2017 Seven Hills SHW Founding Vineyard Merlot

Happy Thursday!  I'll admit I'm a bit forlorn coming to the end of Walla Walla Valley Wine Month, but at least I'm enjoying some great wine!  Tonight's wine sort of kills two birds with one stone, as it's a great Walla Walla Valley wine, but it's also a Merlot so it meets my requirement for Sean Sullivan's Washington Merlot Challenge this month.  Tonight I am enjoying a bottle from one of my favorite wine makers, the 2017 Seven Hills SHW Founding Vineyard Merlot.  This wine is the 30th vintage from the wines originally planted by winemaker Casey McClellan and his father back in 1982, so let's dive into this treat of a wine!

The wine is an inky black with bright garnet along the edges, just as you might expect from a classic Merlot.  The nose is a rich combination of leather, oak, blackberry and spice, with a bit of dusty granite over the top.  The taste is a rush of cool ripe fruit with blueberry cobbler, blackberry and vanilla swirling in your palate before transitioning to some black pepper spice and savory herbs midpalate.  The tannins are nicely integrated with a reprise of sweet fruit on the long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as its just a pleasant sipping wine which I could definitely enjoy as dessert after a hearty dinner!  This wine would pair well with a lot of hearty dishes, from grilled prime steaks and rare lamb chops to hearty pasta or risotto.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a simple dinner of linguine tossed with sauteed garlic and broccoli rabe in olive oil and topped with shaved parmesan.  Cheers!

2014 Maison Bleue Frontiere Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  Today I've opened a bottle of wine from Maison Bleue, a wonderful producer of great quality Grenache and Syrah from Walla Walla.  But this time I've gone a different route and opened a new bottle of their 2014 Frontiere Cabernet Sauvignon, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Waliser Vineyard in the Rocks AVA in the Walla Walla Valley.  Given my dinner choice tonight, I needed a good Cabernet, so let's see how this one stacks up.

This is my first wine from the Rocks, and I've been hearing positive things about this AVA.  The area is mainly alluvial material washed down the Blue Mountains by the Walla Walla River, resulting in soil dominated by large cobblestones.  This enhances drainage prompting roots to go deeper, and more heat deeper in the soil, which comes through in this wine.  The wine is an inky black color at the center with lovely garnet hues along the edges.   The nose is quite interesting, with a soothing combination of coarse mineral notes, cassis and mint that are somewhat unexpected.  The taste is a real departure for a Cabernet, with some lovely notes of red and black currant up front that transition nicely to some mineral notes of dusty granite over notes of tobacco and black tea leaves.  The tannins are firm and provide for a velvety, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a wonderfully structured and pleasant drinking Cabernet that would pair well with anything from steak, to pasta to hearty stews.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a USDA Prime cowboy ribeye, along with a big ol' baked potato and some grilled broccoli rabe.  The wine really holds up well to the steak, as the acidity nicely cuts through the richness of the steak.  Cheers!

2012 Forgeron Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Friday!  This weekend couldn't come fast enough in my opinion, I've been battling a cold all week, then on Wednesday we had a foot of snow which is all supposed to melt this weekend.  So man I need a break and a nice glass of wine or three!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of a recent wine club selection from Forgeron Cellars in Walla Walla, the 2012 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon!  This wine happens to be a blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (90%) and a but of Petit Verdot (10%) added for good measure.

The wine is a lovely bright ruby in the glass with nice clarity.  The nose presents aromas of black raspberry, cherry cola and leather, which tells me this is going to be good!  The taste is very fruit forward with ripe berries and plum that transitions to some wonderful herb and mineral notes midpalate, with some notes of tarragon and mint intermingled with some dusty granite.  The finish is a delight, with some white pepper spice accenting the firm tannins, providing for a long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, after being on a Napa kick, I'd forgotten how lovely a nice Columbia Valley Cabernet can be!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic Friday night pairing of a rare grilled Angus New York strip along with some grilled gold beets and steamed asparagus.  Cheers!

2005 Vitaluce Cellars Quintos Red Wine

Well, the weekend it over, I survived the time change and am just enjoying a glass of wine before dinner.  Tonight it's the 2005 Vitaluce Cellars Quintos red wine from Paso Robles, a classic Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Petit Verdot (15%), Cabernet Franc (15%), Merlot (10%) and Malbec (10%).

The wine is a deep, inky purple color in the glass, with a bit of opacity given its age.  The nose is reminiscent of a classic Bordeaux, with lovely ripe berries, fig and blackberry compote over hints of green grass and smoke.  The taste is quite fruit forward with some ripe berries and cherry cola flavors up front that transition to some lovely notes of mocha, dark chocolate and earthy flavors of dusty granite midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured, lending support for the long and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a very pleasant blend that's easy drinking and a great value - I bought this one from Wines Till Sold Out for just $13 in the recent cheapskate marathon.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic winter comfort food, tuna casserole!  I can't even begin to suggest parings for this dish, but a nice red wine will brighten up even the most pedestrian of American dishes!  Cheers!

2013 Stasis Cabernet Sauvignon

Well the weekend is coming to a close, so why not open a bottle of wine to enjoy?  Tonight it's a Cabernet from an emerging region of California wine production, Paso Robles - the 2013 Stasis Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is the reserve level wine produced by Tolliver Ranch, with its sandy, gravelly soil that is ideal for producing big red wines like Cabernet, Petite Sirah and Syrah.

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass with great clarity.  The nose is very earthy, with strong notes of leather, dusty granite and some notes of rich black fruit that steadily emerges, blackberry, plum and black cherry.  The taste is quite nice particularly given it's youth and inexperience.  You start with a bit of jammy red fruit, cherry, boysenberry and red currant that gradually transitions to some mocha, vanilla bean and toasted oak notes midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat young and underdeveloped, yet the finish was surprisingly voluptuous, smooth and very dry.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it was a very nice and approachable wine today, but one that will likely improve with some time in the bottle.  It was also a fairly descent value at just $17 from Wines Till Sold Out.  Tonight I am pairing this wine with some oven roasted center cut pork chops, some cheesy potato casserole and steamed asparagus, a perfect Midwestern Sunday dinner!  The rich black fruit notes with this wine are the perfect complement to a fine pork chop, like cranberries on turkey at Thanksgiving. Cheers!

2010 Revelry Columbia Valley Merlot

Ahhh...a relaxing summer Sunday evening, all the chores are done, dinner is started and it's time to open up a bottle of wine to cap off the evening.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2010 Revelry Columbia Valley Merlot.  This is a new one for me, a winery based in Walla Walla that I'm really not very familiar with, but one which I found at my local wine store for a reasonable price.

The wine is a bright ruby in the glass with great clarity, but somewhat lighter than a typical Merlot.  The nose is somewhat fruity, with nice aromas of blueberries and cassis, dusty granite and a hint of toasted oak.  The taste starts off strong, with a blast of fresh berries, blueberries and cherries, which transitions to some earthy notes of black truffle and oak midpalate.  The finish is quite nice, with nicely integrated tannins supporting a velvety, smooth dry finish that seems to be short, but lingers for quite a while.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's a very nice Merlot that would be perfect for everyday drinking as I'm doing tonight, particularly at the value price of $15 that I paid.  The wine seems food friendly and would pair with a variety of dishes, from steaks to pizza.  Tonight I am enjoying this with some heirloom tomato and basil ravioli in a four cheese creamy grape tomato alfredo, perhaps an odd choice for summer, but I had a craving!  Salut!

2009 Peique Ramon Valle Bierzo

Yes I know, it's been a while since my last post and since I've been so busy with work lately that shouldn't be surprising.  So I'll make up for it this afternoon, after completing all my yard work I finally have time to open a new bottle and enjoy a glass of wine, and today it's the 2009 Peique Ramon Valle Bierzo, a wine that is made from the mencia grape of Spain, and one that I've not had the opportunity to try before.  Mencia has developed somewhat of a negative reputation, since some newer vines were planted and many producers focused on mass market wines meant to be consumed soon after bottling.  Fortunately this wine is from 55-60 year old vines, so it might be more of an age worthy sort of wine. So here's to trying new wines!

The color on this wine is a deep ruby, somewhat darker than I expected.  At first blush, the wine had a distinct nose of "Frankenberry" but as I let it open up a bit, the fruit subsided and a lovely combination of leather, spice, tobacco and espresso made themselves known.  The taste was rather surprising, as I was expecting a rush of fruit at the outset that never really appeared.  There were some hints of berries with a good bit of spice at the outset, black pepper and anise that quickly transitioned to some lovely mineral notes midpalate.  The finish was quite striking, with some balsamic over the stark minerality of dusted limestone and granite that made for a long, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it was very interesting as a new varietal that I've note tried before, and it was a nice value, as I bought this one from Wines Till Sold Out for about $11!  Although this wine hails from the northeastern part of Spain, tonight I'm pairing it with a starkly Mediterranean sort of dish, of fresh mussels sauteed in garlic and olive oil and then simmered in some San Marzano tomatoes and spicy red peppers and tossed with linguine with a touch of fresh basil and shaved parmesan to finish it off, my classic version of mussels fra diavalo!  The fruit and minerality of this wine are an ideal compliment to the hearty spice of the sauce and mussels.  Andiamo a mangiare!

2011 Poggio Al Lupo Morellino di Scansano

Tonight I am trying a new Italian wine that I haven't had the opportunity to experience before, the 2011 Poggio Al Lupo Morellino di Scansano.  Now I've learned that Morellino di Scansano is a wine made in the hilly regions of coastal Tuscany in the Maremma region (in the past I've even reviewed a couple of wines from Maremma).  Now unlike Chianti or Brunello, the Morellino di Scansano only needs to be made with 85% Sangiovese grapes, and there is no minimum aging requirement, so these wines can be released as soon as 8 months after harvest.  As a result, these wines are often more young and crisp than many similar but aged wines.

The wine is a lighter color in the glass, but still consistent with a primarily Sangiovese based wine, with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is a complex bouquet of rich black fruit, ripe plum, blackberries and cassis along with some earthy notes of leather and oak.  The taste is quite nice, with a blast of fruit up front that easily transitions to some dried herbs, black pepper and cocoa powder midpalate, over the faintest hint of iron and granite.  The tannins are crisp but well structured leading to a very smooth, long and dry finish.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's a lovely example of a Sangiovese based wine that I've not had before, and it was a solid value.  I bought this from Wines Till Sold Out for just $15.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some barbecued chicken, a backed Yukon gold potato and some steamed broccoli, a nice Midwest Sunday dinner.  The fruit of this wine really makes a nice accent to barbecue, not as jammy as a Zinfandel, but very nice nonetheless.  Cheers!

2011 Dona Paula Estate Malbec

Tonight I have a special treat, a Snooth virtual tasting of wines from the Dona Paula Estate in Argentina! I really have to offer a special word of appreciation and a hearty thank you to Snooth and Dona Paula Estate for providing me with some lovely samples to try this evening, the 2011 Torrontes (which I posted about yesterday) and the 2011 Malbec! Now I'll admit that I have not been the biggest fan of Malbec, though I think this is in part because of the recent surge in popularity of Malbec that resulted in a wave of imports that were not exactly the highest quality.  This one gives me some hope as it's a classic from the Uco Valley of Mendoza, so here's to hopefully trying Malbec with a new outlook!

The wine itself has a deep purple color and nice clarity in the glass.  The nose is classic Malbec, rich ripe red fruit, blackberries, cherries and plums, offset with distinct earthy tones of green grass, forest floor and some dusty granite.  The taste is quite remarkable, with some dark fruit up front, followed by some lovely spice notes midpalate, anise, mint and leather.  The finish is wonderful, as the firm tannins and balanced acidity provide ample support for the velvety mouthfeel and long, dry finish.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a really wonderful example of what a good Mendoza Malbec should be, ample black fruit and a lovely rustic earthiness that begs for a big hunk of meat!  Since I'm tasting tonight, I am enjoying this one with a simple plate of antipasti, but it would be perfect with a big rare grilled Angus steak and some fresh veggies, just like you might enjoy in the Andes of northern Argentina.  So if you can grab a bottle, enjoy it with dinner tonight!