2023 Pepper Bridge Seven Hills Vineyard Red Wine

Happy Saturday!  It's been a relaxing day, but a cold day, and a good day for a hearty red wine!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2023 Pepper Bridge Seven Hills Vineyard Red Wine, which is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), Cabernet Franc (12%), Petit Verdot (9%) and Malbec (9%) all harvested from the Seven Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington. So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a very deep ruby color in the glass, with the exact look you'd expect from such a Cabernet dominant wine.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals the classic earthiness of this Walla Walla wine, green grass, mushroom, earthy peat and black pepper spice with hints of umami and floral notes.  The first sip is a rush of earthy elements emblazoned with spice, blackberry, cherry and currant that eases into some notes of baking spice, dusty limestone and tart cherry notes midpalate.  The tannins are well structured, providing the base for a wonderfully smooth dry finish that lingers until you take your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it represents the quintessential Walla Walla Bordeaux-style red blend that has me coming back year after year. This wine would pair well with winter, whether simply sipping next to the fireplace, or enjoying with a hearty supper of beef stew, braised short ribs or wild mushroom risotto.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled bone-in ribeye, grilled asparagus and a big baked potato.  Cheers!

2021 Mark Ryan Water Witch

It was another very hot and humid Sunday, so I decided to go see a friend of mine perform in a play and stay in the air conditioning for most of the day.  Now it's time to brave the heat and grill dinner, which means it's time to open a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2021 Mark Ryan Water Witch, which I was surprised was the first vintage I've reviewed since the 2015 vintage!  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), Merlot (22%), Malbec (6%) and Petit Verdot (2%) from the Red Mountain AVA of Washington.  Let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep indigo at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, a testament to the impact of Cabernet in the blend.  The nose is a a surprisingly floral affair, with aromas of violet and rose, intermingled with notes of must and blackberry, for what would portend to be a very earthy affaire.  The first sip is an unexpected rush of tart cherry and blueberry that transitions to some earthy mushroom notes midpalate.  The tannins are well balanced, providing for a smooth dry finish with a bit of oak at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's very pleasant drinking, but not a terrific value for the price.  This wine would pair well with steak, grilled lamb or barbecued beef ribs, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a trio of my summer favorites, a cowboy ribeye grilled Pittsburgh rare with grilled hatch chilies and fresh local corn on the cob.  Cheers!

2010 Clarendon Hills Hickinbotham Grenache

Happy first Saturday of October, which of course means it's Cellar Saturday, that magical day where I raid the cellar for a wine at least a decade in the making.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle that hasn't been in my cellar very long, as I bought it from Wines Till Sold Out back in August.  The 2010 Clarendon Hills Hickinbotham Grenache is a 100% Grenache grown from old vines in South Eastern Australia, using whole berry fermentation with wild yeast, in an effort to enhance the Provencal character of the wine.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting 14 years after harvest!

The wine is a lovely ruby color in the glass, with a hint of amber along the edges as you might expect from such a vintage.  A gently swirl of the glass reveals aromas of earthy tar, black cherry, vanilla bean and hints of leather.  The first sip is a rather surprising rush of fruit, with black cherry, fig and plum that easily transition to some earthy notes of peat and wild mushroom midpalate, before easing into some black pepper spice at the finish.  The tannins are silky smooth, providing for a velvety smooth dry finish that will have you quickly reaching for another sip.

Overall, I appreciate this wine for it's decidedly French character, despite being grown a half a world away.  This wine would pair well with a variety of Mediterranean dishes, from grilled lamb, mellow seafood or braised short ribs.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a Mediterranean classic of grilled octopus with grilled summer squash, red onions and peppers.  Cheers!

2016 Basel Cellars Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, it's been a rather busy day, mainly working to get all the details for my upcoming course set, so I can begin teaching!  And since I just finished, I figure it's time for a nice glass of wine, and tonight I've opened a nice bottle of Washington wine that I recently purchased from Wines Till Sold Out.  The 2016 Basel Cellars Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the Double River and Phinny Hill Vineyards in the Columbia Valley of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine stacks up!

The wine is a wonderfully deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a nice Columbia Valley Cabernet.  The nose is vibrant, earthy and savory, with aromas of black cherry and currant intermingled with notes of mushroom, dried herbs and smoke.  On the first sip, the nose comes through and you're presented with a remarkably Bordeaux-esque affair, with ripe black cherry, currant and blackberry up front, that transitions nicely to some caramel and vanilla midpalate.  The tannins are soft but well integrated for a long, smooth dry finish that lingers.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's just a very pleasant, everyday red and at a value price of $15, you don't feel guilty opening a bottle every day!  This wine is the ideal casual red, and would pair well with everything from burgers to barbecue, pizza to paella, but tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a rare grilled bone-in ribeye over a bed of grilled leeks with some steamed red potatoes and bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2016 Anvil Boushey Vineyard Syrah

Well, the week is finally starting to wind down, so I've decided to open a nice bottle of wine to enjoy with dinner tonight.  I've decided on a Yakima Valley wine since I recently saw an article about halibut season in the northwest and I wanted to at least enjoy it vicariously!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of Forgeron's 2016 Anvil Boushey Vineyard Syrah, This limited production (210 cases) wine is 100% Syrah from the Boushey Vineyard, which sits upon basalt and silt deposits from the Missoula floods at an elevation of about 1,400 feet.  This wine was carefully crafted and then barrel aged for an extended period of nearly two years before it's release this spring.  So let's see how it's tasting!

The wine is a deep, inky indigo at the center, with bright ruby along the edges.  The wine casts aromas of blackberry, leather and mint in a striking layered approach.  The taste is a wonderfully complex combination of blackberry and cherry fruit up front that cascades into notes of violets, oak and a bit of earthy mushroom midpalate.  The tannins are precisely structured to provide a long, smooth and very dry finish that dances on your palate enticing you to another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's clearly one of my favorite syrahs of the 2016 vintage.  The great fruit and layered complexity of this wine are sure to make this one a crowd favorite for years to come.  I also consider this wine extraordinarily food friendly, and although it makes an easy pairing with lamb or other game, it would also be a great wine to accompany robust fish or even vegetarian dishes.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with the steak of the ocean, a wonderful fresh halibut filet pan seared in rendered Berkshire bacon fat along with some gemelli tossed with broccoli rabe sauteed in olive oil and garlic.  What a remarkable meal!

2014 Helix Syrah

Happy Sunday!  I've heard there's some sort of awards program on television tonight, but I can't be bothered with that when there is wonderful Washington wine to drink!  All day we've had these tremendous winds, so even though it's not nearly as cold as it was at the end of January, you just feel colder hearing the wind howling outside your windows.  So when it's cold, what could be better than a nice Syrah?  Tonight I've opened a bottle from a recent wine club shipment from Reininger, the 2014 Helix Syrah, a 100% Syrah from the Phinney Hill Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. So let's see if this wine can warm me up this evening!

The wine is a beautiful deep inky color, with a garnet hue along the edges.  The nose is a lovely combination of earthy peat, smoke and a bit of mushroom over some ripe black fruit and a touch of lilac.  The taste is just divine, with a rush of ripe blackberry and blueberry that rushes over your palate as the thick, chewy mouthfeel just washes over you.  This is the type of wine you just want to ruminate over for a while, as the ripe black fruit flavors subside, giving rise to some white pepper spice and a reprice of blueberry and cassis.  The tannins are expertly crafted to provide a thick and hearty feel of the wine as you enjoy the long, smooth finish that just lingers on your palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it has to be one of my favorite examples of the varietal, and in fact, might by my favorite Helix wine ever!  This wine is perfect for a wintry evening and would be ideal with a broad range of dishes, from pizza to barbecue to steaks, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic winter comfort dinner of tuna noodle casserole, just like my mom used to make.  Cheers!

2014 Reininger Walla Walla Carmenere

Happy Friday!  It's been an adventure this week as my hard drive failed last weekend and it took a few days for my good friend David to make the repairs (I still have many files to try to recreate and passwords to reset, but I think I'll live!).  So tonight we get a new blog post as it's my first opportunity to get back to reviewing wine (though trust me, I've certainly been drinking it during the technological hiatus!).  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2014 Reininger Walla Walla Carmenere, a 100% Carmenere from the Seven Hills Vineyard, so let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center with bright garnet along the edges.  The nose is a lovely combination of green grass, tart cherry and earthy notes of mushroom and black pepper spice.  The taste is lovely with a nice array of ripe black fruit up front that transitions effortlessly to some pepper spice and dark chocolate midpalate.  The finish is supported by some nicely integrated tannins that reveal a somewhat earthy, long and very smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a lovely example of the varietal but still has some potential to improve over the next few years.  The wine would pair well with some hearty meat dishes, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with some wild mushroom ravioli topped with a bit of creamy tomato basil sauce.  The earthy notes of the wine really accent the earthy flavors of the wild mushroom.  Cheers!

2011 Helix Stone Tree SoRho

It's been a crazy busy week, so nothing could be better than opening a bottle of nice Washington wine to continue the celebration of Washington Wine Month!  And tonight's feature is the 2011 Helix Stone Tree SoRho, a southern Rhone style blend of Mourvedre (52%), Grencache (31%) and Cinsault (17%) produced for Reininger's second label.  I can't wait to try it out!

The wine is a lighter style and color in the glass, typical of many Rhone blends.  The nose is just warm, with lots of sweet fruit aromas of strawberry, cassis and cranberry, a perfect match for our first true spring-like day (did I mention we broke past 50 degrees today?).  The taste is warm and inviting, with rich black fruit up front, strawberry, pomegranate and blackberry that gracefully transitions to some earthy notes of mushroom and peat midpalate.  The finish is warm, smooth and dry, as the tannins are nicely structured to balance the rather sharp acidity on the finish.  This is a perfect spring wine after our long, bitter winter!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a great drinking wine, ideal for a meal of small plates, olives, soft cheese and cured meats.  Tonight I am enjoying this with some lovely portobello torteloni and rich Italian sausage marinara topped with shaved parmesan.  The warmth of the wine reminds me of the beaches of the Cote d'Azure and a perfect accompaniment to classic Italian fare.  Salut!

1999 L'Ecole No. 41 Columbia Valley Merlot

It's the first Saturday of the month, so you know what that means!  It's Cellar Saturday, that wonderful day when I reach back into the cellar for a wonderful, usually older bottle of wine to enjoy!  So tonight's adventure is an older bottle, but ironically one that's only been in my cellar since last May when I visited the winery on my trip to Walla Walla, the 1999 L'Ecole No. 41 Columbia Valley Merlot!

The wine is a lovely deep ruby in the glass, and the nose presents a lovely combination of anise, tart cherry and fresh herbs.  The taste has a bit if ripe fruit up front that quickly transitions to some wonderful raspberry notes along with some dusty mushroom and earthy notes midpalate.  The finish is very subdued, with some soft tannins supporting a lovely combination of chalky spice and dark chocolate.

Overall, I would rate this one a solid 8.5, a solid Merlot that's just drinking wonderfully right now, and a decent value, since I think I bought this one for maybe $35?  Don't hold me to that!  Tonight I am pairing this with a wonderful Northwest dinner of wild Alaskan sockeye salmon, baked with a lovely glaze of honey, butter and fresh dill, served with a baked potato and some lovely green beans almondine.  This reminds me of many wonderful dinners I enjoyed when living in Portland and Seattle from 1999 through 2004, when this wine was a new release!

Les Bourgeois Jeunette Rouge NV

And so it begins!  I am starting to post my reviews from my "Taste My Vacation" event held last weekend, so brace yourselves, this is going to be good!  We will go in the same order we tasted them, so if you click here you can see what we tasted and the order, etc.  Since we are going in order, tonight's review is of a little wine I bought at a small winery in Missouri called Les Bourgeois, just east of Kansas City (don't ask how far, this was a distraction as I was so focused on getting barbecue!).  Oh, and for all of these reviews, please excuse my photos, I took them with my phone and even though I took them all before the tasting began, it still looks like I took most of them well into the evening festivities!

Now what's interesting about this winery and Missouri in general is a specific grape called the Norton grape, as this is apparently the only wine grape that is native to North America, all the rest have been transplanted here over the centuries from Europe.  Now the Norton grape has a long and storied history, and was cultivated and made into wine not long after the revolution, including on Thomas Jefferson's estate in Virginia.  It was made into some award-winning wines in the mid-19th century, so it has some heft behind it.  Now I tried Les Bourgeois' pure Norton wine at their tasting room, and I'll admit I was taken aback when the young lady serving the wine asked me if I liked mushrooms, and then informed me that if I liked mushrooms I'd like this wine.  Not exactly a stellar endorsement, and since I really am not a big mushroom fan, I was prepared for the worst.  I was not let down, it was pretty repugnant at least in my taste.

So, I tried the Jeunette Rouge, which was a blend that contained some Norton along with a number of other varietals, and in this case I was pleasantly surprised.  The wine has a lighter color and body, similar to a pinot noir.  The nose is full of red berries, leather and an earthy aroma of mushrooms and moss.  The taste was very fruit forward, with the berry flavors quickly giving way to flavors of fresh herbs midpalate, and then leading to some wonderfully mild tannins and a smooth, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this one a solid 7, it wasn't spectacular, but for only $12 it was certainly well worth taking home from Missouri!  This one would pair nicely with some stronger fish dishes, or some classic southern cuisine given the earthiness and how that might accent some comfort foods.  So if you get down to Missouri and want to try some wine from the Norton grape, I highly recommend it!