2021 Charles Krug Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Today it's been very hot and humid, and although this morning I spent a few hours helping friends clear out a house, the rest of the day has been spend huddling in the air conditioning!  At least inside, I can open up a nice bottle of wine to enjoy. Tonight, I've opened a bottle from a favorite Napa Valley producer, the 2021 Charles Krug Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.   Let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is an inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from a big Napa Cabernet.  The nose presents aromas of leather, ripe cherry and green herbs with some mineral undertones.  The first sip is a delight, a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant that wash over your palate before retreating and allowing the earthy mineral and warm spice notes present themselves midpalate.  The tannins are firm but yielding, ideal for the long, smooth dry finish that lingers until your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a delightful Napa Valley Cabernet that tends to be much more affordable than the bigger names out there.  This wine would pair well with a variety of bold dishes, but as always it would be best with a nice big steak.  Well, we're in luck as tonight I am enjoying this wine with a nice big T-bone grilled rare along with some grilled hatch chilis, the first of the season that I picked up at my local market this morning!  Cheers!

2020 Browne Family Vineyards Bitner Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It's been another inordinately hot weekend, with highs in the mid- to upper-80s with high humidity, so working out in the yard today was just exhausting as I think I must have sweat through a gallon of water.  Now, I am tired and sore and ready for dinner and a nice glass of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle that I picked up at Costco a few months back, the 2020 Browne Family Vineyards Bitner Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is a classic Columbia Valley Cabernet with fruit sourced from the Browne Estate Vineyard (30%), Shaw (25%), Quintessence (17%), Red Mountain Vineyard (9%),  Blackwood Canyon (9%), Pepper Bridge (5%), and Aqualini (5%).  Let's see how this wine is shaping up!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, a classic look for a Columbia Valley Cabernet.  The nose is a rush of leather and oak, with support from ripe blackberry, candied plum and hints of violet.  The first sip is a surprisingly fruit forward affaire, with blackberry, blueberry and plum that give way to a bit of tart cherry before heading to some toasted oak and earthy minerality midpalate.  The tannins are graceful yet firm, providing just the right foundation for the long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it punches way above it's weight class (I think I bought this at Costco for around $20, but even the full retail price online is only $35).  This wine would pair well with grilled steaks and chops, roasted vegetables, cedar planked salmon or barbecue.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a pan seared New York strip with butter and rosemary, mashed potatoes and steamed asparagus.  Cheers!

2022 Stag's Leap Artemis

Happy Sunday!  It's been very hot here today, though I did make it out for a bike ride for about an hour and just got cooled off.  In any case, now it's time to make dinner and open a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of wine that I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out in one of their recent Mystery Selections which have featured two wines from this outstanding producer, this time it's the 2022 Stag's Leap Artemis.  I've been a fan of this wine for well over a decade having reviewed the 2010 vintage and the fabulous 2012 vintage previously.  Let's see how this wine is shaping up!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass with a brooding black center, just as you'd expect from a big Napa Cabernet.  A gentle swirl and your nose is treated to aromas of caramel, tar and lavender with undertones of leather and ripe black fruit.  The first sip is a rush of ripe black fruit having a throw down with tart cherry before easing up to notes of warm baking spice, earthy minerality and mocha midpalate.  The tannins are still a bit sharp, but ease right into the warm dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's drinking nicely now, but will likely improve handsomely with a few years in the cellar.  This wine would pair with a variety of hearty dishes from braised short ribs to rack of lamb, but more than anything, this wine begs for steak.  And it's a good thing my local market had a good variety yesterday, so tonight I can enjoy this wine with a rare grilled tomahawk ribeye topped with grilled garlic scapes and served with grilled asparagus and broccoli rabe.  Cheers!

2019 Stags Leap Rancho Chimiles Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday!  I had planned to get a lot more done than I accomplished today, but I guess I'll get over it.  At least I managed to get groceries and go to the farmers market, so I'll take the little wins.  To celebrate, tonight I am opening a bottle from a recent mystery selection from Wines Till Sold Out.  The 2019 Stags Leap Wine Cellars Rancho Chimiles Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from this esteemed vineyard in Napa Valley.  Let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep indigo at the center with bright garnet along the edges, just as you'd expect from a big Napa Cabernet.  The nose presents subdued aromas of black currant, lavender and blueberries, intermingled with some hints of cedar and earthy graphite.  The first sip a rush of ripe fruit, black currant, blueberries and blackberries, that ease into some notes of dark chocolate intermingled with earthy minerality midpalate.  The tannins are velvety smooth, adding just the right support for the voluptuous dry finish that seems to linger just the right amount.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a classic big, muscular Napa Valley Cabernet.  This wine would pair well with a range of hearty dishes, from steaks to barbecue, grilled octopus to wild mushroom risotto.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a very well marbled bone-in ribeye along with an assortment of grilled vegetables - leeks, asparagus, garlic scapes and peppers.  Cheers!

2020 Raymond Mountain District Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It's been a while since I've posted, and I blame that on a despicable work schedule along with a dreaded summer cold I've been battling (so my sense of smell might not be as accurate this evening!).  In any case, I'm ready for a relaxing Sunday dinner following a weekend of work (see above) and given my planned meal, I couldn't think of a better wine to open than the 2020 Raymond Mountain District Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  I think I bought this one several months back from Wines Till Sold Out, so let's see how this fire tainted vintage is tasting.

The wine is a brooding ruby color in the glass, with a dark center as you'd expect on a nice Napa Cabernet.  A gentle swirl reveals aromas of earthy leather, green grass and hints of blackberry amid undertones of minerality.  The first sip is a rush of tart cherry, blackberry and currant that awash your palate before transitioning to some notes of dark chocolate and espresso midpalate.  The tannins are velvety and provide an ideal base for the long, classically Napa dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a classic big honkin' Napa Valley Cabernet that I bought for a solid value price at just $40.  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from hearty pasta and braised short ribs, to barbecue and lamb.  Of course, for me a big honkin' Cabernet calls for a big honkin' steak, so tonight I am enjoying this wine with a tomahawk grilled Pittsburgh rare, served with roasted hatch chiles and fresh sweet corn I picked up at the farmer's market yesterday.  Cheers!

2019 B by Fonbadet Bordeaux

Happy Sunday!  Well the long holiday weekend is almost over, but there's still time for Sunday dinner and a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a nice bottle of Bordeaux that I think I bought a few months back at Costco, and I have no idea about the wine or it's composition, but being a Bordeaux, I can only imagine it has some Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and any other combination of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, so let's just try it out shall we?

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you might expect from a nice Bordeaux.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of blackberry, toffee, earthy mineral notes and baking spice.  The first sip is a rush of stark minerality, with notes of basalt and tar, that transition nicely to some notes of black cherry and cassis, intermingled with black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are classically structured for a Bordeaux, leaving you with a dry finish that you scarcely notice.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it was a solid example of a daily drinker in the heart of France, and like so many Bordeaux, this wine is very affordable as I think I paid about $15 for this one at Costco.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from pasta and jambalaya to hearty steaks and chops.  Tonight I am opting for the latter and enjoying this wine with a rare grilled Cajun spiced ribeye with sautéed onions, mushrooms and peppers and some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2021 Forgeron Barbera Barrel Select

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!  I hope you enjoyed a pleasant day with your families, as I have decided to make a special dinner on this hot summer evening, so I struggled with what wine to pair with it until I spotted a recent wine club shipment from Forgeron Cellars.  The 2021 Forgeron Barbera was crafted from select barrels of Barbera from the White Bluffs appellation in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  Since the White Bluffs are located on a plateau that can extend the growing season by as much as 45 days over the surrounding areas.  With this classic varietal and the wine makers' commitment to the Piedmont style, this wine seems ideal for my Sunday dinner!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity, just as you'd expect from a nice Barbera.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of leather, blackberry and peppery spice notes with undertones of lavender.  The first sip is like stepping into an Italian grocery, a rush of black cherry and blackberry fruit with ample baking spice and floral notes, that ease into some earthy mineral and peat midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, as the acidity takes charge for a lingering dry finish.

I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a very pleasing domestic example of this Italian varietal.  This wine would pair well with grilled steaks, lighter salad with broiled branzino, but tonight I am going more traditional with this wine.  I am enjoying this wine with a crab risotto garnished with sautéed garlic scapes and shaved parmesan.  The acidity of this wine is an ideal foil to the richness of the risotto.  Cheers!