2006 Saviez Napa Valley Zinfandel

Happy Cellar Saturday!  It's the first Saturday of the month, so it's time to raid the cellar for a bottle at least a decade in the making.  Today, I found a bottle that's two decades old, the 2006 Saviez Napa Valley Zinfandel.  This wine may have moved well past its prime, as the varietal is not one known for aging, but at least we can taste it and scientifically evaluate whether my instinct on aged Zins is true!

The wine is adeep ruby in the glass with just a hint of amber along the edges.  The nose presents aromas of leather and prune, with some undertones of floral notes, violet and lilac.  The first sip is a rush of black fruit that is surprisingly fresh before transitioning to some earty peat and mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat tired, but there was a bit of acidity on the rather smooth and dey finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a 7.5, as it's just well past its prime and was a rather lackluster wine to sip on a rainy Saturday.  I won't bother with pairing suggestions, but would note that I am enjoying this wine with some pappardelle with braised oxtail ragu, which is a classic pairing for a more typically fruit-forward Zindandel.  Cheers!

2022 Mark Ryan Winery Dead Horse Cabernet Sauvignon

Well it's been a rainy day that turned much colder, and now I'm ready to head out to the theater for a play after dinner, but there's always room for wine!  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of wine that's been in the cellar for a couple years, the 2022 Mark Ryan Winery Dead Horse Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (88%), Merlot (5%), Cabernet Franc (3%), Malbec (2%) and Petit Verdot (2%) from the Quintessence, Ciel du Cheval and Klipsun Vineyards in the Red Mountain AVA of Washington.  Let's see how this wine is shaping up!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just what you like to see.  The nose presents aromas of earthy graphite and oak intermingled with notes of blackberry and currant that get your mouth to watering.  The first sip is a rush of black fruit, that quickly evolves into multiple layers of mineral, spice and earthy notes so classic in Washington Cabernet.  Midpalate, we settle on some vanilla caramel notes with a tail of peppery spice on the finish.  The tannins are well integrated into the warm and exceedingly dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9 as it's a very pleasing and drinkable Cabernet in its youth.  This wine would pair well with a range of hearty dishes, from pasta to hearty stews, braised short ribs to rack of lamb.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a grilled bone-in ribeye with some charred Romanesco and a big baked potato with sour cream and chives.  Cheers!

2020 Helix Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Today has been an extra work day as I try to catch up on a number of projects (I think I have a bad habit of allowing too much on my plate, and not just at dinner!), so now I've decided to open a bottle of wine that just arrived yesterday.  I think I ordered this around Father's day as Reininger was running a sale, but because of the heat of summer it didn't ship until last week.  The 2020 Helix Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend if Cabernet Sauvignon (89%), Tempranillo (7%) and Malbec (4%) from the Phinny Hill, Stone Tree and Stone Valley Vineyards in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass with nice clarity.  The nose reveals and intriguing and complex layer of aromas, graphite, blackberry, leather, pipe tobacco, floral notes of violet amid hints of basalt, all of which have your mind racing in anticipation of the taste.  The first sip is a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant, surrounded by bright acidity that catapults you to some wonderful mineral notes midpalate.  The fine grain tannins provide for a lengthy dry finish amidst notes of toasty oak that make this wine a rustic champ.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a wonderfully complex, yet easy drinking wine that belies it's inexpensive price tag (I bought a half case for $160, and wish I'd bought more!).  This wine would pair well with a range of fall comfort dishes, from hearty beef stew or chili, pasta and risotto, or classic grilled steaks or lamb.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled, prime bone-in ribeye with sautéed onions, peppers and mushrooms with some steamed corn on the cob.  Cheers!

2022 Stolen Horse Syrah

Happy Memorial Day!  It's been a busy long weekend of planting flowers at the cemetery and then planting even more flowers by my house, and with rain much of the weekend, I'm pretty tuckered out by now!  So, I've decided to open a bottle of one of my favorite wines from my recent wine club shipment, the 2022 Stolen Horse Syrah from Bledsoe Family Winery.  This wine is a classic Syrah (98%) co-fermented with Viognier (2%) sourced from the Loess, Flying B Estate and LeFore Estate Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is starting out!

The wine is a deep garnet color in the glass, with a bit of brooding purple at the center, just as you'd expect.  The nose presents aromas of lavender, black cherry and plum intermingled with a bit of ripe olive and tobacco notes.  The first sip is rush of ripe, sweet cherry that evolves into some earthy notes of peat and minerality before an explosion of peppery spice near the finish.  The tannins are well integrated, providing for a wonderfully long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a classic Syrah, that would pair well with a wide range of dishes, from holiday burgers and brats, to pasta or braised lamb.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a classic holiday barbecue of baby back ribs, hot honey baked beans and sriracha slaw.  The wine has all the structure to stand up to such a sweet and spicy meal, 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!

Eclipse Bourbon Barrel Cabernet Zinfandel

Happy Sunday!  I got a few things accomplished this afternoon, including painting the base coat of the windmill I brought home yesterday as well as smoking a large short rib plate which will be my dinner tonight.  Which brings me to the wine I've opened this evening, the Eclipse Bourbon Barrel Cabernet Zinfandel blend from the Dry Creek Valley of California.  This wine was made by a friend of mine which he does as a hobby, sourcing grapes from California and blending and aging the wine for his friends.  So, given that my dinner will be barbecued tonight, I couldn't think of a better wine than a Zin-Cab blend!

The wine is an inky color with a deep garnet color along the edges, as you might expect from such a blend.  The nose presents aromas of leather and oak, with some undertones of blackberry jam.  Take a sip and you are treated with an evolving series of black fruit, blackberry, blueberry and currant that transition easily to some notes of charred oak and mineral midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat subdued, which opened the door for some pronounced acidity on the dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a 7.5, as it's a solid effort from my friend, but could be a bit more refined in complexity.  As I mentioned, this wine would pair well with barbecue, and it just so happens that I'm enjoying this wine with dinner on the patio, barbecued beef short ribs along with some mustard baked beans and sriracha slaw.  Cheers!

2018 30 Miles Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Boxing Day!  At least to all my friends in the British Commonwealth.  The holidays are winding down, and I like many others are really looking forward to next week when we can put 2020 in the rearview mirror.  But one of the good parts about the holidays are the wine gifts that folks give, and my friend Tennille makes a solid effort to find me a good, value priced wine each year for Christmas, and this year she gave me a bottle of 2018 30 Miles Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  So, let's see how she did this year!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, but not quite as brooding as some of the biggest Napa Cabernets.  One whiff and you are immersed into ripe jammy fruit, blackberry, plum and cassis that transition nicely to some earthy aromas of sandalwood and minerals.  The taste doesn't deviate much from the nose, as blackberry, cherry and currant wash over your palate, before easing into some vanilla and oak midpalate.  The tannins are a bit tight, but offer a nice base for the long, dry finish with plenty of lingering fruit.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a really nice everyday Cabernet, that is likely a great value under $20.  This wine would pair naturally with a nice steak, but would also be at home with some hearty pasta or barbecue.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime center cut ribeye along with grilled leeks, steamed red potatoes and some asparagus with Hollandaise.  Cheers!

2018 DaMa Stoney Vine Vineyard Syrah

 Merry Christmas!  This being Christmas Eve, I am pretty much done with all my shopping and preparations, presents have been delivered and I am getting ready for a lovely winter's nap in front of the fire with a cup of hot buttered rum, easy on the butter, listening to a rebroadcast of a radio play of "It's a Wonderful Life" that I did with the Elkhart Civic Theatre two years ago.  But before that can happen, it's time for a glass of wine and some dinner.  Tonight I've chosen to open a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from DaMa Wines, the 2018 Stoney Vine Vineyard Syrah.  This wine is the first that DaMa has produced from Syrah grown in the Rocks AVA, so I expect this 100% Syrah will be a bit more muscular and earthy, hence the image of Hercules on the label.  So, let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with great clarity.  The nose is an interesting combination of ripe black fruit, blackberry, plum and currant with strains of savory notes of black olive and umami.  The taste is a rush of black fruit that washes over your palate, with hints of anise and rose petals, that transitions effortlessly to some mineral notes of dusty limestone with this faintest hint of vanilla midpalate.  The tannins are soft and well integrated, providing a velvety smooth, and very dry finish that lingers.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's one of the more approachable Syrahs I've tried from the Rocks District, muscular but not brutish.  This wine would pair well with many classic Syrah pairings, from lamb to salmon, pasta to barbecue.  Tonight I am trying this wine with a new recipe I found on Instagram from a gentleman who goes by the moniker, "dontgobaconmyheart" for Boursin linguine.  I've modified the recipe slightly for such a special dinner as Christmas Eve and replaced the smoked sausage with Jonah crab claw meat.  In any event, the creamy, herb laden sauce on this pasta is ideal with the black fruit and minerality of this wine.  Cheers!

2017 Justin Cabernet Sauvignon

 Happy Wine Wednesday!  This had been a crazy day by all accounts, starting with a power outage, the second in a week - it's like I'm living in California but with crappy weather!  Speaking of California, that's where tonight's wine hails from, the 2017 Justin Cabernet Sauvignon, from a long-time favorite producer from Paso Robles. Oddly enough, it seems I've developed a trend of only enjoying the odd-year vintages of Justin Cabernet, as I've enjoyed the 2013, 2015 and now the 2017.  So let's see how this one tastes.

The wine is an inky deep indigo at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you might expect from a solid Cabernet.  Take a whiff and you are treated to a rush of ripe blackberry, cherry and plum, with hints of lavender underneath, suggesting more of an old-world style of Cabernet.  The first sip is a rush of jammy fruit at first, that eases into some earthy notes of green grass and sharp mineral notes.  The tannins are firm, but well integrated, setting the stage for the long, smooth dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a pleasant drinking Cabernet, and at just $24 it's one you can enjoy on a weeknight.  This wine would pair well with beef, lots of beef, as well as casual summer dishes from burgers to barbecue to pizza.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled Angus New York strip, with some fire roasted peppers, oven roasted baby potatoes and some steamed Italian beans.  Cheers!

2019 Mark Ryan Flowerhead Rosé

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's somewhat sweltering here today with a high of 89° here today, so since it feels like summer, it must be time for rosé!  Tonight I've opened a nice bottle of rosé that I received as a gift with my most recent wine club shipment from Mark Ryan Winery, the 2019 Flowerhead Rosé!  This wine is a blend of Sangiovese, Syrah and and Grenache, so let's see how this preview of summer tastes!

The wine is a very pale peach color in the glass, a very light rose in color.  The nose is chock full of summer fruit, apple, peach, melon and a hint of citrus over some interesting mineral undertones.  The taste is surprisingly tropical up front, with flavors of mango and melon bursting through before transitioning to notes of grapefruit with modest acidity midpalate.  The finish is crisp and bright, with lingering tropical fruit notes.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's an ideal breath of summer that I could see myself sipping on the patio in the late evening sun.  This wine would pair well with a variety of summer dishes, from beet and goat cheese salad, to burgers on the grill.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a steamed lobster tail with drawn butter, wild rice and steamed sugar snap peas.  Cheers!

2017 Forgeron Barbera

Well happy Sunday!  It was raining much of the day here, so I had a chance to catch up on a few chores around the inside of the house, but overall it was just a nice relaxing Sunday afternoon.  And now I've decided to open up a nice bottle of wine to enjoy this evening.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2017 Forgeron Barbera, a 100% Barbera from the Sagemoor Vineyard in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this food friendly wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep inky black at the center, with ample garnet around the edges.  The nose presents aromas of blackberry, cherry and a bit of violet, that speaks of subtlety.  The taste makes up for the subtlety of the nose with an explosion of ripe fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant with an enduring acidity that lingers throughout before the flavors transition to some lovely mineral notes, and a hint of vanilla caramel.  The tannins are well integrated, balancing the acidity for a wonderfully smooth, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as Forgeron consistently produces my favorite efforts in this varietal.  This wine is very food friendly and ideal for summer, where it would ably pair with barbecue, burgers, steaks or brats.  Unfortunately, with all the rain today, I am cooking my Sunday dinner indoors and opting for a comfort food favorite of tuna casserole, made just like my mom used to make it, with crumbled up potato chips on top.  Cheers!

2017 Pepper Bridge Vineyard Walla Walla Red Wine

Well, things just continue to get weird during this whole pandemic.  Today I stopped at Walgreens and they finally had toilet paper in my preferred brand so I picked up some, but then I went to the grocery store and was informed that I was buying too much meat as I had three packages of steak and they are only allowing two...so now I'm really getting worried!  If it took two months to get toilet paper back on the shelves, I shudder to think how I'll survive months without steak!  This may turn in to a wine and ramen noodle blog!  In any case, to celebrate the two steaks I got, I've decided to open a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from Pepper Bridge Winery, the 2017 Pepper Bridge Vineyard red wine.  This wine is a blend of Merlot (52%), Malbec (23%), Petit Verdot (13%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (12%), all from the Pepper Bridge Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley.  So let's see how this vintage is tasting!

The wine is an inky affair at the center, with bright fuchsia along the edges, as you might expect from a Merlot- and Malbec-heavy blend.  The nose is a pleasant combination of ripe blackberry, currant and blueberry with hints of leather and anise.  The taste is a rush of blueberry and blackberry in jammy quantities, that transitions to some mineral and earthy notes midpalate.  The tannins are stout, which combined with the surprising acidity provide for a vibrant, and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's drinking nicely now, but will likely soften a bit with some time in the cellar.  This wine would pair with a variety of dishes, from barbecue to pasta, pizza to steak, as the fruit just makes a great partner for great food.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled Madras curry rubbed T-bone on a bed of grilled leeks, with a baked potato and some steamed broccoli.  Cheers!

2019 Bledsoe Family Winery Healy Rose

Well, this past week featured some remarkably early summer like days, with highs in the mid- to upper-70s and lots of sun, which had me yearning for rose season, but alas today it was cloudy and windy with a high of 42.  But that's not stopping me, I am tasting some rose, and tonight it's the 2019 Bledsoe Family Winery Healy Rose, a lovely rose from the Walla Walla Valley that just arrived with a wine club shipment last week.  So let's see how this preview of summer is tasting!

The wine is a lovely pale peach color in the glass.  The nose is a basket of summer fruit, peach, watermelon and citrus all dancing around, beckoning you to take a sip.  The taste is just a mouthful of summer, with a rush of ripe peach, honeydew, pink grapefruit and strawberry that just dance around your palate before transitioning to some mineral and herb notes of thyme and lavender midpalate.  The acidity is quite pronounced leading to a wonderfully vibrant yet dry finish that lingers like a long summer evening.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's my first taste of rose season and it's already got me wanting more!  This wine would pair well with summer salads, barbecue or pasta.  Tonight, since it's still chilly, I am pairing this with a recipe I saw from one of my favorite food bloggers Chris of Don't Go Bacon My Heart (you really should check him out on Instagram or his site: https://www.dontgobaconmyheart.co.uk/ a wonderful Gorgonzola pasta with pancetta, leeks and mushrooms (you can find the recipe here: https://www.dontgobaconmyheart.co.uk/gorgonzola-pasta/) and this rose is just perfect with that hearty pasta dish.  Cheers!

2015 Reininger Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It's been a rather lazy day for me, as it's been somewhat rainy and dreary I've spend the afternoon reading.  And now, it's time for a glass of wine before making dinner.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of next month's office wine club selection, the 2015 Reininger Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (76%), Merlot (21%) and Petit Verdot (3%) from the Pepper Bridge, Seven Hills and XL Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  I recall my visit to Walla Walla during the 2015 harvest (I was there in late August, but given this was such a warm vintage, the harvest started much earlier than usual), and I recall there were extensive fires in the area in that late summer as well, as evidenced by my harrowing drive through Hell's Canyon as I departed that trip!  So, let's see how this wine has developed!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center with bright garnet around the edges.  The nose is a rather elegant affair, bringing back reminiscences of leather bound volumes in my college library, intermingled with hints of rose petals and ripe black berry fruit.  The taste is a rush of cool black fruit, currant, blackberry, cherry and plum that dance around your tongue before transitioning to some lovely loamy mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are remarkably smooth and well structured to bring a balanced, long, smooth and very dry finish that lingers for what seems like a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it has to be one of my new favorite everyday drinking Cabernets.  This wine would be ideal with a variety of hearty winter fare, from grilled steaks and chops, to beef stew, pasta or chili.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled New York strip and garlic mashed potatoes with a red wine reduction and some Brussels sprouts oven roasted with bacon fat.  Cheers!

2016 Forgeron Cellars Imaginarium Red Wine

Well, it's been raining since lunch time, so I've been doing a lot of indoor chores today with hopes of getting out to do yard work tomorrow.  In the meantime, I've decided to open a bottle of wine that I've been looking forward to trying for a while, the 2016 Forgeron Cellars Imaginarium Red wine, the first in their Artist series (and you can see from the label, the artwork is very impressive!).  This wine (which will be a future wine club selection for my peeps) is a blend of Merlot (65%), Syrah (15%), Grenache (15%) and Malbec (5%) from the Columbia Valley of Washington.  So let's see how the wine compares to the art!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass with nice clarity, classic with the heavy hand of Merlot in the blend.  The nose is a somewhat subdued affair, with a bit of smoke, cassis, cocoa and a hint of floral notes over the top.  The taste is a rush of ripe red berries, cherry, raspberry and currant that transitions to some interesting mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are nicely integrated, supporting a velvety smooth and dry finish with a reprise of Bordeaux-esque funk at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's a remarkably consistent and interesting, but approachable and all at a price that could easily make this an everyday wine (if not for the limited production of just 503 cases!).  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty fall dishes, from lamb to beef stew to braised beef ribs.  Tonight I am taking a completely different approach and enjoying this wine with a classic moules frites!  Cheers!

2017 DaMa Columbia Valley Chardonnay

Well, sometimes it just happens that my wine club peeps randomly send out a white wine, even though I really don't have much tolerance for them, and such is the case tonight.  You'll get a rare instance of me blogging about a white wine, which could be interesting.  Tonight's selection is a 2017 DaMa Wines Columbia Valley Chardonnay, and that's about all I know since there was no tech sheet in the shipment nor could I find any info on this wine on the DaMa website.  So tonight we are flying blind!

The wine is a light golden color in the glass, almost the color of pineapple juice.  The nose is chock full of green grass and floral notes that evolve into some mineral notes with a bit of pear.  The taste is a good bit of pineapple, pear and a bit of citrus up front that transitions to some mineral notes before the crisp, dry, buttery finish.

In a way, this is just a classic Chardonnay, crisp, refreshing and ideal for summer evenings on the patio, but for a die hard red wine guy, it's really somewhat lackluster.  So, I guess I would rate this wine a 7, only because it's just not my type of wine (there may be Chardonnay lovers out there that think this is the bomb, but as a big Cab guy, this leaves me flat).   I'm guessing this would pair well with some summer dishes like salads and cantaloupe, but tonight I'm enjoying it with a pan seared halibut filet, some couscous and steamed broccoli.  Cheers!

2015 L'Ecole No. 41 Estate Ferguson

Happy Monday!  It's been an uneventful start to the week, though it was in the mid-70s today which means I need to grill and enjoy a glass of wine on the patio, and not necessarily in that order.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2015 L'Ecole No. 41 Estate Ferguson, which is officially last year's vintage as I just got a few bottles of the 2016  in my recent wine club shipment.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (56%), Merlot (30%), Cabernet Franc (7%) and Malbec (7%) from the Ferguson Vineyard in Walla Walla.  So let's see how this vintage stacks up!

The wine is a deep purple color at the center, with bright garnet along the edges, a testament to the concentrations of Cabernet and Merlot.  The nose presents aromas of dusty basalt, with hints of leather, mocha and blueberries throughout.  The taste is a rush of black cherry with a bit of tartness that transitions to notes of tobacco, espresso and dark chocolate midpalate.  There is quite a bit of minerality in this wine, a testament to the varietals in this Bordeaux style blend.  The tannins are refined and well structured, providing for a lingering dry finish that holds the mouth for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's quite impressive, but just a bit short of the 2014 vintage in my view.  In any case this is still a fantastic wine and perfect for a big honkin' steak, which is a good thing since tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a gigantic cowboy cut bone-in ribeye grilled Pittsburgh rare along with some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts and grilled leeks.  And no, I could not finish the whole steak but there's always tomorrow!  Cheers!

2016 DaMa Grenache

Happy Wine Wednesday!  I can't remember the last time I posted on a Wednesday so we should enjoy it while it lasts.  Tonight I've opened up a wine that I thought would pair well with my dinner, a very Pacific Northwest themed evening overall, so I've opened the 2016 Grenache from my recent DaMa Wine Club shipment.  This wine is a 100% Grenache from the Lonesome Spring Vineyard in the Columbia Valley of Washington.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a lighter bright garnet color with great clarity, just as you'd expect from a pure Grenache.  The nose is a pleasant combination of bright red fruit intermingled with perfumed floral notes, strawberry, raspberry and some lavender and rose petals.  The taste is a burst of cherry, strawberry and red currant up front that transitions nicely to some notes of cocoa powder, tobacco and mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are soft, but well integrated, for a wonderfully long, smooth and dry finish that lingers a bit.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a pleasant, easy drinking wine that would pair well with a variety of dishes, from venison to seafood.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic Pacific Northwest dinner of Alder planked wild Coho salmon, with some rice and oven roasted baby bok choi.  The fruit and aromatics of this wine are just wonderful to counter the rich fattiness of the salmon.  Cheers!

2013 Murphy-Goode Red Wine

Happy Saturday!  It's been an odd day of running errands and not being able to do yard work as it can't seem to make up its mind whether it will rain or not.  Well maybe I'll have better luck tomorrow.  In the meantime, I've opened a bottle of wine to enjoy with dinner before heading out to enjoy a performance at the Elkhart Civic Theatre, tonight it's Disney's Beauty and the Beast.  So the wine, this is a bottle I picked up at my local market for only about $8, so I figured it was worth a try.  I think it's a blend of primarily Zinfandel, Merlot, Syrah and some other red varietals from Sonoma, but I couldn't find the exact blend.  So let's see how it tastes. 

The wine is a nice garnet color in the glass and the nose exudes aromas of leather, cherries, oak and a hint of anise.  The taste is a rush of warm, ripe fruit, cherry, plum, blueberry and a bit of raspberry that transitions to some mineral notes and earthiness midpalate.  The finish is somewhat subdued, with mellow tannins providing for a silky mouthfeel on the smooth, dry finish. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's a pleasant drinking everyday red wine and a terrific value if you can find it on sale for under $10.  This wine would pair very well with burgers, pizza or barbecue, but I'm enjoying it tonight with an alder planked wild sockeye filet, potato puree and some fresh green beans almondine that I bought fresh today.  The great cherry flavors of this wine make it ideal with a rich salmon.  Cheers!

2015 Oberon Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, it's been incredibly hot and humid here today, so I've spend much of the day indoors as I am not so good with excessive heat.  In that light, I've opened up what I hope will be a good wine with the dinner I have planned, the 2015 Oberon Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine a product of Michael Mondavi, a family that has done so much to elevate American and Napa Valley wine over the years, so I'm looking forward to this one. 

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, somewhat lighter than the big, bold Cabernet you typically see from Napa Valley.  The nose presents aromas of leather, green grass and black fruit, with an overwhelming sense of freshness, almost like a breath of spring air.  The taste is a delightful rush of ripe black fruit, black cherry, plum and blueberry that just completely envelops the palate before transitioning to some light mineral notes intermingled with a hint of vanilla bean midpalate.  The tannins are soft but well integrated, making for a long, velvety smooth and dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as I must admit my expectations weren't that high for a sub-$20 Napa Cabernet from Costco.  This wine is perfect for everyday drinking and would pair well with the classics for Cabernet, a big, hearty steak, which of course you know I have, so tonight I'm enjoying this one with a rare grilled thick Angus T-bone on a bed of grilled leeks along with mashed potatoes and chives and some steamed broccoli.  Cheers!