2015 Titan Spring Valley District Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It has been a weekend full of leaf blowing, raking and carrying, but it's almost over and over the past month, I've managed to carry about 6 metric tonnes of leaves to the front of my house in anticipation of the city coming to collect them next week!  Needless to say, I am pretty exhausted and ready for a nice bottle of wine with dinner.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2015 Titan Spring Valley District Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that I bought from Wines Till Sold Out about six months ago.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting.

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, as you'd expect from a big Napa Cabernet.  The nose presents an intriguing set of aromas, plum, eucalyptus, black cherry and notes of violet, that beckon you to take a sip.  That first sip is a rush of old world Cabernet flavors, black cherry and blueberry, intermingled with aged leather and rustic spice box which transition easily to some notes of white pepper spice and tobacco midpalate.  The tannins are supple and well structured, providing a solid base for the long, smooth dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it seems to punch much higher than its weight class as a $30 wine.  This would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from braised short ribs and hearty pasta, to rack of lamb.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a hearty Sunday dinner of rare grilled porterhouse with grilled asparagus and a big baked potato with all the trimmings.  Cheers!

2017 Cave Dog Napa Valley Red Wine

Happy Saturday!  It's been a busy day of cooking for a range of folks, but now it's time to relax a bit with a nice glass of wine and some hearty dinner.  Tonight I've opened a bottle that I recently purchased from Wines Till Sold Out.  The 2017 Cave Dog Napa Valley Red Wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (50%) and Merlot (50%) from a stellar vintage in the Napa Valley, so let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby red color in the glass, a testament to the blend.  A swirl of the glass reveals aromas of leather, earthy cedar, cardamom and peat that has a definite old world sort of vibe.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of cool black fruit that washes over your palate, transitioning easy to some earthy notes and spicy pepper midpalate.  The tannins are robust, creating a wonderfully vibrant dry finish that lingers as you reach for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a pleasant drinking, quality wine at a value price of just $20.  This wine would pair well with steak, slow roasted pot roast, or vibrant Italian dishes.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a thick Angus, bone-in ribeye grilled Pittsburgh rare along with some bacon maple Brussels sprouts and oven roasted baby carrots.  Of course, I'll likely be finishing this bottle on the patio with a wonderful fall fire.  Cheers!

2010 Château la Tour de Bessan Margaux

Happy Independence Day weekend!  It's also the first Saturday of a new month, which makes this Cellar Saturday. that magical time when I raid the cellar for something at least a decade in the making to enjoy.  Tonight I've opened a special bottle, one that's been in my cellar for more than a decade and one which longevity makes a masterful difference.  The 2010 Château la Tour de Bessan Margaux is a classic example of a high quality Bordeaux that need ample time in the cellar to fully develop.  So, let's see how this wine has developed over the past decade!

Thw wine is a deep ruby color at the center, in what could also be taken for black when looking down in the glass.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of black cherry, cardamom and oak with undertones of black plum and star anise, giving you a hint of the old world classic flavors you're about to imbibe.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of ripe, candied fruit up front, cherries, blackberries and currant that transition to some wonderful mineral notes of basalt, dusty limestone and classic Bordeaux funk midpalate.  The tannins are classically structured in an old word style creating a long, smooth dry finish that makes you hardly think you've been drinking wine at all!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as this classic old world Margaux is just now reaching its peak.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dished and hard cheeses, from lamb chops to wild mushroom risotto. hearty steaks to hearty pasta dishes.  Tonight, I am  enjoying this wine with a class spring dinner of a rare grilled prime ribcap along with some linguine tossed with garlic, olive oil, broccoli rabe and asparagus topped with shaved parmesan.  Cheers!

2019 Nelms Road Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday!  This morning started out busy as a group of us met at church to prep for cooking Easter breakfast for 85 members of the choir and worship team, so after that things were much more relaxed.  I did a bit of yard work, bought some groceries and now I'm ready for a relaxing dinner.  To accompany that, I've opened a bottle of wine from one of the first wineries I every visited in Walla Walla, Woodward Canyon, and this from their second label.  The 2019 Nelms Road Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of  Cabernet Sauvignon(76%), Merlot (14%), Petit Verdot (7%), Malbec (2%) and Cabernet Franc (1%) sourced from the Woodward Canyon Estate Vineyard, Champoux, Sagemoor, Weinbau and Wallula Vinyards.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep inky black at the center with bright garnet along the edges, as you might expect from a nice Cabernet.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of ripe black fruit, vanilla bean, tobacco and a bit of earthy graphite.  The first sip opens the curtain on the complexity of this wine, as you are at first greeted with some ripe blackberry, cherry and plum, before transitioning to some earthy mineral notes and subdued spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are expertly structured to create a very old world mouthfeel and profile, supporting a long, smooth dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it punches way above its weight class for a $25 everyday wine.  This wine would pair well with steaks, lamb or barbecue, but would also be an ideal weeknight sipper.  The winery suggests pairing this wine with a French brasserie style onglet steak au poivre, so I am taking a somewhat tangential tack and enjoying this with a classic steak and tots for dinner, a rare grilled bone-in Angus ribeye along with some tater tots and maple bacon roasted giant Brussels sprouts that were on sale at my local market today.  Cheers!

2012 L'Ecole No. 41 Perigee

Happy Sunday!  This weekend was one of those that despite my best intentions, ended up being a working weekend.  But, at least I get to enjoy a nice glass of wine before work starts up again tomorrow!  Tonight I've opened a bottle that's apparently been sitting in my cellar for a while, as I stumbled across it but realized I've never posted about it before.  The 2012 L'Ecole No. 41 Perigee is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Merlot (21%), Cabernet Franc (14%), Malbec (5%) and Petit Verdot (5%) from the Seven Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine has matured!

The wine is an inky color as you might expect from the heavy hand of Cabernet and Merlot, but it displays bright ruby along the edges.  A swirl and a quick whiff reveals a decidedly old world sort of nose, with notes of oak, sage and a bit of white pepper intermingled with soft black fruit notes.  Take a sip and you're treated to a rush of blackberry, blueberry and cherry that wash over your palate, before transitioning to some earthy notes of dusty limestone and a hint of violet midpalate.  The tannins are still vibrant and expertly integrated for a long, velvety dry finish that lingers for a minute or more. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's been a while since I've opened a bottle of Perigee, and it certainly lived up to my memories.  This wine would be perfect for just sipping on the porch on a spring evening (which I may do very soon), or paired with big steaks, lamb, seared tuna or a hearty risotto.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with my classic Sunday dinner of a big grilled porterhouse, along with some asparagus with hollandaise and a big baked potato with all the trimmings.  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!

2015 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Valley Merlot

Happy Tuesday!  It's been a busy week so far, and I have to admit I'm still sore from all the yard work I did last weekend.  I had the brilliant idea of buying a new Stihl hedge trimmer on Saturday and spent all Sunday afternoon trimming all of my hedges around the yard!  So now that things are getting back to normal and I'm once again able to smoothly lift a wine glass to my mouth, why not open a bottle of Merlot to get back on track with Sean Sullivan's Washington Merlot Challenge (I'm sure I drank a Washington Merlot last month, but I never blogged about it!).  Tonight's wine is the 2015 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Merlot, a blend of Merlot (80%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) and Cabernet Franc (10%) blended in equal parts from two vineyards, the Ferguson Vineyard and the Seven Hill Vineyard.  So let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, as you might expect.  The nose presents aromas of black cherry, blackberry and currant intermingled with earthy aromas of leather and basalt.  The taste is a very old world style of Merlot, with a rush of ripe black fruit up front, black cherry and blackberry that eases into some notes of dark chocolate and espresso midpalate, with just a hint of black pepper spice on the finish.  The tannins are robust and well integrated for a long, smooth and satisfyingly dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's perhaps my favorite Merlot so far this year.  This wine would pair well with a variety of meat dishes, from lamb chops to venison, steak to bison filet.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled porterhouse with grilled asparagus and garlic scapes and a big baked potato.  Cheers!

2012 Doubleback Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Well this weekend just flew by!  The weather was near perfect for early spring, so I had a chance to do a little yard work and a few projects around the hours and now it's time to wind down before starting the work week tomorrow.  And tonight I've decided to go big as we near the end of Walla Walla Valley Wine Month, and open up a bottle of 2012 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine has really become a favorite for the more old-world style of Washington Cabernet, produced by Drew  and Maura Bledsoe and their chief winemaker Josh McDaniels, which I had the chance to taste on a trip to Walla Walla back in 2015 (see Tasting at Doubleback) before they moved their tasting room out to their new and fancier digs.  So let's see how this stellar vintage has evolved over the five years since I first tasted it.

The wine is a brooding, inky black affair at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, suggestive of a bigger wine.  The nose is classically old world, with aromas of blackberry, prune, leather, lavender and just a hint of Bordeaux-style funk.  The taste is just magical, with a rush of ripe black fruit dancing with hints of floral, before transitioning to some notes of dark chocolate and sage midpalate.  The tannins are velvety smooth, supporting a long and luxurious dry finish with a reprise of sweet cherry at the back end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as it's probably one of the finest examples of this stellar vintage of Walla Walla Cabernet that I could imagine.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, but let's be serious, this wine screams to be sipped with a big steak!  And as luck would have it, I have one available!  Tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a prime New York strip grilled rare, along with grilled asparagus and cipollini onions (man those are a pain to peel!) and a big baked potato.  Cheers!

2015 Forgeron Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday!  Today was a catch up on errands and things I've been meaning to get done for a little while, like getting my oil changed and my tires rotated, doing laundry and now I'm ready to relax for the evening with a nice dinner and a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight I've opened a recent wine club bottle from Forgeron Cellars, the 2015 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (94%) and Malbec (6%) from the Minnick Hills, Seven Hills and Birch Creek Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this wine is shaping up!

The wine is a deep inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you might expect from a nice Cabernet.  The nose is a layered and complex affair with notes of leather and oak cascading to notes of toffee and vanilla, before ending up with some ripe black fruit notes of cherry and blackberry.  The taste is a rush of ripe blackberry, cherry and plum up front that give way to some note of vanilla with a bit of peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are fine and well integrated, with balanced acidity that gives this wine a decidedly old work character amidst a long, smooth dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a pleasure to drink (and at only $35, it's punching well above it's weight class!).  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty winter dishes, or just simply sipping by the fire.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a boneless ribeye grilled Pittsburgh rare, with some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts and a big baked potato with sour cream and scallions.  The rich fruit and balanced acidity in this wine make it great with a rich, fatty steak.  Cheers!

2016 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Merlot

So yesterday I had two good things happen, the first was receiving my wine club shipments from L'Ecole and Seven Hills, the second was stopping at Costco on my way home and finding a terrific deal on prime filet mignon.  So as they say, two plus two equals a fabulous dinner and wine pairing!  Although my dinner won't be much of a surprise, I had about eight different wines to choose from given the club shipments, so I settled on a 2016 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Merlot.  This wine is blend of Merlot (76%), Cabernet Franc (18%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (6%) sourced from the Estate Ferguson (50%) and Seven Hills (50%) Vineyards.  So let's see how it tastes!

The wine has the look of a classic, old world style Merlot, with a deep garnet hue in the glass.  The nose presents a characteristic earthy array of aromas of basalt, cedar and smoke that lingers over the glass.  The taste is surprisingly fruit forward, with a blast of ripe black cherry that subsides into notes of pipe tobacco and ends in some wonderful notes of peppery spice.  The tannins are nicely structured providing a solid foundation for the velvety smooth and dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a solid, easy drinking Merlot.  This wine would pair well with a variety of foods, as I could see myself enjoying this with burgers, barbecue, pizza, pasta or steaks.  But of course tonight I'm enjoying this wine with steak, a rare grilled prime filet mignon with some grilled asparagus and a baked potato with sour cream and scallions.  Cheers!

2012 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Merlot

So yesterday I was at my local supermarket, looking at the wine section for anything interesting (and yes, only I can define interesting in my wine tastes!) and I happened upon a section of Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Merlot.  Having been to the winery in Napa, I've developed an appreciation for this mega producer, but what caught my eye was one lonely bottle of the 2012 vintage in an entire display of 2014 vintage.  Naturally, knowing what a spectacular vintage 2012 was, I had to grab this bottle and bring it home.  So let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, classic for Merlot.  The nose is a lovely combination of blackberry, cherry and currant intermingled with dried spices, oak and leather.  It almost has an old-world sort of nose, like a nice Bordeaux or even a super-Tuscan.  The taste is a rush of black fruit up front that transitions to some notes of cherry cola, mocha and tobacco midpalate.  The tannins are still fairly tight, providing a lot of backbone for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a lovely example of a Napa Merlot that's just starting to come into its own.  This wine would be excellent with some hearty pasta dishes, steaks and chops or even summer barbecue.  Tonight I'm enjoying it with a rare grilled porterhouse over a bed of grilled leeks and broccoli rabe.  Cheers!

2014 Mark Ryan Winery "Dead Horse" Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday!  Sorry it's been a while since I've posted, but last week I had a big travel week, hitting 5 cities on the west coast in 5 days, and unlike most work trips where I like to relax with a nice dinner after a long day, last week most of my dinners were at airports!  So tonight I am looking forward to a nice dinner at home with a great bottle of wine, and I have just such a bottle tonight, the 2014 Mark Ryan Winery "Dead Horse" Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (85%), Merlot (10%), Cabernet Franc (4%) and Petit Verdot (1%) from the Ciel du Cheval, Klipsun, Obelisco and Quintessence Vineyards in the Red Mountain AVA in Washington.  I have been a big fan of Mark Ryan since I visited the Walla Walla tasting room back in 2013, but since joining their wine club, I've been somewhat hesitant to open the wines since they pack them so nicely in wood cases, but tonight I gave in!  So let's see how this wine stack up!

The wine is a lovely deep, inky purple color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a quality Cabernet.  The nose is classic Cabernet, with notes of black cherry, cassis, graphite and leather.  The taste is classic Washington Cabernet, with a more old world style, smooth, voluptuous and elegantly styled making this about as smooth a Cabernet as I've ever had.  The tannins are soft and well integrated, to support the long, dry finish that's so smooth, you can't bring yourself to put down your glass!  I have theater tickets after dinner tonight, and I'm going to have a hard time not finishing this bottle before I leave!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as it's one of the best Cabernets I've had in a long time, and a classic example of how Washington does the varietal.  This wine would be great with big steaks, but it's versatile enough to pair with a wide variety of dishes, from a light salad, to wild mushroom risotto to grilled salmon.  Tonight, I am fortunate to be enjoying this with a rare grilled prime T-bone, with grilled leeks and asparagus, a perfect summer dinner.  Cheers!