2020 Helix Cabernet Sauvignon XM

Happy Sunday!  I made the critical error of pulling weeds and then mowing in the current heatwave, and now that I've been indoors for 4 hours I think I may have finally recovered from the heat!  In any case, it's time for a nice dinner and a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2020 Helix Cabernet Sauvignon XM, which is one of the latest trends pioneered by Chuck Reininger in allowing wine to age in barrel for an extended period of time, hence the XM for extended maturation.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (89%), Tempranillo (7%) and Malbec (4%) from the Phinny Hill, StoneTree, and Stone Valley Vineyards in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  Let's see if this wine was worth the wait!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity, but a bit lighter than your typical Cabernet.  The nose presents aromas of leather, oak amid hints of black pepper, umami and black olive.  The first sip is a rush of ripe cherry, blueberry and currant that transitions easily to notes of charred meat, tobacco and dried herbs midpalate.  The tannins are smartly structured, providing a velvety, smooth dry finish that lingers until your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's an interesting departure from your typical big, bold Cabernet.  This wine would pair well with summer dishes, from grilled burgers and brats to steaks and barbecued ribs.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with an eclectic Sunday dinner of a grilled porterhouse with garlic scapes, steamed purple broccoli and risotto alla milanese.  Cheers!

2022 Château Lamothe Bordeaux

Happy Saturday!  It is hot as blazes here today, I did just a bit of yard work and could not stop sweating, so I decided to run errands and do my grocery shopping in air conditioned locations instead!  Granted it was only 95 today, but with the 70% humidity it was remarkably unpleasant, though not entirely unbearable.  In any case, now that the sun is low, it's time for dinner and a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle that I bought a few months ago from Wines Till Sold Out.  The 2022 Château Lamothe Bordeaux is a classic right bank Bordeaux with a heavy hand of Merlot (80%) accompanied by Cabernet Sauvignon (12%), Cabernet Franc (4%) and Malbec (4%).  Let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with great clarity, a testament to the Merlot influents.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of rich leather, earthy peat and oak with defined aromas of blackberry, currant and black olive.  The first sip is a rush of lovely black fruit, blackberry, plum and currant that ease into earthy notes of dusty limestone and olive tapenade midpalate.  The fine grain tannins provide the ideal foundation for the long, smooth dry finish that is classic Bordeaux.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it punches above its weight class, especially considering the price as this wine was a bargain at just $15!  This wine would pair well with a ranges of dishes, from hearty steaks and chops, to pasta or seared salmon.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled ribeye with sautéed onions, peppers and mushrooms and some grilled 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!

2020 Seven Hills Ciel du Cheval Red Wine

Happy Friday!  I'm enjoying a long weekend, so a perfect time for finishing some yard work and enjoying a nice dinner and bottle of wine.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle that's been in my cellar for about a year, the 2020 Seven Hills Ciel du Cheval Red Wine.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot from the Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, one of the most established vineyards in the Red Mountain AVA of Washington.  So, let's see what this wine is tasting like!

The wine is a deep brooding indigo with bright ruby along the edges, as you'd expect from a classic Bordeaux style blend.  A gentle swirl reveals aromas of leather, black cherry and hints of sage.  The first sip is a rush of ripe black fruit, cherry, currant and plum that ease into some notes of olive, white pepper and dried herbs midpalate.  The tannins are thick and chewy, providing for a wonderfully long, dry finish that seems to linger a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a delightful wine, though the fruit can seem a bit heavy at the outset.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty winter dishes, from pasta and casseroles, to chili and stews.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled ribeye, grilled leeks, parsley buttered potatoes, asparagus and hollandaise.  Cheers!

2019 Woodward Canyon Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 191

Happy Sunday!  I meant to do some yard work today, but by the time I went grocery shopping, went to Costco and finished all my other errands, there was just enough time left to do laundry and open up a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight's wine is a special one, the 2019 Woodward Canyon Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 191.  You may be familiar with Clone 191, as it's the same one that is featured in Seven Hills' Summit View Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, and it's one of the highest rated Bordeaux clones for Cabernet.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is an inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just what you'd expect from the varietal.  Take a whiff and you'll note aromas of graphite, blackberry, cassis and rich leather that offer a prelude to a special wine.  The first sip starts with a rush of tart cherry that eases into ripe blueberry, black olive and cedar notes with a velvety mouthfeel that will set your mind racing.  The balanced tannin structure offers a perfect foundation for a velvety smooth dry finish that lingers on your palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, knowing that it's still early in its development, so I'd expect this wine to improve even further with a few years in the cellar.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty fall dishes, from braised short ribs to hearty pasta, beef stew to roasted lamb shank, but above all this wine wants a steak!  So, tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled porterhouse, grilled leeks, blistered cherry tomatoes and grilled asparagus.  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!

2016 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Syrah

So yesterday was Black Friday and I have to admit, I didn't partake in all the shopping mania, though I did get in to the Christmas spirit.  I slept in, did some yard work and did my best Clark W. Griswold impersonation in putting up the garland and lights on the fence and by the front window.  And today, building on the spirit, I went up to Owosso, Michigan to ride on the North Pole Express, behind the Pere Marquette 1225 locomotive that was the locomotive behind the "Polar Express" movie.  So now that I'm fully immersed in holiday joy, I thought it was appropriate to open up a bottle of a recent wine club selection from L'Ecole No. 41, the 2016 Walla Walla Syrah, from the Seven Hills Vineyard.  So, let's have a taste!

The wine s a deep ruby color in the glass with nice clarity.  The nose is an interesting combination of earthy notes along with some rich fruit notes, olive, black pepper and violets intermingle with notes of ripe blackberry and currant.  The taste is more classic old world syrah, with a rush of blackberry, cherry and smoky oak that eases into some notes of dark chocolate and classic peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are velvety smooth, providing nice balance for the long, dry finish.  This syrah seems more the classic variety, and less avant guard than some of the heavy mineral examples coming from the Rocks district of late, and for me that's a good thing, as I think it makes this wine more approachable and food friendly.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as this is an easy drinking wine that I could enjoy with a broad range of dishes, from pizza and tacos, to seared tuna or hearty steak.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a simple dinner of grilled Zahtar seasoned Angus chuck eye steak with some grilled asparagus and oven roasted purple potatoes.  Cheers!

2016 A Moveable Feast Cabernet Sauvignon

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

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

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

2005 Eeden Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Cellar Saturday!  That wonderful first Saturday of the month where I dig deep into the cellar for something at least a decade in the making to enjoy.  Tonight I've opened a bottle that I picked up a couple of months ago from Wines Till Sold Out, that intrigued me, the 2005 Eeden Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  Eeden was founded in 2002 in St. Helena, in the Spring Mountain District of Napa Valley, on property that was originally owned by Berenger Family as far back as the 1930s.  The family has since replanted the vineyard with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petite Sirah, for their limited production wines.  So let's see how this one tastes!

I'll preface this by noting that I have decanted the wine for a couple hours before tasting.  The wine is a deep, inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from a Napa Cabernet.  The wine is exuding some wonderful Bordeaux-esque aromas, leather, blackberry, olive and a good bit of funk making this one exciting to try.  The taste is remarkably fruit forward, with a rush of cherry and blueberry at the front which gradually gives way to some wonderful mineral notes of dusty limestone and peat midpalate, before a reprise of cherry and white pepper spice at the finish.  The tannins are at once supple and structured, providing for a wonderfully velvety smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a very old-world style Cabernet, which is very unusual for Napa Valley.  This wine would pair with a variety of dishes, similar to a nice St. Emilion, it would pair well with lamb, steaks and chops, pasta or even summer barbecue.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime ribcap with grilled garlic scapes, some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts and a big baked potato.  Cheers!

2015 Reininger Walla Walla Syrah

Happy Tuesday!  It's been a busy week for me so far and it's not even hump day yet, so here's hoping a nice glass of wine will help smooth things out.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of my most recent wine club selection from Reininger Winery, the 2015 Reininger Walla Walla Syrah!  I am a big fan of Chuck Reininger's wines, as his creativity and blending talent really highlight the great quality of wines from the Walla Walla Valley.  This wine is a 100% Syrah from the Pepper Bridge and Seven Hills Vineyards, so let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass.  The nose is a cascade of earthy aromas, leather, peat, intermingled with floral notes of lavender and a hint of lilac, with undertones of ripe black fruit.  The taste is a wild rush of intensity, with rich blueberry, boysenberry and currant that transitions almost imperceptibly to flavors of olive, dusty limestone and cassis midpalate, before being treated to a hint of white pepper on the cusp of the finish.  The tannins are silky smooth and provide the ideal backdrop for the long, and exquisitely dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's one of the most pleasing Syrah's I've ever enjoyed.  This wine would pair well with a wide variety of dishes for fall, from braised beef to stew and chili, to wonderful Mediterranean dishes.  But tonight I'm going off script and enjoying this wine with some pan seared sea scallops on a bed of escarole along with some rice and steamed broccoli.  The rich fruit and wonderfully earthy notes of this wine are perfect to counter the richness from the sea.  Cheers!

2016 Les Vieilles Pierres Costieres de Nimes

Happy Independence Day eve!  Advanced warning: I will not be posting tomorrow since I will be busy much of the day getting ready for 4th of July rib fest at my house!  So, in honor of my last evening of relaxation, I've opened a bottle of wine that was a gift from a former boss who has very similar taste in wine to me, the 2016 Les Vieilles Pierres Costieres de Nimes.  Now this AOC was once part of the Languedoc region, but given they seem to have more in common with the Rhone Valley, they shifted to the Rhone region.  Which makes some sense with this blend of Syrah (80%) and Grenache (20%) from a region that's been making wine since before the Romans arrived in France.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, as you'd expect from such a Syrah dominant blend.  The nose is a wonderful cascade of ripe red fruit, raspberry, cherry, strawberry and cassis overlaid with lovely floral notes.  The taste is a rush of tart cherry at the outset that transitions to some notes of green grass and olive notes midpalate.  The tannins are a bit tightly wound, resulting in a somewhat sharp, but very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's a pleasant blend but still a bit young.  With a few years in the cellar this wine will no doubt improve.  As for pairings, this wine would go well with some nice chevre or perhaps with some steak or seafood.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a bit of an unorthodox pairing, with a big cold water lobster tail, mashed potatoes and chives and some steamed green beans.  The tart cherry in the wine is a nice foil to the richness of the lobster.  Cheers!

2008 Le Mura Saracene Montefalco Rosso

Happy Cellar Saturday!  It's the first Saturday of the month, and time to raid the cellar for a wine that's at least a decade in the making.  Tonight I've opened a wine that I fully admit was a victim of my lack of short, or even medium term memory.  I bought a couple bottles of the 2008 Le Mura Saracene Montefalco Rosso at G.B. Russo's in Grand Rapids back in 2012 or 2013, and I remember Dave Russo telling me that this wine would benefit from a couple more years in the cellar, and five years later I found it!  At any rate, for those unfamiliar with Montefalco Rosso, it's a wine from a region in central Umbria and is a blend primarily of Sangiovese (60-70%) along with Sagrantino (10-15%), which is a varietal that's very tannic.  The remainder of the blend is up to the wine maker, with many now employing more traditional varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center with bright garnet along the edges, a testament to the impact of the Sagrantino and other blending grapes on the otherwise lighter bodied Sangiovese.  The nose is a bounty of ripe red and black fruit, plum, cherry, currant along with earthy aromas of peat and olive.  The taste is at first a wave of earthy mineral and olive, that transitions to some more mellow hints of cherry and prune, before circling back to some rustic hints of cinnamon and mocha.  The tannins are quite robust despite their age, lending to a long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a wonderfully drinking wine, but I think it may be somewhat of an acquired taste that's quite different than a Chianti or Brunello.  This wine would pair well with roasts, wild game, and of course hearty Italian dishes.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some squid ink tagliatelle tossed with shrimp in a tomato basil cream sauce.  Cheers!

2007 La Mannella Brunello di Montalcino

Happy Cellar Saturday!  It's the first Saturday of January and the first Saturday of 2018, so it must be time for me to raid the cellar and explore a wine that's just been sitting around being lazy for a number of years, not unlike their owner.  Tonight I've decided for a number of reasons to go full on Mediterranean, and I've opened up a bottle of 2007 La Mannella Brunello di Montalino, the undisputed king of Italian vino!  Now, I feel the same about Brunello as Barolo (though I'm much less likely to make exceptions with Barolo) that these wines really don't start coming into their own for a good decade after harvest, so it's far more likely that you'd see these on a Cellar Saturday than any other time.  So here goes nothing!

The wine is a lovely bright ruby color in the glass, with great clarity.  And although I've let this wine have a good bit of air already, the aromas are just exploding from the glass, with notes of dried spices, olive and dried floral notes, all amid aromas of blackberry and tart cherry fruit.  Classic Brunello aromas all around.  The taste is at first a rush of black fruit flavors, currant, cherry and plum that transition to some flatter notes of dried herbs midpalate.  The tannins are still quite robust, and you're treated to a reprise of sweet cherry on the long, voluptuous and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just starting to come into it's own, but it's still a classic example of what a good Brunello should be.  This wine would pair well with a variety of Italian and Mediterranean dishes, from the classic bistecca Fiorentina to hearty pasta.  Tonight I am enjoying this one with a wonderful grilled octopus with Tuscan herbs and grilled vegetables along with some linguine tossed with cherry tomatoes, lemon and capers.  This is the type of dinner that makes you feel like you're at a seaside restaurant in Sicily rather than a 10-degree ice castle in Indiana!  Cheers!

2014 DaMa Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Friday!  The first Friday of the new year in fact!  Tonight I just returned from thy gym, so I'm ready for some relaxation, perhaps a glass of wine might be ideal!  Well tonight I have a good one, a bottle from my Fall wine club shipment from DaMa wines, the 2014 DaMa Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Golden Ridge Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this wine will start my weekend!

The wine has the classic Cabernet look, with deep garnet and ruby colors.  The nose is a lovely combination of leather and sage over hints of mint and black tea, somewhat of a deviation from your traditional big, bold Cabernet.  The taste is a remarkable shift, with some lovely floral notes up front that transition to some wonderful black fruit notes of blackberry and plum, before hitting its stride with some earthy black olive notes midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured, providing for a velvety smooth and very dry finish that seems to last a minute or more. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a very interesting and pleasant Cabernet that just sings of the terroir of Walla Walla.  This wine would pair well with steaks and chops, salmon, or a hearty pasta dish.  Tonight I'm enjoying this one with a rare grilled prime sirloin, steamed broccoli and a big baked potato with butter, sour cream and scallions.  Of course, once dinner is over, I'll still be sipping this wine for the rest of the evening, it's such a treat.  Cheers!

2012 Reininger Walla Walla Valley Merlot

Happy Wine Wednesday!  I had a rather busy day today, so it will be nice to relax with a nice glass of wine.  Tonight I've decided to open a nice bottle of Merlot from one of my favorite Walla Walla producers, the 2012 Reininger Walla Walla Valley Merlot.  This wine is a blend of Merlot (91%), Cabernet Sauvignon (7%) and Cabernet Franc (2%) all sourced from the Pepper Bridge and Seven Hills vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, with aromas of black cherry, currant, black pepper over some subtle earthy notes (when I first opened the wine there was a pronounced note of olive, but that subsided with some air).  The taste is somewhat more elevated than a typical Merlot, with some nice fruit up front, particularly black cherry and currant intermingled with a bit of plum that moves smoothly to some spice and earthy notes or tar and graphite midpalate.  The tannins are silky smooth, ushering in a long, smooth and voluptuous dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's one of the nicest Merlots I've had in a while, and I thought it was a step up from the 2010 vintage (see here) or the 2011 vintage (see here), both of which were somewhat cooler if I recall correctly.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hard cheeses, hearty winter stews and roasts, and of course steak.  Tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime sirloin over grilled leeks, with some charred cauliflower and a baked potato with sour cream and chives.  Cheers!

2012 DaMaNation Red Wine

Happy Tuesday!  I just got home from the gym now it's time for a bit of wine and dinner.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2012 DaMaNation Red wine, a lovely GSM blend from DaMa Wines of Walla Walla.  This particular vintage is a blend of Grenache (55%), Mourvedre (23%) and Syrah (22%) from the Columbia Valley of Washington.  So let's see how she tastes!

The wine is a bright ruby in the glass with great clarity.  The nose presents aromas of cherry, blackberry and plum with some floral notes over the top.  The taste is very nice, with a rush of luscious ripe fruit at the outset that transitions nicely to some notes of earth and olive midpalate.  The Mourvedre provides some lovely structure to the tannins that form a base for the long, smooth, very dry finish, with a reprise of cherry cola at the very end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a consistent, quality GSM effort that doesn't disappoint from year to year.  The wine would pair well with a variety of Mediterranean dishes or a great steak, which is a good thing since tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled dry aged prime shell steak, baked potato with sour cream and chives and steamed Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2015 DaMa Wines Rose of Cabernet Franc

Happy Memorial Day!  I always have mixed feelings about this holiday, as I like to honor those who've served our country in the military, but this also represents the first holiday of the summer, and hence the start of Rose season!  So today I've decided to open a bottle of 2015 DaMa Wines Rose of Cabernet Franc, an interesting little Rosa from the Walla Walla Valley of Washington.

The wine is a pale peach color in the glass, somewhat lighter than other roses I've had so far this year.  The nose presents aromas of cool citrus, grapefruit and a hint of strawberry and orange blossom.  The taste is quite soft, not the bright citrus acidity I was expecting, but rather some notes of honeysuckle, strawberry and a bit of olive.  The finish is quite nice, very dry and refreshing, just a bit of summer in a glass.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's a very pleasant rose that is perfect for summer.  This wine would be great with a light summer salad for lunch, or as I'm enjoying it this first holiday of barbecue season, with some barbecued ribs, fresh cole slaw and corn on the cob!  Whooo hooo this summer is going to be awesome!