2025 DaMa Wines Grenache Blanc

Happy Sunday!  This is indeed a rare occasion as tonight I am opening a bottle of white wine to enjoy with my dinner.  I recently received this wine in a wine club shipment, and I am excited to try it with a Sunday dinner that really calls for a white wine.  This wine is a 100% Grenache Blanc from the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington, so let's see what this new wine has to offer.

The wine is a crystal clear white in the glass with hints of white grapefruit color.  The nose presents aromas of bright citrus, pineapple and a hint of pear, surely as the winemaker suggests, sunshine in a glass!  The first sip is a rush of tropical fruit intermingled with green apple, course mineral notes and ample vibrant citrus that transitions to some notes of white floral midpalate.  This finish is crisp and dry with plenty of acidity along the way, a perfect sip for a warm and humid evening on the patio as I am experiencing tonight!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it seems to be altering my perception of white wine, and I could see myself enjoying this throughout the summer!  This wine would pair well with such a broad range of dishes, from spicy Thai or Indian, to seared sea scallops or pan seared halibut.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a classic Midwest Sunday dinner of bourbon crusted chicken thighs, steamed asparagus and corn on the cob.  Cheers!

2022 Seven Hills Columbia Valley Rosé

Happy Saturday!  We've been suffering through a real heatwave here, so what to do except enjoy some of the official wine of summer, rosé!  Tonight I've opened a bottle that was delivered a couple months back from one of my favorite Walla Walla wineries, Seven Hills.  The 2022 Seven Hills Columbia Valley Rosé is made from a blend of red varietals, but primarily Cabernet Franc.  So, let's see how this wine is shaping up for the summer!

The wine is a lovely salmon pink color in the glass, perhaps hinting at an ideal pairing.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of strawberry, peach and honeydew, readying your taste buds for a summer treat.  The first sip is just a rush of fresh fruit, strawberry, melon and a hint of granny smith apple that transition easily to some honeysuckle and a mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is crisp and dry, with a nice bit of acidity that will have this wine as a sure favorite with family and friends on the patio.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a really pleasing rosé that I can see myself enjoying all summer long.  This wine would pair well with a variety of summer salads, feta and roasted beets or sweet pickled cucumber, or some lighter seafood dishes, like cedar planked salmon or grilled octopus.  Tonight, I am enjoying this with a local summer favorite, panko crusted walleye with some wild rice and steamed asparagus.  Cheers! 

2021 Anvil Chardonnay

I am very happy to have a long holiday weekend as I feel like I've been working too much and haven't had a vacation yet this year!  So at least I can enjoy some nice wine and food this weekend, and tonight I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from Forgeron Cellars.  The 2021 Anvil Chardonnay is an old-vine Chardonnay sourced from the French Creek Vineyard's "Old Wente Block" which was originally planted in 1981 in the Yakima Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a very pale golden color in the glass, a bit lighter than I would have expected.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of pear, green apple, lemongrass and hints of white floral.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of persimmon, pineapple and citrus, with buttery undertones, that ease into notes of pear and gradient minerals midpalate.  The finish is crisp and inviting, providing for a subtle dryness that will leave you reaching for more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a very different sort of Chardonnay, that portrays the crispness of a lighter white varietal, with the depth of flavor that can only come from old vine Chardonnay.  This wine would pair exceptionally well with summer seafood dishes, from light white fish, to shrimp, to chilled oysters.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some seared sea scallops along with linguine tossed with garlic scapes and broccoli rabe.  Cheers!

2021 Claire-Voie Coteaux D'Aix en Provence Rose

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's been a while since I've managed a mid-week post, and tonight it's a throwback to summer.  Given January in Indiana is not even remotely warm and sunny, I thought it might be nice to hearken back to the warm evenings on the patio enjoying a lovely glass of rose with friends.  Ironically, tonight's wine is one I bought from Wines Till Sold Out back in the summer, but time flew by and before I knew it, the leaves had fallen and the patio furniture was put into storage.  So, tonight I've opened the 2021 Claire-Voie Coteaux D'Aix en Provence Rose, a blend of Syrah (60%), Grenache Noir (30%) and Vermentino (10%).  Let's have a glass!

The wine is a lovely peach color in the glass with gold hues along the edges.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of green grass, fresh citrus, and the faintest hint of passion fruit.  The first sip is a rush of tart green apple, strawberry and peach that eases into some mineral notes of dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are a bit tight, leading in to a faint note of bitterness on the finish (a nod to the Vermentino) which is crisp and dry.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a pleasant rose overall, but I could do without the slight bitterness on the finish.  This wine would pair well with seafood, summer salads or lighter pasta dishes, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a panko crusted grouper filet with jasmine rice and shaved Brussels sprouts with bacon, maple and pomegranate (my new favorite preparation this winter).  Cheers!

2020 Mark Ryan Lu & Oly Flowerhead Rose

Happy Friday!  It's getting really hot and humid here, which can only mean that rose season is in full effect!  Perhaps this weekend we might make it all rose all day, what do you think?  In any case, tonight I've opened a bottle of 2020 Lu & Oly Flowerhead Rose, from Mark Ryan Winery in Washington.  This wine is a blend of Sangiovese (89%), Merlot (6%), Syrah (4%) and Grenache (1%) from the Columbia Valley of Washington.  So, let's see if this wine is as refreshing as the artwork on the label!

The wine is a pale peach color in the glass, a near perfect rose color.  A gentle swirl reveals aromas of strawberry, peach, green apple and a hint of green grass.  Take a sip and your greeted with a rush of zesty citrus up front that enlivens your tastebuds, before transitioning to some wonderful velvety peach and raspberry notes midpalate.  The finish is crisp and dry, with a lovely lingering feeling that will have you reaching for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a very pleasant drinking rose that would be perfect on the patio all summer long.  This wine would pair well with a range of lighter summer fare, from caprese salads to Asian chicken lettuce wraps.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with my first adventure with Uber Eats and a crab and lobster feast from Red Lobster!  Snow crab legs, lobster tail, crispy Brussels sprouts and of course their amazing cheddar biscuits.  I admit I rarely dine out when I'm home, but my company gave me an Uber Eats gift card last Christmas, so I thought I should use it.  Cheers!

2018 Les Quatre Tours Classique Rosé (Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence)

Well, it finally seems like summer has arrived as it's been in the 80s and quite humid here over the past few days.  With warmer temperatures, I'm sure that rose season is in full swing, so tonight I've opened up a bottle I purchase recently from Wines Till Sold Out (also a future wine club selection for my peeps!), the 2018 Les Quatre Tours Classique Rosé (Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence).  Although the blend is proprietary, it is mainly Grenache and Syrah with a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cinsault added to balance it out.  So, let's see how refreshing this wine is!

It seems like every rose this season has been particularly pale, with this wine no exception, demonstrating pale peach color in the glass.  The nose exhibits notes of fresh summer fruit, strawberries, green apple and grapefruit with a hint of honey at the edge.  The taste is very crisp and refreshing, with a big, rounded mouthfeel and a rush of green apple and citrus right up front.  The crisp fruit transitions nicely to some dusty gravel and a hint of white pepper spice midpalate.  The finish is crisp and delightfully dry, and lingering to beckon you to take another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a very pleasant summer rose at a great value for just $12.  This wine would pair with a wide variety of summer salads, seafood dishes or cold sandwiches on the patio.  Tonight, since it's Taco Tuesday, I'm enjoying this wine with some fish tacos garnished with some sriracha slaw, as the spice is just perfect with the crispness of this wine.  Cheers!

2016 Gnarly Head Sauvignon Blanc

Happy Monday!  I have to admit, my wine tonight is somewhat of an accident, as I bought this bottle mainly to use in cooking some mussels in white wine over the weekend (you know I'm unlikely to buy a white wine just for drinking!) so I looked at Costco for the cheapest dry white wine I could find and settled on the 2016 Gnarly Head Sauvignon Blanc.  Now it's Monday and I'm cooking a completely different kind of seafood, so why not finish the bottle?

The wine is a very light golden color in the glass, classic for a Sauvignon Blanc.  The nose is cascade of citrus and tropical notes, grapefruit, passion fruit and just a hint of pineapple.  The taste is quite crisp, with a gradual buildup of fruit that starts with some citron, moves to some notes of melon and then reaches an apex of tart apple over some hints of minerality in the background.  The finish is crisp and refreshing and quite dry, a really ideal white wine for a dry red wine lover like me!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7, as it's a very refreshing Sauvignon Blanc that would be quite versatile with food, and it was a terrific bargain at just $6 at my local Costco!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some sea scallops seared in wasabi oil along with some steamed white rice and sugar snap peas.  The tart citrus aspects of this wine are a wonderful counter to the richness of the scallops.  Cheers!

2014 Lindeman's Bin 85 Pinot Grigio

Happy Tuesday!  We have a truly rare occasion tonight in that I am reviewing a white wine!  Yes, I am a super red wine fan, but I happened to have this wine in the house and opened it for a friend who was visiting last week and decided to taste it myself, the 2014 Lindeman's Bin 85 Pinot Grigio from southeastern Australia.  So here goes nothing!

The wine is a classic, very light coloration so typical of a Pinot Grigio.  The nose exhibits lovely aromas of pear, rose petals and a bit of apple blossom.  The taste is quite refreshing, with lovely crisp fruit up front, pear, apple and white grapefruit that transition to some nice earthy elements of iron, peat and granite.  The finish is quite refreshing, with a crispness of fresh citrus that's not sweet but rather dry, perfect for a red wine guy like me.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's not perfect, but really what white wine could be?  In any case, it's easy drinking and food friendly and a terrific value at about $6!  Tonight I am enjoying this with a classic dinner that begs for a white wine, a gunflint walleye (I got the recipe from a Minnesota fishing website here, but needless to say, garlic lemon butter combined with a bread crumb and romano crust makes this a fish to make your midweek, perfect with a crisp refreshing Pinot Grigio!), some pesto linguine and steamed Brussels sprouts.  What a fantastic combination!

2012 Finca Torremilanos Monte Castrillo Ribera del Duero Rosado

Well, I think that might be the longest title of a wine I've had on my blog!  Two Wednesdays ago there was a fun virtual tasting at Snooth.com which is something that I always enjoy, but unfortunately I was traveling and couldn't taste all four wines on the menu.  The tasting was focused on the Ribera del Duero wines of Spain and included four different wines: 2009 Malleolus Ribera del Duero, 2011 Ferratus A0 Ribera del Duero, 2008 Matarromera Ribera del Duero Crianza and the 2012 Monte Castrillo Ribera del Duero Rosado.  Now tonight I am tasting the last wine of the group, the 2012 Monte Castrillo Ribera del Duero Rosado.

Now you know that I really prefer red wines, but in the intense heat of last summer I've grown to really appreciate the rose wines, or rosado as the case may be, as they really present a refreshing departure on those hot, humid days of summer that just beg for something chilled and refreshing!  Such is the wine tonight. The nose of this wine has a distinct set of floral overtones, mixed with a bit of fresh citrus, green grass and a bit of oak.  The taste is really quite nice, with flavors of green apple, and a hint of citrus up front, which gives way to some lovely green herbs and oak midpalate.  The finish on this wine is super dry, with nicely structured tannins supporting a crisp, refreshingly dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's really a refreshing departure from many roses that can be more on the sweet and fruity side, this one is much more crisp and green.  And at $12 it's a very good value for an everyday summer wine!  Tonight I am pairing it with some alder planked salmon fish tacos topped with a bit of homemade salse verde and fresh cilanto and avacado.  The crispness of this wine and the rich floral characteristics really matched well with the richness of the salmon, but it also stood up well to the spice of the salsa.  Salut!

2010 Brumont Cotes de Gascogne Rose

So, continuing with my infatuation with rose wines, tonight I am enjoying a bottle of 2010 Brumont Côtes de Gascogne Rose, a nice blend of Tannat (40%), Syrah (30%) and Merlot (20%).  This wine again follows my logic that if I like the red blend of these grapes, I'll probably like the rose which is just a more refreshing format for a hot summer day.

This wine has a rather orange, or peach tint to the color in the glass, and the nose presents green apple, citrus, and some earthy notes of truffle and fresh cut grass.  The wine itself is very dry, with some very light fruit flavors at the beginning, followed by a hint of melon, and then a mild, refreshing finish.  Overall I would rate this wine a 6.5, as it's really just not very memorable, but at least it was a super value on sale for just $7.

Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some parmesan paprika crusted Canadian walleye, with some steamed heirloom carrots and wild rice.  The subtle flavors of the wine really take a back seat to the milder flavor of walleye, which is certainly helpful in bringing out the flavors. Fish and rose, a wonderful combination!

2011 L'Ecole No. 41 Grenache Rose

So tonight is another one of those hot summer evenings that we've been having lately, where you really just want to hide in the air conditioning, hoping for cooler days!  Well, at least it's still Sunday, and that means Sunday dinner and a wonderful wine to accompany it!

So tonight I've decided to go retro with my Sunday dinner and make Seafood Newburg, a wonderful dish with a heavy cream sauce with lots of sherry (we never seem to cook with sherry anymore, what a shame), shallots and paprika along with scallops and shrimp, tossed in linguine (I went non traditional tonight as I couldn't bring myself to light the oven and make the puff pastries!).  So, what better wine to enjoy with my evening meal than a lovely rose, and tonight's comes from my all time favorite winery, L'Ecole No. 41 of Walla Walla.

The wine itself it s a lovely pink hue in the glass with lovely aromas of citrus, green apple and rose petals.  The taste is marvelous, with some sweet berry fruit at the outset, giving way to some spice and orange midpalate.  The tannins are very subdued, leading to a long, somewhat gravelly finish that is simply superb.

Now for any of you who have read my blog, you know that I am mainly a red wine sort of guy, but I've been enjoying some roses in the heat of this awful summer.  This is by far my favorite rose of all that I've sampled, as it is fresh, crisp, dry and speaks to what a traditional Grenache should be.  Overall, I would rate this one a solid 8.5, and by rights it should be a 9 but I can't bring myself to give a rating that high for a non-red wine!  In any case, it's a wonderful wine, that I'd be happy to sip all evening as the sun sets and the temperature finally gets back below 90!  Unfortunately it's now sold out at the winery, which I guess you could expect with only 190 cases produced, but I still have a few bottles of the 2011, as well as the 2009 and 2010 to enjoy, so if you can find this one, jump on it!