as I prepared my dinner of wild Alaskan coho salmon baked with shallots and capers with a lemon dill cream sauce on the side, along with a baked potato and some steamed asparagus. Bon appetit!

2011 Shooting Star Canernet Sauvignon

You know, I can admit it, sometimes I'm a really shallow wine drinker.  Take tonight's wine for example, the 2011 Shooting Star Cabernet Sauvignon from Lake County California. Did I buy this wine based on recommendations? Reviews? Some technical specification?  Nope. I bought it because the label looked really cool with this retro sort of Art Deco look I love!  So there you have it, sometimes the marketing geniuses designing packaging win!

To the wine, it's a lit lighter in color than a typical big California Cabernet but it's still a lovely deep ruby color in the glass. The nose is very thick with ripe jammy fruit, raspberries, cherries, plum amid a background of oak. The taste is surprisingly not sweet or jammy as the nose would suggest but instead it's very austere.  You are greeted with a lovely combination of tart cherry, raspberries and fresh herbs that transitions to some stark minerality mid palate. The tannins are very nicely structured giving rise to a very smooth and dry finish.
 

 

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's a lovely food friendly wine at a descent price (I found this bottle for $17). The lightness a structure of this wine make it much more versatile than a standard big Cabernet, so you don't feel as bad enjoying it with a meal that's not a big steak!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic northwest dinner of alder planked Alaska sockeye with some fresh asparagus and oven roasted fingerling potatoes. Delicious!

2010 Joel Gott Cabernet Sauvignon

Merry Christmas!  It's always a great day when you're together with family and friends to enjoy the wonderful food and great fun!  So today I've opened up a bottle of 2010 Joel Gott Cabernet Sauvignon to enjoy with Christmas dinner. 

The wine is a nice deep indigo in the glass while the nose is packed with ripe fruit, blueberries, cherries and ripe plums along with some lovely leather notes. The taste is wonderlully fruit forward with notes of blueberry, plum and cherry cola that transitions to some mineral notes mid palate. The finish is wonderfully dry, with a long, smooth, velvety mouthfeel. 

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's a really nice example of a solid California Cabernet. Today I am enjoying this wine with a classic Christmas dinner of turkey and all the fixin's!  Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!