2019 Reininger Walla Walla Malbec

Happy Saturday!  It's been a crazy weather day today, with cold and freezing rain, but I made it through grocery shopping and am back home for a nice dinner and glass of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle that's been hanging around and ignored with it's siblings from 2020 and 2021.  The 2019 Reininger Walla Walla Malbec is a 100% Malbec sourced from the Pepper Bridge Vineyard (86%) and Stone Valley Vineyard (14%) in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting after a few years in the cellar!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a classic Malbec.  The nose presents aromas of violet, espresso and blackberry, an fresh earthy blend that will have you anxious for a sip.  The first taste is a rush of tart cherry, blackberry and espresso that gives way to some earthy loam and tobacco midpalate.  The tannins are expertly structured to provide for the perfect foundation for the smooth, long dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a quintessential example of the promise of Malbec in the capable hands of a Walla Walla winemaker.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from braised short ribs to rack of lamb, but honestly this wine just begs to be paired with steak, like the gauchos of Argentina.  Well, we're in luck as tonight I am enjoying this wine with a pan seared filet mignon, mashed potatoes and gravy and steamed asparagus with hollandaise.  Cheers!

2019 Decero Remolinos Vineyard Malbec

Happy Sunday!  It's been a busy weekend, and always sad when it comes to the end and you're not exactly sure what you accomplished!  At any rate, I'm ending the weekend on a high note with a wonderful wine that is perfect for my Sunday dinner choice. The 2019 Decero Remolinos Vineyard Malbec was harvested from vineyards in the Agrelo sub-appellation of Mendoza, planted at an elevation of 3,500 feet.  So, let's see how this wine is shaping up!

The wine is an inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from a nice Malbec.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals wonderful aromatics of blackberry, leather and white pepper spice.  Take a sip and you're awash in ripe blueberry, blueberry and currant that transition easily to some earthy notes of basalt and green cedar.  The tannins are expertly structured, providing for a velvety smooth dry finish that lingers till your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a wonderful expression of a Malbec that stands well above the standard fare of this varietal.  This wine was also a terrific value available at Costco for just $16!  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, but practically begs to be paired with a gaucho served steak.  And tonight I'm in luck, enjoying this wine with a cowboy ribeye grilled Pittsburgh rare with horseradish, roasted garlic and grilled asparagus.  Cheers! 

2020 Bledsoe Family Winery Walla Walla Cabernet Franc

Happy Easter!  I have gone back and forth on Easter dinner, between ham and lamb, and tonight I've settled on the latter, so what wine to pick?  Thankfully, I've recently received a wine club shipment from Bledsoe Family Winery that I think might be perfect with lamb, the 2020 Bledsoe Family Winery Walla Walla Cabernet Franc.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, with hints of fuchsia along the edges.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of candied cherry amid hints of anise and smoke.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a masculine rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant that ease into some notes of mint and dried herbs midpalate.  The tannins are expertly structured providing for velvety dry finish that seems to linger for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's really a remarkable single Bordeaux varietal offering that strikes me as very food friendly.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from steaks and chops, to mushroom risotto, to Yankee pot roast.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with by new classic Easter dinner of herb crusted rack of lamb with herb mashed potatoes and red wine reduction, along with some oven roasted Brussels sprouts.  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!

2018 Helix Cabernet Franc

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's been a while since I've posted and it's because last weekend was just crazy busy for me, but I'm back not and able to open up a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight's selection is a recent wine club shipment from Reininger, the 2018 Helix Cabernet Franc.  This wine is a 100% Cabernet Franc from the Weinbau vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this underappreciated varietal is tasting!

The wine is a bright garnet color in the glass, with great clarity.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of pomegranate, violets and raspberry with subtle undertones of dusty limestone.  Take a sip and you're treated to a rush of ripe red fruit, raspberry, mulberry and cherry, that transition easily to some earthy notes of tar and tobacco, before easing back into notes of pomegranate.  The tannins are expertly structured providing for a wonderfully long, velvety dry finish that will have you reaching for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a perennial favorite for this varietal, and this vintage is a real treat to drink.  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from grilled lamb chops, to venison, pork tenderloin to veal chops.  Tonight however, I am going a different route and enjoying this wine with some Thai red curry chicken and vegetables atop a bed of jasmine rice an a sprig of fresh Thai basil.  Cheers!

2018 Seven Hills Winery Pepper Bridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, it's been a busy week, and after a bike ride it's time to open a nice bottle of wine and enjoy a wonderful dinner.  Tonight I've opened a classic Walla Walla Cabernet from one of my favorite wine makers and vineyards.  The 2018 Seven Hills Winery Pepper Bridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a classis Cabernet from a section of the Pepper Bridge Vineyard that exemplifies the best of what Walla Walla Cabernet can be.

The wine is a deep, brooding color at the center, with bright ruby along the edges.  A gentle swirl releases aromas of violets, blackberry and cherry intermingled with dusty loam.  Take a sip and you are treated to a rush of ripe fruit as cherry, blackberry and currant cascade to earthy notes of dusty limestone, mint and peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are expertly structured to form the base of the long, lush and wonderfully dry finish that will have you asking for more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a perennial favorite and a great example of what the Walla Walla Valley and this classic vineyard can produce in a Cabernet.  This wine is easy to sip on it's own, but would also pair well with lamb, classic steaks and chops, as well as hearty fall pasta dishes.  Tonight, inspired by last night's episode of Masterchef with French dishes inspired by Chef Ludo Lefebvre, I am enjoying this wine with a steak frites, a classic French bistro dish of rare New York strip topped with béarnaise and some purple potato fries.  Cheers!

2010 Syzygy Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, it's the first Saturday of August, which means it's Cellar Saturday, that magical day when I raid the cellar for something developing for at least a decade.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of wine that's over a decade old, though it's only been in my cellar for a month!  On my recent Walla Walla vacation, I had the chance to meet with Syzygy proprietor and wine maker, Zach Brettler at his tasting room by the airport on my way out of town, and I was impressed with the wines.  He had taken a bit if a hiatus from winemaking for nearly a decade and has been selling some of the last of his 2009 and 2010 vintages, which are a treat.  The 2010 Syzygy Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a 100% Cabernet from the Conner Lee, Sagemoor and Klipsun Vineyards grown during a year that featured a solar eclipse.  So, let's see what this wine has to offer.

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with garnet along the edges.  The nose practically screams mature cabernet that is just hitting its stride, with aromas of leather, oak and earthy peat intermingled with notes of blackberry, cherry and plum that brings back memories of so many barrel rooms.  Take a sip and you are greeted by unexpected bright fruit flavors, strawberry, black cherry and plum that dance around your palate before giving way to some lovely black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured and expertly integrated for the velvety smooth, dry finish that lingers on for what seems like several minutes.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a wonderfully built Cabernet that is just singing right now.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from pasta and steaks, to lamb and smoked brisket.  Tonight, I am taking a page from my summer growing up, as it was very common when it was hot (with no central air conditioning) and very humid in the Midwest that my mom would routinely serve corn and tomatoes for dinner during the summer.  It was simple, but delicious with sweet corn and tomatoes in season.  Given that I did a lot of work around my uncle's house today and I seemed to have yet to stop sweating, I am enjoying some corn on the cob and sliced tomatoes for dinner, though unlike my mom, I've decided to add a rare grilled New York strip as well.  Cheers!

2016 DaMa Collage

Happy Sunday!  I've been working much of the day and now it's time for me to put down the laptop and open a nice bottle of wine!   Tonight I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from DaMa Wines, the 2016 Collage, a blend of Merlot (71%), Cabernet Sauvignon (21%) and Cabernet Franc (5%), and yes, there is a typo since theyonle add up to 97%, but all I had to go on was what was printed on the label!  In any case, let's see what this Walla Walla blend has to offer.

The wine is a beautiful deep ruby color in the glass with nice clarity, a testament to the heavy Merlot influence in the blend.  A modest swirl in the glass releases aromas of leather, oak, blackberry and a hint of lilac.  Take a sip and you are greeted with a rush of ripe black cherry that washes over your palate before transitioning to some earthy notes of dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are expertly structured to provide a solid base for a long, smooth dry finish with a nice bit of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a really pleasant sipping wine, which I will likely do on the porch once I publish this!  This wine would pair well with pasta, pizza or barbecue, for a casual affair, or you can pick it up a notch and enjoy this with a classic rack of lamb.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled porterhouse with a baked potato and some steamed sugar snap peas.  Cheers!

2018 Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir

Well, this is a post I've been anxious to write, since I recently became a shareholder in this winery!  There are very few publicly traded wineries, but Willamette Valley Vineyards is one of them.  I recently bought some of their preferred stock (and by no means is this to be considered investment advice, please consult your own investment professional!) which has a lot of benefits for being a shareholder, including wine discounts, special events at the wineries, and a bonus of you choose to receive your preferred stock dividend as a wine credit!  

So since I'm now a proud shareholder, I searched around and finally found a bottle of wine to taste tonigh, the 2018 Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir, so let's see if my investment is paying off!

The wine is a brilliant ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity, just as you would expect from a nice pinot noir from Oregon.  The nose is a pleasant rendering of lovely floral and herb notes, lavender, lilac and hints of orange blossom and mint with earthy undertones.  The taste is a rush of lovely red fruit, cherry, plum and lingonberry washing over your palate before transitioning to some wonderful earthy notes of tar and tobacco midpalate, with a bit of white pepper spice at the end.  The tannins are expertly structured to provide a wonderfully smooth, dry finish that lingers with w bit of fruit.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as this Pinot noir falls into the category that I like, lighter but full of great flavor (a Pinot that us Cabernet lovers can get behind!) and it was also a darn good value at just $22 here locally.  This wine would pair well with the classic Oregon fare, salmon, Dungeness crab and fantastic Thai food, and tonight I've gone one of those routes.  I'm enjoying this wine with a nice Alder planked wild Alaskan sockeye served with some mango, pineapple and jalapeno salsa and some black beans and rice.  Cheers! 

2018 Valdemar Estates Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Wine Wednesday!  So a few weeks ago, the Reveal Walla Walla Charity Auction was held.  I was last at this great event back in 2018 (you can see my post on the auction here) and although it was a lot of fun, I was not a winner.  This year the event was held virtually and the folks did a terrific job of organizing and running the auction, but without the chance to browse the event and meet the wine makers and sample the wines it wasn't quite the same.  I'll give the organizers credit though, as they were willing to send some samples out, depending on the winery, and I was fortunate enough to receive two samples of the 6 lots I bid on, and tonight I'm going to review the 2018 Valdemar Estates Cabernet Sauvignon from the Stone Valley Vineyard in the Rocks District AVA of the Walla Walla Valley.  I was interested in this wine as Marie-Eve Gilla, formerly of Forgeron Cellars, is now the winemaker at Valdemar.  So let's see how this young wine is shaping up!

The wine is a deep, inky color at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as a classic Cabernet should look.  The nose is am old-world style layered affair, with some hints of violet and black plum intermingled with some mineral notes graphite and undertones of sage and mint.  The taste is a rush of black fruit, with some cherry, blackberry and fig, that transitions nicely to some cocoa powder midpalate.  The tannins are expertly structured, making for a very Bordeaux-esque exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a pleasant Cabernet that is a real example of the best of the old world and the new.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from steaks and roasts, to earthy mushroom risotto.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some zhatar seasoned lamb loin chops served with bucatini tossed in a mint and basil pesto with peas.  Cheers!

2017 SHW Founding Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday!  Today was a fortunate day as I managed to get to the UPS store to finally pick up my wine club shipment from Seven Hills Winery!  These shipments usually go to my office, but with the pandemic and office closure, it was a bit of logistical gymnastics to finally get this shipment home to me, but it should be well worth it!  Tonight I've opened one of the two wines in this club shipment, the 2017 SHW Founding Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is produced from the first significant Cabernet and Merlot planting in the Walla Walla Valley, and in the case of this wine, from the original estate founding Cabernet blocks planted by the McClellan Family in the early 1980s.  So, let's see how this old vine wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep garnet color in the glass, as you might expect from a well-built Cabernet.  The nose exudes subtle aromatics of blackberry, lavender and bit of vanilla, none of which are overpowering, suggesting a more elegantly structured wine.  The taste is a rush of ripe blackberry, marionberry and cherry that just coat your palate with velvety richness, before transitioning to some peppercorn and bay leaf midpalate.  The tannins are just expertly structured, to provide a fine network of support for the long, velvety dry finish that has you reaching for more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as it is easily the best Walla Walla Cabernet I've tasted this year.  This wine has characteristic old world styling that exemplifies the Walla Walla Valley, and would pair well with a variety of dishes from grilled steaks to wild salmon, mushroom risotto to lamb.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime ribcap, on a bed of grilled leeks, with some grilled white asparagus and a bit baked potato.  Cheers!