2023 Seven Hills Founding Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Friday!  It's been a stressful week, and I am happy to have some time to relax this weekend and what better way to start a weekend than with a nice dinner and glass of wine!  Tonight I have opened a bottle from one of my long-time favorite producers from Walla Walla, Seven Hiss Winery!  The 2023 Seven Hills Founding Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a full Cabernet harvested from the original Seven Hills Vineyard planted by Casey McClellan and his father back in the early 1980s.  Let's see how this latest vintage is treating us!

The wine has the classic look of a nice quality Cabernet, dark at the center and bright ruby along the edges.  The nose presents aromas of leather, oak and a cascade of ripe cherry and marionberry with undertones of freash herbs and floral notes.  The first sip is a rush or ripe red fruit, cherry, raspberry and marionberry that transitions easily to flavors of mocha, cherry cola and dark chocolate midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, providing an ideal base for the long, smooth dry finish that will have you reaching for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a classic example of a quality Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine would pair well with a range of summer dishes, from barbecued ribe, burgers and brats to charbroiled steaks or alder planked salmon.  Tonight, I am taking the traditional route and enjoying this wine with a rare grilled porterhouse topped with grilled hatch chiles (yes, it's finally hatch chile season!) and roasted gemstone potatoes.  Cheers!

2022 Seven Hills Walla Walla Carménère

Happy Mother's Day!  I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful day, though I admit mine was a bit subdued, with yard work and chores around the house followed by a bike ride, so now I'm ready for dinner and a glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of one of my favorite lost varietals from one of my favorite Walla Walla winemakers.  The 2022 Seven Hills Walla Walla Carménère is a 100% Carménère from the Walla Walla AVA of Washington, that was only available to wine club members, so let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a lovely garnet color in the glass, and a gentle swirl reveals aromas of sweet blackberry, leather and fresh herbs.  Take a sip and experience a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and plum with a bit of acidity that easily transitions to some notes of vanilla bean and pipe tobacco midpalate.  The tannins are subdued, making for a mellow finish that while dry, is not in your face about it.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a consistent favorite for a food friendly varietal.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from barbecue to tacos, steaks to pizza.  Tonight, I am enjoy this wine with some hatch chile barbecued chicken, pan roasted baby potatoes with onions, peppers and mushrooms, and some fresh broccoli slaw.  Cheers!

2019 Pepper Bridge Trine

Happy New Year!  Hard to believe we are in 2023 as time seems to be accelerating (or perhaps I'm just getting older).  So to celebrate the first day of the new year with a wonderful dinner, we need a wonderful wine as well.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2019 Pepper Bridge Trine, a classic example of a fine Bordeaux style blend from the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Franc (42%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), Merlot (16%), Malbec (8%) and Petit Verdot (4%) sourced from the Seven Hills, Waliser, Octave, and Pepper Bridge Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley.  Having opened this wine about 90 minutes ago, let's see how it's tasting!

The wine is a lovely deep ruby color in the glass, and a gentle swirl reveals aromas of ripe red fruit, raspberry, cherry and currant, layers of fresh herbs and some mineral notes.  The first sip is a rush of ripe red fruit interwoven with layers of semi-sweet chocolate, light floral notes and consistent mineral notes that give the wine an interesting complexity.  The tannins are well structured providing for a wonderfully consistent dry finish that seems to linger for minutes. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's usually a house favorite when I have it on hand.  This wine would pair well with a range of hearty winter dishes, from prime steaks to braised short ribs, hearty beef stew to classic mushroom risotto.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with my new year's feast of a pan seared filet mignon topped with béarnaise along with a butter poached lobster risotto and some oven roasted carrots.  Cheers! 

2020 Maison Bleue Lisette Rosé

Happy Sunday!  I spend a good portion of the afternoon decorating Christmas trees, and I'll admit I did not quite finish, but at least there is wine!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2020 Maison Bleue Lisette Rosé.  I know it's a bit past rosé season, but what the heck.  This wine is a pure Grenache rosé from the Summit View Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington, so let's see how this wine is tasting.

The wine is a lovely pale peach color in the glass, with aromas of peach, green grass and hints of rose petals.  Take a sip and you're greeted with crisp citrus, melon and fresh herbs that wash over your palate before transitioning easily to some notes of strawberry and earthy mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is crisp and very dry with a reprise of peach and white floral notes and the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's an ideal summer sipper, perfect for friends on the patio.  This wine would be ideal with a range of summer salads, from a citrus and pomegranate with arugula, to roasted beet and feta.  This wine would also pair well with some curry chicken and vegetables, or classic lighter seafood, like alder planked salmon or pan seared halibut.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with some steamed snow crab legs with drawn butter, ideal for a Sunday dinner!  Cheers!

2020 Healy Rose

Well, it's officially the first holiday weekend of summer, and I can confirm that I really needed this!  So, on the first day of the three day weekend, I've taken advantage of a sale at my local market which spurred a bit of a challenge for an appropriate wine pairing.  Fortunately, I received my Bledsoe Family Wine spring club shipment not long ago, which had an ideal solution in the 2020 Healy Rose.  Although the blend is proprietary, the fruit was sourced from some solid vineyards in the the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this first taste of summer is tasting!

The wine is a lovely peach color in the glass, almost welcoming summer, though around here we've had several false starts, with the lows reaching the 30s just a couple days ago!  A modest swirl in the glass releases a load of citrus notes, grapefruit, lemon and a hint of blood orange, that eases into some lovely herb notes.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a lovely mix of citrus, ripe melon and persimmon that transition easily to some earthy mineral notes with bright acidity throughout.  On the finish, we the texture and acidity continue for a crisp dry finish that just screams summer.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a super pleasant and easy drinking rose that I could see myself enjoying on the patio all summer long.  This wine would pair well with a fresh caprese salad, a warm orzo with fresh herbs or a wide range of seafood.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a steamed live Maine lobster (thanks to my local market for only $9.99!) and some fresh corn on the cob with lots of butter and some Srirach cole slaw.  Here's to summer!

2018 Pepper Bridge Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It's been a busy day, starting with a little work work, and ending with a lot of yard work.  I dug up about a five-gallon bucked of dandelions from around the yard, moved some logs to the summer fire pit wood pile and fertilized the grass, I have a feeling I might be feeling this one tomorrow!  At least it's time for a nice glass of wine, and tonight I've opened a bottle from the most recent wine club shipment from Pepper Bridge Winery.  The 2018 Pepper Bridge Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (83%), Cabernet Franc (6%), Malbec (4%), Merlot (4%) and Petit Verdot (3%) from the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you might expect from a finely crafted Cabernet.  A whiff and you're greeted with aromas of vanilla, blackberry and a hint of sage up front, with light floral undertones.  Take a sip and you're enveloped with ripe blackberry and plum that wash over your palate, before transitioning to some notes of vanilla and fresh herbs midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat beefy, providing for a robust and very dry finish that lingers for what seems like a minute or more. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a remarkably pleasant drinking Cabernet, one that you could easily sip for hours on the patio during a cool evening.  This wine would pair well with a big steak or a cedar planked salmon, or hearty stews or mushroom risotto. Tonight I am taking a different path and enjoying this wine with a rack of lamb that I've been smoking all afternoon, finished with a flash grill with some Zahtar seasonings served with some oven roasted root vegetables and bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2011 Clarendon Hills Brookman Vineyard Merlot

Happy Cellar Saturday!  It's the first Saturday of the month and a perfect opportunity to raid the cellar for something at least a decade in the making.  Though I often have to dig deep for Cellar Saturday wines, this one I didn't have to dig at all since it's only been in my cellar a few weeks thanks to an opportune buy from Wines Till Sold Out!  The 2011 Clarendon Hills Brookman Vineyard Merlot is a 100% Merlot from the Brookman Vineyard in the McLaren Vale in South Australia.  It's been a while since I've enjoyed an Australian wine that wasn't Syrah, so let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a nice Merlot.  As you lift the glass, you catch aromas of black cherry, currant and hints of mocha with undertones of leather and earthy spice.  On your first sip you are greeted with a rush of black plum, cherry and currant that dance with notes of vanilla, before transitioning to wonderful fresh herb notes of thyme and white pepper midpalate.  The tannins are well structured and velvety, providing for a wonderfully dry finish that lingers amid a reprise of herb notes.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a pleasant drinking Merlot and a terrific value at just $22!  This wine would pair well with many hearty dishes, from lamb to steak, or a warm shepherd's pie as the temperature dips near zero here this evening.  But tonight, I'm taking the road less traveled and enjoying this wine with a homemade risotto Milanese topped with pan seared sea scallops.  Cheers!

2017 DaMa Wines Cabernet Franc

Happy Saturday!  It's so relaxing when I don't have 6 or 8 hours worth of leaves to collect on a Saturday, so today I ran some errands, visited with friends, and cut up a Coho salmon I bough at Costco yesterday (more on that later!).  So tonight I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from DaMa Wines, the 2017 Cabernet Franc from the XL Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a beautiful garnet color in the glass, with great clarity.  The nose presents a cascade of varying aromas, with a wave of earthy aromas, leather, green grass and basalt that transitions to so some red currant and strawberry.  The taste is quite unique. as I think of many of the Cabernet Francs I've tried, perhaps an ode to the Chinon area of the Loire Valley than Mary referenced in her write up on this wine.  There is a rush of red currant, raspberry intermingled with some wonderful minerality and hints of fresh herbs and lavender.  The tannins are somewhat subdued, but still provide plenty of structure for the long, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a great representation of a lighter bodied Cabernet Franc that presents more diverse pairing opportunities.  This wine would pair well with many seafood dishes, from Dungeness crab to charred octopus, but would also feel at home with venison or lamb.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a grilled Coho salmon steak, along with grilled white asparagus and some steamed faro.  Cheers!

2016 Anvil Dionysus Cabernet Sauvignon

 Happy Friday!  It's been an inordinately long week, and although I haven't posted, you can rest assured that I still consumed a lot of wine!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from Forgeron Cellars, the 2016 Anvil Dionysus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (89%) and Petit Verdot (11%), from blocks 11 and 13 of the Dionysus Vineyard in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  Since I've been ready for a glass of wine since noon, let's see what this baby has to offer!

The wine is a deep indigo at the center, with bright garnet around the edges, just as you might expect from an expansive Cabernet.  The nose is chock full of fruit, black raspberry, cherry and currant intermingled with fresh herb notes lingering over the top.  The taste is a rush of rich black cherry that dances around your tongue, beckoning the flavors of green grass, cocoa and fig to join the dance.  The tannins are nicely rounded, providing for a generous mouthfeel and a solid base for the lingering dry finish that leaves you asking for more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a classically formed Washington tribute to the Bordeaux of the left bank.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty fall dishes, from braised short ribs to hearty pasta with Bolognese sauce, lamb chops to hearty chili.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a big honkin' Angus T-bone steak grilled Pittsburgh rare with some grilled leeks and Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2014 Honoro Vera Garnacha

Well, today I've decided to open a bottle that's been sitting in my kitchen for a while, I can't recall where I got it but I put it on my counter behind the coffee and it's sat there ever since, the 2014 Honoro Vera Garnacha from the Catalayud region of Spain, which is well known for its Grenache.  And of course another advantage of Spanish wines is that like this wine they are usually good values for the price.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep garnet color in the glass, a bit darker than some Grenache wines from France.  The nose presents aromas of ripe cherry, plum and currant amid spicy notes of white pepper and earthy green grass.  The taste is classic Spanish Garnacha, with a rush of ripe, lush fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant that transition effortlessly to some notes of fresh herbs and white pepper midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, providing a wonderfully velvety, long and very dry finish that beckons you to have another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's just a classic Grenache from this region of Spain.  This is also a very food friendly wine, perfect for summer as it would complement a broad range of patio dinners, from burgers and steaks to barbecued ribs and fresh caprese salad.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic dinner of chorizo and bean tacos with all the trimmings, the wonderful fruit in the wine really plays well against the spice of the chorizo.  Cheers!

2014 Justin Justification

Happy Sunday!  It's been a busy week, what with all the turkey and shopping and such, so today we decided to take it a bit easy with a leisurely brunch and a late dinner with a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2014 Justin Justification, a blend of Cabernet Franc (55%) and Merlot (45%) from Paso Robles.  I recently found this wine at Costco, so let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a deep, inky purple in the glass with bright garnet at the edges, just as you'd expect with such a Merlot concentration in the blend.  The nose is a cascade of ripe black fruit, blackberry to cherry to plum, all with an overlay of leather and earthy peat.  The taste is a rush of blackberry and cherry at the outset, that transitions to some lovely notes of fresh herbs and a hint of mint midpalate.  The finish is quite nice, with well integrated tannins providing the framing to a long, smooth and seductively dry finish that treats you to a reprise of black fruit at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a solid, well-structured wine that tastes a lot more expensive than it's $34 price tag.  This wine would pair well with salmon, roast duck, lamb or steak, quite versatile as we hit the winter months.   Tonight, we are enjoying this wine with grilled filet mignon, baked potato and butter braised Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2014 Helix Cabernet Franc

Happy Sunday!  I've spent the afternoon raking and blowing leaves and trying to get my leaf vac to run, but without luck today (more on that in another installment of "I'm not a mechanic, nor do I play one on TV").  At least the day is done and it's time for some dinner and a glass of wine.  Tonight I've decided to open another bottle of the recent wine club shipment from Reininger, the 2014 Helix Cabernet Franc from the Weinbau Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope in the Columbia Valley of Washington.  Unfortunately I lost my tech sheet on this wine, but I'm confident that it's mainly Cabernet Franc, with a bit of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon to bring some added complexity, so let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, somewhat lighter in color than a Merlot.  The nose a fabulous array of aromas, from candied plums to fresh herbs to hints of violet.  The taste is a rush of black cherry, raspberry and plum that transitions nicely to some notes of cocoa and green herbs midpalate.  The tannins are a bit tightly wound, providing a bit of a snap on the finish, which is long and extraordinarily dry, with just a hint of funk at the very end.  This is a wine that reminds me of some of the best right bank Bordeaux, with lovely fruit, earthy undertones and a great finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's only the third vintage since 1997 and this one has the potential to develop nicely over time.  This wine would pair well with a wide array of dishes, from lamb to grilled pork tenderloin, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a alder planked wild Alaskan salmon filet over a bed of baby arugula and topped with fresh pineapple jalapeno salsa with some steamed asparagus.  Cheers!

2014 Maison Bleue Voyageur Syrah

Happy wine Tuesday!  I know I'm a day early for Wine Wednesday, but what the heck?  Tonight I have decided to open a recent wine club selection from Maison Bleue Winery, one of my emerging favorite producers of Grenache, Syrah and GSM blends.  Now it's the 2014 Maison Bleue Voyageur Syrah, a blend of 100% Syrah from the Yellow Jacket Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley of Washington.  So let's see how this wine tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with just the heft you'd like to see from a nice Syrah.  The nose is chock full of violets, blueberry and blackberry overlaid with hints of smoke and black pepper spice.  The taste a rush of ripe berries, that transitions nicely to some fresh herbs and chipotle spice midpalate.  There is a bit of a reprise of fruit and a bit of kirsch on the finish, with the soft tannins supporting the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a pleasure to drink and a fine example of what this varietal can achieve on its own.  This wine would pair exceedingly well with a variety of hearty dishes, but could hold up just as well to some lighter fare for the summer.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a lovely cedar planked wild Alaskan Sockeye filet along with some garlic scapes and broccoli rabe sauteed in olive oil and tossed with linguine and parmesan.  The ripe fruit and spice notes of the wine play exceedingly well with the richness of good wild salmon.  Cheers!

2014 Forgeron Facon Rouge

Happy Wine Wednesday!  I just got back from the gym and am ready for a nice dinner and a glass of wine.  Tonight I've decided to open a recent wine club selection from Forgeron Cellars in Walla Walla, the 2014 Facon Rouge.  This wine is a GSM blend of Syrah (58%), Mourvedre (26%) and Grenache (16%) from the Columbia Valley of Washington, so let's see how this one stacks up!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass.  The nose is a lovely cascade of fresh herbs, peppercorn, berries and a bit of smoke.  The taste is a lovely combination of ripe berries up front along with some wonderful spice notes that transitions nicely to some notes of bergamot and tea leaves.  The tannins are young but nicely structured for the long, smooth and voluptuous finish that simply beckons you for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this one a solid 8, as it's a very young GSM blend with some good potential to improve with a bit of time in the cellar.  This would pair well with a variety of dishes from summer barbecue to hearty pasta.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some Trader Joe's lobster ravioli with some pesto cream sauce topped with shaved parmesan and a baby arugula salad.  Cheers!

2011 Grand Napa Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Wine Wednesday!  You'll be happy to know that I once again have internet at my house, granted it's not the fastest, but it certainly works for wine blogging and checking e-mail (fortunately I'm not a teenager, so I don't play video games or do much streaming).  So let's get down to business, wine!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2011 Grand Napa Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (78%) and Merlot (22%) from a somewhat underrated vintage.

The wine is a deep inky black color at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just what you'd expect for a nice Napa Cabernet coming into its prime.  The nose presents aromas of ripe black plum, cocoa powder and a hint of anise.  The wine is a lovely rush of fruit up front, with some tart cherry and plum that ease into some notes of fresh herbs and minerals midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, supporting the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's just about reaching it's prime.  And although it's likely not as stellar as the 2012 vintage, this one is drinking very nicely for just $25 from Wines Till Sold Out.  This would be an ideal steak wine, but tonight I am enjoying it with pizza, because why not?  Cheers!

2010 Helix Sangiovese

Happy Saturday!  I had some wonderful friends in from Grand Rapids last night and today, so I've been doing a lot of steps and now it's time to relax a bit before I head out to the Theater tonight.  So why not open a bottle of good wine?  Tonight it's the 2010 Helix Sangiovese from the Stillwater Creek Vineyard in the Columbia Valley of Washington.  So let's see how this one stacks up!

The wine is a lovely garnet color in the glass with great clarity.  The nose is a wonderful combination of dark fruit notes, plum and cherry with lovely overtones of fresh herbs and floral notes of lavender which strike me as a somewhat old school sort of Sangiovese.  The taste is quite nice, with a rush of berry fruit and cherry cola that transitions nicely to some wonderful earthy spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are nicely integrated, giving support to a very long and smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a wonderful Sangiovese that I think would stand up to some of the finest Tuscan wines.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty Italian dishes or roasts, which it good since tonight I am enjoying this wine with a wonderful seafood buccatini.  Shrimp, scallops, PEI mussels and calamari sauteed in garlic and olive oil and then simmered in some San Marzano tomatoes with fresh basil and oregano then tossed with some al dente buccatini, yum!

2012 Fields Family Wines Estate Syrah

Well, it's a Tuesday night and tomorrow I have another awesome Snooth.com virtual tasting of the wines of Lodi (you know I have a special place in my heart for Lodi wines, particularly the awesome Zinfandels), but I couldn't wait until tomorrow so I decided to open one bottle tonight, you know like your parents let you open one present on Christmas Eve.  And tonight it's the 2012 Fields Family Wines Estate Syrah, so here is your sneak preview of tomorrow's Lodi virtual tasting!

The wine is a lovely bright ruby color in the glass with nice clarity.  The nose is classic Syrah, with a good bit of pepper, violet and that classic twang of tart cherry and fresh herbs.  The taste is really quite nice, with a blast of tart cherry up front that quickly subsides to some rich, jammy flavors of blackberry and plum midpalate that just scream Lodi.  There are some nice earthy notes of peat and black pepper on the finish, as the subdued tannins create a nice, smooth, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a classic example of the varietal and a solid value at $24 from the winery.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a nice marinaded sirloin, baked potato and some fresh steamed asparagus, a classic early summer meal.  The wine would also pair very well with lamb, braised short ribs or a hearty pasta dish.  If the rest of the wines we are tasting tomorrow are like this one, we'll be in great shape!  Cheers!

2012 Reininger Carmenere

Here we are, Oscar night!  Everyone getting excited about the Academy Awards, personally I don't really get all that into it, though it was usually funny when Billy Crystal was hosting it at least.  So instead I'll just enjoy some wine and casually watch to see which big movie I've no doubt never seen takes home the little golden statue.  So to help me with that endeavor tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2012 Reininger Carmenere from the Seven Hills Vineyard in Walla Walla.

The wine is a deep, inky purple color in the glass, with a hint of garnet along the edges.  The nose is a wonderful combination of dark ripe fruit, black currant, blackberry and some spice over a layer of earthy aromas of oak and smoke.  The taste is quite complex, with some dark fruit up front, blackberry, black currant and a hint of raspberry, over some dark chocolate and mocha notes that transitions nicely to some wonderful spice notes of white pepper, fresh herbs and vanilla bean midpalate.  The fine tannins support a lovely, smooth dry finish with just enough acidity to keep it interesting.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's another solid Carmenere effort from Reininger.  Tonight I am pairing this with a classic east coast Italian dinner of hot Italian sausage links with onions and peppers along with some spaghetti tossed with garlic and olive oil.  The nice fruit and earthy spice in this wine makes it ideal to pair with hearty Italian dishes.  Cheers!

2012 Pedroncelli Barrel Select Red Wine

One more day until the weekend and I am sure ready to unwind a bit!  Tonight I got home from work at a decent hour, no gym, no cooking, just some time to relax.  So I've opened a bottle of wine I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out, the 2012 Pedroncelli Barrel Select Red Wine from Sonoma, a blend of Merlot, Zinfandel and Syrah, that should be very approachable on such a casual evening!

The wine is a beautiful deep ruby color in the glass, with great clarity.  The nose is a lovely combination of tart cherry, blackberries and a hint of smoke.  The taste is very fruit forward, with nice flavors of blackberry and cherry cola up front that transitions effortlessly to some mint and fresh herb notes midpalate.  The elegant tannins provide for a very smooth, mellow and very dry finish.  The wine seems to start off with a definite Zinfandel bent, but then finishes like a great Merlot.  A very easy going mid-week wine!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a pleasure to drink even so young, and it was a great value at just $13!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with what else, pizza!  I told you I wasn't cooking tonight, so I've decided to order a thin crust classic pizza with sausage and roasted veggies.  A nice Zinfandel blend like this is really great to pair with pizza, you have the great fruit to balance out the spice of the sauce and sausage, but the dry herb notes are a perfect foil to the roasted veggies.  Cheers!

2008 Reininger Cima

Happy Friday!  The work week is over, and I just got home from the gym, so it's seems a perfect time to open up a bottle of wine!  Tonight I've opened a lovely bottle of 2008 Reininger Cima, a "Super Wallan" blend of Walla Walla wine modeled after the super Tuscan blends of Italy.  This wine is a blend of Sangiovese (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (14%), Merlot (14%), Petit Verdot (14%) and Cabernet Franc (8%), blended and barrel aged for five years.  I've previously reviewed the 2006 vintage (click here) and the 2007 vintage (click here) so let's see if the latest vintage can live up to its predecessors!

The wine is a beautiful bright ruby color in the glass, with great clarity.  The nose is a sophisticated and layered presentation of ripe black fruit over some smoke which plays nicely off some mineral notes and a hint of leather, very reminiscent of a nice Tuscan blend.  The taste a brief flash of ripe plum and tart cherry that subsides into some flavors of fresh herbs and just a hint of coriander and white pepper spice midpalate.  The finish is very nice, with understated tannins providing a nice base for a long, mineral finish that is just daring you to take another sip.

Overall, I would rate this one a solid 8.5, it's a fine effort, but it just didn't blow me away like the '06 and '07 vintages (good think I have a bottle or two left of those!).  Tonight I am pairing this with a nice winter comfort food dinner of stuffed cabbage, or Galumpkis as my Polish friends used to say (I make mine very simple, blanched cabbage leaves stuffed with rice and ground beef, topped with some San Marzano tomatoes, a touch of basil and some freshly grated cheese.  The fruit and spice of this wine along with the earthy notes are a lovely complement to the sweet and spicy aspects of the stuffed cabbage, but this wine would also pair nicely with about any traditional Italian dish or a nice grilled steak.  Cheers!