2021 Pepper Bridge Vineyard Red Wine

Happy Taco Tuesday!  Well I guess that ruined the surprise of what's for dinner this evening.  Of course, there are so many good red wines to enjoy with classic tacos, but tonight I've settled on a bottle of 2021 Pepper Bridge Vineyard red wine.  This wine is a classic Walla Walla red blend of Merlot (34%), Malbec (33%), Cabernet Sauvignon (24%) and Petit Verdot (9%), making this an ideal wine for steak tacos! This wine is composed of varietals exclusively sourced from the Pepper Bridge Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington, so let's have a taste shall we?

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, as you might expect from such a blend.  The nose presents an intriguing blend of aromas, blackberry, ripe plum with undertones of anise, baking spice and cocoa powder.  The first sip is a rush of ripe black fruit counterbalanced with tart cherry, that eases into notes of cedar and dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, providing for a lush mouthfeel and a deliciously 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 solid example of the quality of red wine blends consistently produced in Walla Walla.  This wine would pair well with grilled steak, classic spaghetti and meatballs, rack of lamb, tacos or barbecue.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with my Taco Tuesday dinner of steak fajita tacos with all the trimmings.  Cheers!

2008 Frog's Leap Napa Valley Merlot

Happy Cellar Saturday!  That magical first Saturday of a new month when I choose to raid the cellar for something interesting to open that's at least a decade in the making.  On this Cellar Saturday, I am pretty well spent after an afternoon of yard work, leaf vacuuming, then mowing then the winter fertilizer, boy I can use a good glass of wine!  Lucky for me I opened up a bottle of 2008 Frog's Leap Napa Valley Merlot from the Rutherford AVA in Napa.  So let's see what this wine has been up to for the past 11 years!

The wine is a lovely ruby color in the glass, with great clarity, a bit lighter than you might expect for a Merlot.  The wine has an incredible nose, exhibiting ripe plum, fig, leather and smoke, that just make you feel like you're about to sip some wine in a vintage library.  The taste is lush, as your palate is envloped in soft tannins that feel like a warm blanket on a chilly day.  The rush of blackberry, cocoa powder and cassis dance around your tongue as you enjoy a cascade of ripe fruit leading to a long, smooth and voluptuous dry finish that is just the right length.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just developed exceptionally well over the past decade, leading me to believe it may be just about peaking.  This wine would be perfect with a range of dishes, from barbecue to steak to pasta, just about anything that would make a nice autumnal dinner.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a grilled bacon wrapped sirloin filet, grilles asparagus and some pesto pasta.  Cheers!

2016 A Moveable Feast Cabernet Sauvignon

What a day!  After working all day I decided to cut the grass before dinner, and of course I hit a rock and now I have to take my mower into the shop to see if there was any permanent damage.  So, I need a good dinner and a nice glass of wine!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of Napa Valley Cabernet that I purchased from Wines Till Sold Out, and which will be a future wine club selection, the 2016 A Moveable Feast Cabernet Sauvignon (though I don't think they spelled movable right).  So let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from a big Cabernet.  The nose is a rather subdued affair, with some notes of leather, smoke, olives and a bit of spice.  The taste is a real departure from what you were expecting based on the aromas, with a rush of ripe cherry and blackberry fruit that transitions seemlessly to some mineral notes midpalate.  The fine grained tannins are well structured and integrated for a lush mouthfeel on the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a nice new world Cabernet that is easy drinking but doesn't offer a lot of complexity.  Of course it was also a pretty good value at just $18, making it an easy everyday drinker.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from pasta to steaks to barbecue.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare prime, bone-in ribeye with fire-roasted hatch chiles, some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts and a big baked potato.  Cheers! 

2015 Stolen Horse Walla Walla Valley Syrah

Happy Friday!  For those who've had a long week, the weekend is here, for others, it's still a reason to celebrate.  Today I have a special reason to celebrate as the Fedex man delivered my Fall wine club shipment from the Bledsoe Family Winery, the first such shipment from this new, more approachable spin-off from Doubleback, Drew Bledsoe's first effort in Walla Walla.  So tonight I've decided to open a bottle of the 2015 Stolen Horse Walla Walla Valley Syrah, a blend of fruit from the Loess (60%) and Les Collines Vineyards (40%) made from Syrah (95%) co-fermented with Viognier (5%).  The wine is from an interesting vintage, 2015 being quite warm, and as I recall from my vacation to Walla Walla that year, quite smoky from the many forest fires that were going on around the state.  So I'm interested to see how these wines developed.

The wine is a lovely, deep purple color in the glass.  The nose is a wonderful combination of green grass, with hints of smoke, mint and red berries.  The taste is just lovely with a subdued array of raspberry, cherry and red currant up front that transitions to some some heart smoked meat and tobacco notes midpalate.  The finish is marked by youth, with the lush tannins providing for a lovely and long, dry finish that's countered by a bit of bright acidity to bring some balance.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5 as I think it will mature a bit with some age to be more in line with the 2013 vintage I've tried in the past (see here).  This is one of those very versatile, food friendly red wines that I could see pairing with anything from barbecue to hearty steaks, to roasted beet salad, but tonight I am enoying it with some classic comfort food of stuffed peppers topped with aged parmesan and asiago cheese.  Cheers!

2007 Cliff Creek Cellars Syrah

Happy Sunday!  I was looking for a bottle of wine to open for dinner and was surprised to find a bottle from a producer I met at the Portland airport while there on business in April 2014 (you can see that post here: 2009 Cliff Cree Cellars Merlot).  They are an interesting small producer located in Southern Oregon, in the town of Gold Hill.  At the time I really loved the Merlot, but apparently didn't think the Syrah was too bad either, hence I'm enjoying the 2007 Cliff Creek Cellars Syrah with my Sunday dinner!

The wine is a beautiful ruby color in the glass with nice clarity.  The nose presents earthy aromas of leather, musty peat and oak over layers of lush berries and plum with just a hint of smoke.  The taste is quite nice, with some initial ripe black fruit that gives way to some eucalyptus and baking spice midpalate.  The finish is very smooth, with a reprise of some berries intermingled with toasted oak, as the well developed tannins support the long, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's very nice, but not as nice as the stellar Merlot (I really need to find that other bottle I brought back!).  This wine would be good with a variety of rustic winter dishes, but tonight I'm pairing it with a classic holiday Sunday dinner or roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy and classic green bean casserole.  Cheers!

2011 BTR Cellars The Chief

Well, another busy Saturday, filled with grocery shopping, laundry, the gym and now it's time to relax a bit with a glass of wine and some dinner!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of wine from a producer I discovered on my last tasting trip to Walla Walla, the Mark Ryan Winery which is actually based in Woodinville, Wash., though they opened a tasting room in Walla Walla and I was impressed.  So tonight I'm opening a bottle from their second label, Board Track Racer (BTR) Cellars, the 2011 The Chief, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%) and Merlot (30%).

The color is a deep, brooding indigo in the glass, somewhat opaque.  The nose is a lovely combination of ripe black fruit, cherry, plum and blackberry, over hints of tobacco, limestone and oak.  The taste is wonderful, with some ripe cherry and blackberry that transitions easily to some complex mineral and spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat refined, supporting a velvety mouthfeel and a lush, long, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8 with some opportunity for improvement with another couple years in the bottle, and it's a pretty good value at $25 from the winery, but I bought this bottle at G.B. Russo's in Grand Rapids for $28.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic pairing of rare grilled Angus NY Strip, grilled Brussels sprouts and a baked potato.  And then after dinner, I might just enjoy sipping another glass on the patio, cheers!

2010 Canoe Ridge Vineyard Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - Horse Heaven Hills

As Washington Wine Month progresses, I've had some fun finding some new Washington wines to try, and tonight it's the 2010 Canoe Ridge Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from the Horse Heaven Hills.  I've tried one or two wines from Canoe Ridge in the past, but they were all blends, so here's to trying a single varietal!

The wine is a dark, brooding ruby color in the glass, with a bit of opacity.  The nose is very promising, with aromas of leather, black pepper and tar over a foundation of black fruit aromas of plum, blackberry and cherry.  The taste is wonderfully fruity up front with great black cherry, raspberry and plum overlaying some mint, Asian spice and dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured, and just starting to loosen up a bit, making for a long, lush finish that is simply bone dry.  A classic Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon!

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it displays the presence and structure of a much more expensive wine, but I found this one at my local wine merchant for just $20!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic northwest dinner of alder planked wild Alaskan sockeye along with some steamed asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes.  The fruit in this wine along with the dry finish are a perfect foil to the rich flavors of the salmon, so delicious!

2004 Forgeron Cabernet Sauvignon, Champoux Vineyard Horse Heaven Hills

Well, it's been a busy week, my last week at my old job and getting ready for my first week at my new job in Indiana!  So tonight I've decided to treat myself to a nice, well aged Cabernet from one of my favorite producers in Walla Walla, Forgeron Cellars!  Tonight's treat is the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon from the Champoux Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills.  So let's jump right in!

I opened this bottle about an hour ago to give it some fresh air, and the first glass has a lovely deep, inky purple color that just begs to be imbibed.  The nose is a wonderful combination of rich leather, cocoa powder and just a hint of ripe berries around the periphery.  The taste is surprisingly fruit forward, with a burst of berries and cassis that effortlessly transitions to some dried herbs, smoke and lovely mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is just wonderful, as rounded, lush mouthfeel and well developed tannins provide ample support for the long, exceptionally dry finish.  Simply a lovely wine to enjoy on a late summer afternoon!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a great wine that's had some time to age and bring out the best of what the Columbia Valley has to offer!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a nice Angus T-bone, some grilled corn on the cob and some steamed broccoli.  This wine stands up quite well to grilled beef, so a fine pairing and a lovely Sunday dinner.  Cheers!

2005 Kunde Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

So tonight I was perusing my cellar in an effort to find a bottle of wine to give to a colleague of mine who got a new job.  His girlfriend was looking through my cellar listing and came up with a choice, but I thought maybe I could find something that would be a good choice for a new job celebration, but I struck out on that front.  But what I didn't strike out on was finding a bottle I forgot I had that I could open and enjoy this evening, the 2005 Kunde Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon!  Now I like almost any Cabernet, but this one I always loved for the label, a representation of the California State Seal, which just looked to me like something from a nineteenth century stock certificate, great engraving and lovely allegorical figures.  So why not enjoy it tonight?

The color was pure Cabernet loveliness, a deep inky purple at the center and bright ruby along the edges. The nose is pure joy, lovely notes of leather and cassis, with a pure meatiness to it, accented by hints of anise and wonderful dark chocolate notes over the top.  The taste was just beautiful, with some dark fruit notes at the outset, ripe plum and black cherry, that gracefully transition to some black licorice, green tea and rich dark chocolate notes midpalate.  The mouthfeel is just all around lush, rich and velvety.  The finish is just perfect, well structured tannins supporting a long, exceptionally dry finish that seems to last for a minute or more.  The kind of wine that you don't give a second thought to sipping all evening long!

Overall I would rate this one a solid 8.5, as it's just a wonderful example of a Cabernet from Sonoma Valley.  I can't recall where I got this wine or how much I paid for it, so whether it was a good value is anyone's guess, I just know it was a really good wine!  Tonight I am enjoying it with some grilled steak fajitas with homemade guacamole, as the richness of the wine just melds perfectly with the strength of the steak and creaminess of the avocado!  So yummy!  Oh, and back to my original purpose in perusing my cellar, what bottle did my colleague Brad opt for?  The 2007 Stags Leap Artemis, a pretty darn nice bottle to help him celebrate, so cheers Brad and good luck on your new job!

2008 Northstar Stella Maris Red Wine

Ahhh... another weekend winding down, so at least I could end it with a nice bottle of wine!  Tonight it's the 2008 Northstar Stella Maris Columbia Valley Red Wine, a bottle I picked up from a wine shop in Seattle a couple years ago I think, it's sad how I so easily forget where I get these bottles of wine, but at least I'll record my drinking them for posterity.  The wine itself is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (46%), Merlot (46%), Petit Verdot (3%), Cabernet Franc (3%) and Syrah (2%).  The fruit for this Columbia Valley blend were sourced from a number of great vineyards in the Columbia and Walla Walla Valleys, including Northstar Estate, Windrow, Minnick Hills, Horse Heaven Vineyard, Kiona and Shaw Red Mountain.

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass with a lovely nose of ripe plum, blackberries, leather, anise and green cedar, with just a hint of baking spice.  The taste is lovely, with an explosion of black ripe fruit on the outset, but not sweet and jammy like some wines.  The fruit transitions smartly to some green grass and tart cherry notes midpalate that lead you right to a silky smooth finish supported by very well structured tannins.  The wine has such a lush mouthfeel, it's just a pleasure to sip, even on a summer afternoon!

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8, I really enjoyed sipping it and could continue doing to for hours, but as I recall it was a bit more expensive, probably in the $25 range, so a little more expensive than an everyday red.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some grilled Copper River Sockeye salmon, with a touch of dill cream sauce along with some steamed basmati rice and grilled rainbow carrots, so yummy!  The wine smoothly interacts with the fresh crisp flavors of the vegetables while not detracting from the lovely salmon flavor, a perfect Northwest treat!

2007 Geyser Peak Walking Tree Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

It's been a long week, lots of work and travel and it's good to finally be home and able to enjoy a nice bottle of wine in the evening!  Tonight I've decided to open a Christmas wine, one of the bottles my Aunt Janet sent me over the holidays, so since it's hot and humid today I thought I could use a little reminder of Christmastime!  So I've opened a bottle of 2007 Geyser Peak Walking Tree Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, one of their "Block Collection" made up of grapes from select blocks within the Valley.  This one was named for the oak tree that "walked" down the steep grade in the vineyard and is blended with just a bit of Shiraz (8%).

The color is a deep brooding garnet that is so characteristic of a nice quality Cabernet from the Alexander Valley.  The nose has a distinct note of mint overlaying some nice leather, dark chocolate and mossy granite notes.  The taste is an explosion of intense cherry that gracefully transitions to some black pepper and Asian spice notes midpalate.  The finish is just lovely, with some rather tightly wound tannins supporting a lush mouthfeel and a long, dry finish that seems to last for a minute or more!

I have no idea if this is a good value, but is a wonderful wine that I would rate a solid 8.5 - this was certainly a winning pick for a Christmas present!  Tonight I'm pairing it with a petite ribeye, baked potato, grilled corn on the cob and some steamed broccoli.  It's been a long week and I need a real manly meal tonight, so cheers!

2008 Waters Interlude Columbia Valley Red Wine

How sad, I've been away for a week and suddenly Washington Wine Month is almost at an end! Fear not fellow Washington Winos, I mean Wine Fans, I have at least two more to share with you, including tonight's feature, the 2008 Waters Interlude Columbia Valley Red Wine.  Now I'll admit, I bought this a year or two ago, and I can't even remember where I bought it from, but it's from Washington, so I'm going to enjoy it tonight!

For a Columbia Valley wine, this one really throws you off, since it has a nose that is so reminiscent of the lovely Walla Walla blends, which suggests for a CV designation, this one is likely under-appreciated,  The nose is a lovely combination of leather, ripe red fruit and a bit of spice, all surrounded by a hint of musky earth.  The taste is just lovely, with some ripe berries up front, along with some tart cherry, which makes for an interesting combination, followed by some green grass and cedar midpalate.  The finish is perfectly dry, as the well developed tannins support a long, lush, dry finish.

As I mentioned earlier, I can't remember where I bought this one, so I have no idea whether it was a bargain or appropriately priced, but I can certainly have no hesitation rating this one a solid 8.5 as it's just a terrific example of a Columbia Valley blend that is at the top of its game.  Tonight I am enjoying it with a rare angus ribeye, a big baked potato and some lovely veggies (purple carrots, asparagus, zucchini, red onion and green pepper) grilled in a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper.  What a lovely pairing as this wine supports the big red meat, but also plays nicely with the rich aromatics of the grilled veggies.  So delicious!

2007 Chateaux des Karantes Coteaux du Languedoc La Clape

It's a beautiful summer afternoon, so what better way to enjoy the day than to open a bottle of wine and start cooking?  So that's exactly what I've done, and for tonight's festivities, I've chosen a bottle of Languedoc from one of my favorite winemakers in the region, Chateau des Karantes.  As I've mentioned in the past, I met the winemaker at a tasting here in Grand Rapids in 2008 and I was so impressed with the wines I was an instant fan.  The blending of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre (GSM) has become such a classic in my mind, even as it hasn't seemed to have surged in popularity like some wines.

The wine itself is a wonderful deep purple trailing to bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is a delightful blend of fruit, ripe plum, red berries and apricot, layers with a bit of smoke that creates a wonderful reminiscence of the sweet smell of bacon to wake you up on a Saturday morning.  The taste has some delicate fruit at the outset, transitioning to some licorice and dark chocolate midpalate.  Despite how delicate the flavors can be at times, the wine has a lush, smooth finish that seems to last in the minutes!

Now I'll confess, it's been a bit harder to find wines from this Chateau at my usual wine hang-outs, but I happened up on a few bottles of this wine at a local supermarket.  The great news was that it was market down to $22 (already an unbelievable bargain) and then with an extra 10% discount for buying 6 bottles, I had them for under $20!  The drawback (if you can call it that) was that these bottles were actually signed by the wine maker for an even held a year or two ago, so I faced a dilemma.  Do I save the bottle since it's signed or do I crack it open and drink it, sending the moment to the recycling bin?  Well, I did what any good wine drinker would do, I bought an extra bottle, so I had one to save and one to enjoy with you tonight!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's definitely a step down from the Diamant (you can see my review of the '05 Diamant here), but still a wonderful example of the quality of the wines of the Languedoc region of France.  And this seems to be a trend, just like last time, I am enjoying this wine with some chicken and veggies with a bit of Indian red curry over basmati rice.  Yum! So if you happen upon a bottle, signed or not, I highly recommend picking one up!