2012 Angwin Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy New Year!  And it's also the first Saturday of the new year, which means it's Cellar Saturday, that special day where I raid the cellar for something at least a decade in the making.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle that I've not had in the cellar very long, but it's still mature, as I bought this one a few months back from Wines Till Sold Out.  The 2012 Angwin Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from the Howell Mountain appellation in Napa Valley, and hails from one of the stronger vintages for Napa Valley.  Let's see what this wine has been doing for the past 13 years or so!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, and after a gentle swirl it presents aromas of blackberry, olive and smoke.  Take a sip and you're greeted with some mulberry, tart cherry and currant that eases into some earthy notes of dusty limestone and oak midpalate.  The wine has a lot of acidity which amplifies the earthy notes and overpowers the fruit notes.  The tannins are subdued, making for a rather brief, dry finish. 

Overall, I would rate this wine an 8.5, as it's rather one dimensional, with a bit too much acidity for my taste.  I can see the winemaker's attempt to make this into more of an old-world style Cabernet, but I think they fell a bit short.  This wine would pair well with a range of hearty dishes, particularly steak, where the acidity might cut through some of the natural fattiness of a cut like ribeye.  And I'm in luck as tonight I am enjoying this wine with a big ribeye grilled Pittsburgh rare over sautéed mushrooms, onions and peppers and some grilled asparagus.  Cheers!

2015 Chateau Grand Tayac Margaux

Happy Cellar Saturday!  It's the magical first Saturday of a new month, the time where I raid the cellar for something at least a decade in the making to share.  Tonight, I've waited so long for a nice Margaux to get to 10 years, so I've opened a bottle of 2015 Chateau Grand Tayac Margaux.  This wine hasn't been in the cellar for a full decade, but it's pretty close, as I know I bought it at least 6 years ago..  In any case, this is a classic Bordeaux composed of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), Merlot (27%) and as my high school French guided me, "le reste en Petit Verdot" (3%). I have reviewed other vintages of Margaux from this Chateau, including the 2009 Vintage and the 2011 vintage, so, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The nose presents a classic French Bordeaux profile, leather, earthy peat, lilacs and roasted game.  Take a sip and and your palate is awash in black cherry, mulberry and blackberry, before transitioning to some dusty limestone  and vanilla bean midpalate.  The tannins still stand at attention a decade in, a testament to the classic Bordeaux structure, providing for a bone dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a classic example of a true Bordeaux that takes you back to a sidewalk café in Paris.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from a classic onion soup, to braised lamb shank, to classic steaks and chops.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a pan seared New York strip over some sautéed onions and mushrooms, mashed potatoes and gravy, and oven roasted broccoli rabe.  Cheers!

2019 Pepper Bridge Vineyard Blend

Happy Sunday!  I did my usual bit of chores today, laundry and mowing, but I left enough time to put a bit of effort into my Sunday dinner, which you'll see in a moment.  For the wine, I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club selection from Pepper Bridge Winery, the 2019 Pepper Bridge Vineyard Blend.  This wine is a blend of Merlot (32%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), Malbec (30%) and Petit Verdot (8%) all from the Pepper Bridge Vineyard.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is an inky black at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, as you might expect from such a blend.  A gentle swirl in the glass reveals aromas of brambly black fruit with hints of plum, tarragon, with undertones of earthy cedar.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of ripe black fruit with a hint of sweetness amid flavors of black cherry, plum and mulberry that transition nicely to some notes of graphite and a bit of tart cherry midpalate.  The tannins are like a well build linebacker, providing all the structure needed to support the pleasant, long dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just such a pleasant drinking red wine, ideal for a variety of food pairings, or simply sipping on the patio.  This wine would be ideal with steak, but could also pair well with earthy mushroom risotto, lamb chops or a bison filet.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a wonderful spring dinner of a rare prime ribcap topped with grilled garlic scapes along with radiatore pasta in a pea and morel mushroom cream sauce (I found the recipe here and it was delicious!).  Cheers! 

2015 Seven Hills Vineyard Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It seems like the weekend just flew by and now it's time for Sunday dinner, where did the time go?  Well, at least it's time for opening a nice bottle of wine, and despite my extensive cellar of Seven Hills Wines, this wine was a recent buy from Wines Till Sold Out.  The 2015 Seven Hills Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a 100% Cabernet sourced from the original wines planted by wine maker Casey McClellan and his father in 1980.  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 might expect from a high-quality Cabernet.  A gentle swirl in the glass reveals aromas of blackberry, cherry and cassis with bits of herb and tobacco.  Take a sip and you're greeted by a rush of ripe black fruit flavors that wash over your palate, black cherry, currant, mulberry and plum that transition to some notes of dusty limestone and white pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are velvety smooth a beautifully structured for an elegant dry finish that will have you reaching for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just exactly what a nice Walla Walla Cabernet should be, and this wine is just reaching its stride at age 7.  This wine would pair well with steaks, chops, or even barbecue and burgers if summer ever arrives!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled New York strip, along with some steamed asparagus with hollandaise and some porcini mushroom farro.  Cheers!

2019 Helix Pomatia (aka Tucker Legacy Red)

Happy Friday!  Yes, I've been neglectful of my wine blogging duties, but I am back for hopefully a good weekend.  So, today I received my wine club shipment from Reininger Winery and was a bit surprised when three big boxes of wine were dropped off by my friendly UPS man.  I recalled ordering a case of Helix Pomatia and then the normal shipment, but silly me, it appeared I accidentally ordered a case of Pomatia in January when it was too cold to ship and then called to add a case to my March wine club shipment as well!  Despite my rabid incompetence, I can assure you that extra case will not go to waste (perhaps an office wine club selection?).  So, since I have so much of this wine now, I'm enjoying a bottle of the 2019 Helix Pomatia, which was recently renamed the Tucker Legacy Red wine.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (56%), Syrah (32%), Merlot (10%) and Petit Verdot (2%) from the Phinny Hill, Stillwater Creek and StoneTree 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.  A gentle swirl releases aromas of leather, oak and wild berries with a hint of cedar.  Take a sip and you have a rush of berries, blueberry, cherry and mulberry intermingled with a bit of umami before transitioning to some notes of vanilla and sandalwood midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured, providing a solid base for the long, smooth dry finish with a slight kick of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a perfect everyday red wine that punches way above it's weight class.  It's also a terrific value, as this wine was just $18 with the wine club discount (which I highly recommend you join, or at least get on the waiting list!).  This wine would pair with a broad range of weekday dishes, from barbecue and burgers, to pizza and pasta.  Tonight I am taking the everyday approach and enjoying this wine with some linguine and Italian sausage marinara with a bit of shaved parmesan and fresh basil.  Cheers!

2017 Seven Hills McClellan Vineyard Malbec

Happy Saturday!  I've been running around a bit today doing errands and now I am ready for a nice dinner and glass of wine!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of wine I've been waiting for, and finally picked up in my Grand Rapids office last week.  The 2017 Seven Hills McClellan Vineyard Malbec is a pure Malbec from the McClellan Estate Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is shaping up!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with a bit of pitch at the center.  A gentle swirl of the glass releases aromas of blackberry, leather, kirsch and dusty loam that just brings me back to a summer day in Walla Walla.  Take a sip and you're greeted by a rush of black fruit, blackberry, cherry and mulberry that transition easily to some earthy mineral and classic spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are well structured providing for a velvety smooth, dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it reaches a perfect crossroads between classic Malbet and bold Cabernet, a wine ideal for a big steak dinner!  This wine would pair well with steaks and chops, but also braised short ribs, lamb chops or venison.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with an uber prime ribeye that is reminiscent of wagyu, grilled rare along with some mashed potatoes and asparagus with hollandaise.  Cheers!

2018 Helix Cabernet Franc

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's been a while since I've posted and it's because last weekend was just crazy busy for me, but I'm back not and able to open up a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight's selection is a recent wine club shipment from Reininger, the 2018 Helix Cabernet Franc.  This wine is a 100% Cabernet Franc from the Weinbau vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this underappreciated varietal is tasting!

The wine is a bright garnet color in the glass, with great clarity.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of pomegranate, violets and raspberry with subtle undertones of dusty limestone.  Take a sip and you're treated to a rush of ripe red fruit, raspberry, mulberry and cherry, that transition easily to some earthy notes of tar and tobacco, before easing back into notes of pomegranate.  The tannins are expertly structured providing for a wonderfully long, velvety dry finish that will have you reaching for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a perennial favorite for this varietal, and this vintage is a real treat to drink.  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from grilled lamb chops, to venison, pork tenderloin to veal chops.  Tonight however, I am going a different route and enjoying this wine with some Thai red curry chicken and vegetables atop a bed of jasmine rice an a sprig of fresh Thai basil.  Cheers!

2017 Time Waits for No One Monastrell

Happy Sunday!  It was a rainy day today, so I didn't do a whole lot except for indoor chores like laundry.  As tiring as all that can be, it's now time for a nice bottle of wine with my Sunday dinner.  Tonight I've opened a bottle that was a recent Costco find, the 2017 Time Waits for No One oak aged Monastrell, a fine Spanish Varietal that should go nicely with my dinner.  And besides, with Halloween rapidly approaching, who could resist a label with a skull and crossbones?  So, let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with great clarity as you might expect from this varietal.  A gentle swirl in the glass releases aromas of rose petals, tawny dark fruit and a good bit of oak.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a tempest of flavors, with a rush of mulberry and cherry up front that transitions nicely to some vanilla caramel notes midpalate.  The tannins are well structured to provide for a wonderfully long, smooth dry finish that lingers with a bit of oak.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a value (I think this was around $12) that is quite food friendly.  This wine would pair with a variety of Spanish dishes, grilled lamb, wild mushroom risotto or a hearty pasta.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a Zhatar seasoned New York Strip grilled rare on a bed of grilled leeks with grilled purple cauliflower and some oven roasted rose fingerling potatoes.  Cheers!

2018 L'Ecole No. 41 Estate Ferguson

Happy Sunday!  I accomplished all of my yard work today and finally have a chance to sit down and open up a nice bottle of wine (though I have plans to eat on the patio and have a nice fire tonight!).  Given the end of the weekend, I thought I'd open up a bottle of a perennial favorite that I had the chance to bring back from Walla Walla on my vacation.  I first toured the Ferguson Vineyard back in 2013 (you can see that post here), which shows you how time flies!  This latest vintage of Ferguson is composed of Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Merlot (24%), Cabernet Franc (11%), Malbec (5%) and Petit Verdot (5%) all from the Ferguson Estate Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's have a taste!

The wine has the appearance of a fine Cabernet, but looks can be deceiving!  A swirl releases a cascade of delightful aromas, leather, black currant and a hint of umami.  Take a sip and you're awash in tart cherry, black raspberry and currant that ease gracefully to some earthy minerality, graphite, smoke and basalt, before bringing you full circle to some notes of mulberry at the finish.  The tannins are nicely integrated, making the finish a long, dry and pleasant affair that you wish would linger just a bit longer.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a pleasant dinking wine that highlights the strengths of the Ferguson Vineyard and the long history of expert Bordeaux style blending in the Walla Walla Valley.  This wine would be ideal with a hearty steak, smoked beef brisket, or even some wild mushroom risotto.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine on the patio with a rare grilled prime ribcap, along with some horseradish and blistered cherry tomatoes, some steamed red potatoes with butter and parsley and some green beans almondine.  Cheers!

2007 Giuseppe Campagnola Amarone della Valpolicella

Happy Independence Day eve!  Yes, summer is in full swing and the fireworks are blazing, but it's also the first Saturday in July, which means this is Cellar Saturday!  I will open a bottle of something at least a decade in the making and share it with you.  Tonight I've dug out a nice Italian wine (I'm convinced that the big wines of Italy are best when they are allowed to mature for at least a decade), one that I'm not sure where I bought it, the 2007 Giuseppe Campagnola Amarone della Valpolicella.  Amarone is a special wine from the north of Italy, where the grapes are allowed to dry before pressing, revealing a fabulous concentration of flavor.  So let's see how this one is tasting!

The wine is a deep, inky purple in the glass with lovely garnet along the edges, making this look more like a Cabernet than a Valpolicella.  After letting this one breathe for an hour or so, a quick swirl in the glass reveals rustic aromas of leather, anise, green grass and mulberry.  Take a sip and you get unexpected flavors of strawberry, ripe cherry and plum that transition easily to some earthy notes of peat and dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured to provide a great base for the long dry finish, with a quick burst of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it has certainly come into its own over the past 14 years.  This wine would be ideal with lamb, wild mushroom risotto, or a hearty steak.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a prime tomahawk ribeye grilled Pittsburgh rare, topped with some of the last of the season's garlic scapes and some grilled asparagus. Cheers!

2015 Wooden Winery Barn Door Blend North Coast California Red Wine

Happy Saturday!  It seems that summer is really getting into full swing as it's been really hot an humid here, such that I break a sweat just grilling dinner!  Speaking of which, I have a great dinner for tonight and a great wine to pair with it.  I recently bought a few bottles of the 2015 Wooden Winery Barn Door Blend North Coast California Red Wine from Wines Till Sold Out, and beyond the interesting bottle, this wine has some kick.  This wine is a blend of Merlot (69%), Cabernet Sauvignon (27%) and other red varietals and it's capped with an intriguing bottle with a wooden cover (I seem to recall another wine I've tried in the past with a similar bottle, but alas I couldn't find the post!).  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, as you might expect from a heavy Merlot blend.  A quick swirl in the glass reveals aromas of blueberry, pomegranate and fig intermingled with plenty of oak.  Take a sip and you have a rush of ripe fruit, blueberry, mulberry and currant that transition easily to some earthy notes of dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are expertly structured to provide an ideal base for the long, smooth dry finish that seems to linger for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a really pleasant everyday red wine that won't break the bank at just $18.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of dishes, from steaks and chops, to classic pasta or risotto.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime center cut ribeye topped with grilled garlic scapes, mashed potatoes and bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2017 Carpe Diem Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

The older I get, the faster time flies it seems, whether a month (is January gone already) or just a weekend, time flies when you're having fun!  So, to end the weekend, which has been full of snow and shoveling, I've decided to make a nice dinner and enjoy a good glass of wine, in this case a recent purchase from Wines Till Sold Out.  The 2017 Carpe Diem Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of select Cabernet Sauvignon (98%) from vineyards in Napa, with some Petit Verdot (1%) and Cabernet Franc (1%) to round things out.  So let's see how this wine will let me conclude my weekend!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, though somewhat lighter than you might expect from a big bold Napa Cabernet.  The nose is a rather cathartic, old world experience, with aromas of green bamboo, black cherry, and mulberry.  The taste matches the nose, with black fruit up front, intermingled with notes of matcha tea, dried herbs and the faintest hint of peppery spice.  The tannins are subtle, but elegantly integrated for the long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a very pleasant drinking, everyday wine, particularly at the value price of just $20.  This wine would pair well with lamb, steaks or even barbecued ribs.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled Angus porterhouse, with some grilled leeks, mashed potatoes and gravy and some steamed broccoli and cauliflower.  Cheers!

2018 Bledsoe Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

Well this wine almost went past the boards as I received eight bottles with my wine club shipments and I was down to three bottles (now two!) before I had a chance to review this wine.  The 2018 Bledsoe Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (78%), Merlot (11%) and Syrah (11%) from the Bob Healy, Loess, Seven Hills and Golden Ridge Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this wine is shaping up before I head out to the theater this evening!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass with great clarity, as you might expect from a nice Walla Walla Cabernet.  The nose is a rather subdued affaire, with a bit of green grass and mint under black cherry and fig aromas.  The taste is a rush of ripe black fruit, cherry, plum and mulberry that transitions nicely to some dusty limestone and cocoa midpalate.  The tannins are still a bit tightly wound, but well integrated for a lingering dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it seems to have taken a step back in this vintage (formerly, under the "Flying B" label, this wine peaked with the 2016 vintage in my opinion).  This wine would be a very good steak wine, and would pair well with a variety of hearty fall and winter dishes, from beef stew to hearty pasta dishes.  Tonight I'm trying something new, as I bought some pre-marinated Korean beef bulgogi at Costco, so I've prepared that with some jasmine rice.  Cheers!

2009 Helix Columbia Valley Syrah

 So this has been one of my classic days without even a smidge of organization whatsoever!  I thought I was doing well, taking advantage of the one non-rainy day this weekend to get my yard work done, and I thought I was doing well as I was putting the leaf blower away at 6:45, when my phone alarm went off, telling me I have theater tickets and the performance starts in 45 minutes!  So, instead of dinner and wine, I raced to the theater to enjoy a marvelous performance of Silent Sky and now I'm back for dinner and wine!  Sure, it's 10 pm, but there are still two hours left of Cellar Saturday, that first Saturday of the month where I open a bottle at least a decade in the making, and tonight it's a good one, the 2009 Helix Columbia Valley Syrah!  So let's see how this wine is shaping up.

The wine is a beautiful, deep ruby color in the glass, just as you might expect from a nice Syrah.  The nose is a cavalcade of lovely fruit aromas that seems to scream autumn, blackberry, currant, cherry with undertones of earthy tar, pepper and sage.  The taste is a rush of ripe, jammy blackberry, plum and mulberry, that transitions easily to some notes of dusty limestone and peat midpalate, with a reprise of vanilla bean.  The tannins are smooth and well integrated, providing for a wonderfully smooth dry finish that lingers on the palate for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it is likely at its peak, but still providing a food friendly approach that is full of fall flavors.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dished from lamb, to eggplant Parmesan to a wonderful slow cooked chili with cornbread.  Tonight I am enjoying this with a wild autumn meal of rare grilled elk strip steak, with a Blue Smoke Game Changer rub that is spiced with clove and juniper, along with some oven roasted fingerling sweet potatoes and grilled asparagus.  Cheers!

2007 Louis Boillot Volnay 1er Cru Clos de la Chapelle

Happy April Fools Day!  No, I'm not joking on this post, but at least it's the first Saturday of the month, which means it's Cellar Saturday!  That fun day when I open a bottle that's at least a decade old that's been waiting to be tried.  Today was a day of spreading mulch around the yard, so full of earthy aromas, which means it's probably appropriate to enjoy a nice earthy pinot noir from Burgundy tonight!  And for this Cellar Saturday, I've opened a bottle of 2007 Louis Boillot Volnay 1er Cru from Clos de la Chapelle, one of the 30 premier crus from Volnay.  I believe I may have received this wine as a gift from my boss, so let's see how it tastes!

The wine is very light in color, almost appearing like a rose.  The nose is a lovely combination of bright red berries, floral notes and a heaping helping of earthy goodness.  The taste is interesting, as you have a good bit of ripe red fruit, raspberry, cherry, mulberry, that has a nice balance of acidity, before you transition to some wonderful earthy mineral notes.  The finish is quite dry but very elegant, with a reprise of mild acidity from the very well integrated tannins.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a very nice Burgundy, but unfortunately I'm not the biggest fan of pinot noir.  This wine would be fantastic with lamb, mushroom risotto or about any hearty, earthy dish.  Tonight I am enjoying this with some classic comfort food, stuffed cabbage!  I used to love my mom's stuffed cabbage, but I put on a little twist simmering it with some arrabiata sauce and top with a bit of shaved parmesan.  Cheers!

2012 Raymond Napa Valley Merlot

Almost a year ago, I had the chance to visit Napa Valley for a weekend ahead of a business trip to San Francisco and one of the vineyards we visited on the Napa Valley Wine Train was Raymond.  It was a very trippy winery, what with the wild colors and blow up dolls, but I really liked the wine.  I haven't had a chance to enjoy it again until recently when I found that my local wine store carries their Merlot, so I picked up a bottle in honor of Merlot month and have opened it tonight.

The wine is a deep ruby along the edges with a darker, inky appearance at the center, just as you'd expect on a nice Merlot.  The nose presents aromas of tart cherry, mulberry and a faint bit of mint.  The taste is quite nice, with a rush of rich black fruit up front, cherry. plum and currant, that transition effortlessly to some black pepper spice and mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are firm, providing a nice foundation for the mocha and dark chocolate notes that swirl amid the smooth, and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's just a terrific example of the varietal and is such an easy drinking wine.  It would pair well with a variety of hearty fall dishes, but today was a reprise of summer so I'm enjoying this one with a rare grilled prime petit filet mignon with grilled asparagus and a baked potato.  Cheers!

2013 Barricas Malbec

If you've known me a while, you know I tend to have a love hate relationship with Malbec, there are some I enjoy and others that leave me really turned off.  Let's hope tonight's wine isn't the latter!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2013 Barricas Malbec from Mendoza Argentina, and if there's at least one thing the Argentinians do well it's Malbec.

The wine is a bright ruby in the glass, with very nice clarity.  The nose is chock full of ripe red fruit, mulberry, black cherry and plum with some floral notes of violets.  The taste is actually quite nice (see we did get the love kind tonight!), with some ripe fruit up front, wild berries and tart cherry that quickly transition to some baking spice and mocha notes midpalate.  The tannins are fine but still a little tightly wound given their youth, but they still provide a nice foundation for a long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's easy drinking, an ideal everyday wine at a terrific value as I found this at G.B. Russo's in Grand Rapids for less than $8!  The wine does come with an artificial cork, which I'm not a big fan of, but it doesn't detract from the overall wine.  This wine would pair well with red meats or a variety of Latin foods, but tonight I'm enjoying it with some Italian sausage ravioli with some Alfredo sauce with red and green peppers and grape tomatoes, for a fresh pasta meal, as the ripe fruit and tight tannins really pair well with the rich cream of this sauce.  Cheers!