2012 Mount Veeder Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, it's Friday evening and I've been to the gym and had my first martini of the weekend, so now it's time to get serious!  It's time to crack open a nice bottle of wine!  Tonight I've decided to open up a recent purchase from Wineshopper.com, the 2012 Mount Veeder Winery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, the latest from that stellar vintage!

The wine is a deep brooding, inky color that's so classic of a great Napa Cabernet.  The nose is a lovely combination of leather, cassis, baking spice and just a hint of mint.  The taste is just classic, a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, plum and a bit of coriander that transition effortlessly to some spice notes of vanilla bean and anise midpalate.  The finish is ideal, with some young tannins providing nice backbone for the long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.  Just a classic Napa Cabernet!

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8.5 with room for definite improvement with some time in the cellar.  This is a vintage that will continue to evolve over time and it's still so new I'm anxious to see how it will progress over the next decade.  The wine was also a solid value for about $27 at Wineshopper.com.  Tonight I am enjoying this with a classic pairing of a rare grilled Hereford beef porterhouse along with a big baked potato and some grilled Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2010 Semele Ribera del Duero

Yesterday was time for another Snooth.com virtual tasting, how I love those and have missed them as it seems like it's been six months or so since the last one I participated in.  The subject of the tasting was the wines of the Ribera del Duero region of Spain, which is perfect since I really am a big fan of the nice wines coming out of Spain at very reasonable prices.  Tonight's wine is just such an example, made with a blend of Tempranillo (90%) and Merlot (10%) aged in French and American oak over a little more than a year before bottling.

The wine is a nice ruby color in the glass, bright and clear.  The nose is very earthy, with a burst of green grass, fresh herbs and oak overlaid with a hint of tar.  The taste is really nice and easy drinking, making it a great wine to pair with a variety of dishes.  The taste is not as fruit forward as many other examples I've seen, just a hint of blueberry and blackberry at the outset quickly gives way to floral and herb notes.  The tannins are somewhat green, but still providing a great foundation for a long, smooth dry finish.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's drinking well now, but I think it will improve with a little time in the cellar, and it was a terrific bargain for only $15!  At the virtual tasting I enjoyed this wine with some hummus, olives and a bit of feta cheese, but it would be great with a variety of dishes, particularly some nicely spiced Mediterranean dishes, or simple tapas as I had.  Cheers and a big thank you to Snooth for providing another great and informative virtual tasting!