Happy Sunday! The weekend is almost over, and this weekend time seems to have been going by faster than usual, so here we are with a bottle of wine and Sunday dinner. Tonight, I've opened a bottle of wine that was recently delivered from Woodward Canyon, the 2020 Woodward Canyon Estate Merlot-Cabernet Franc is a blend of Merlot (75%) and Cabernet Franc (25%) that was the result of a collaboration between vineyard manager and second-generation owner, Sager Small and winemaker, Kevin Mott to commemorate the birth of Sager's daughter just before the 2020 harvest. The wine was aged for 20 months in 100% neutral barrels, in an effort to highlight the character of each varietal. So, let's see how this wine is shaping up!
The wine is a deep garnet color in the glass, just as you'd expect from the heavy weighting of Merlot in the blend. The nose presents aromas of leather, blackberry and currant, intermingled with some dusty gravel and a hint of anise. The first sip leaves your palate awash in ripe black fruit, plum, currant and blackberry that subside in some earthy mineral notes midpalate. The tannins are plump and well structured, giving credit to the impact of the Merlot in the blend, providing for wonderfully smooth dry finish, with a reprise of current at the end.
.jpg "Indian butter chicken with vegetables, served over basmati rice with a bit of naan on the side")
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just an interesting and pleasant drinking blend. This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from traditional steaks and chops, to braised short ribs or rack of lamb. Tonight, I am taking a different approach as I tried my hand at Indian butter chicken, though I couldn't resist adding a bunch of vegetables as well, served over basmati rice with a bit of naan on the side. Cheers!
