2023 Helix Marvin Red Wine

I seldom get to review a new wine like I am tonight, but fortunately I received a couple bottles of the new 2023 Helix Marvin Red Wine in my last wine club shipment.  This wine is named for Marvin Tucker, who is the grandfather of the Tucker family, who are partners with Chuck in the wine business.  This particular vintage is a blend of Cinsault (49%), Mourvèdre (33%) and Grenache (19%) from the Wahluke Slope AVA of Washington.  Let's see how this new wine is tasting!

The wine is a lighter style, with bright ruby color in the glass.  The nose presents aromas of strawberry jam, hints of lavender and undertones of earthy tar.  The first sip is a rush of ripe red fruit, strawberry, cherry and raspberry that excite your palate before transitioning to some notes of earthy basalt and graphite.  The tannins are supple and ideal for a dry finish that fully embraces the fruit, allowing for a continuity you seldom find.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a pleasant drinking and food friendly wine.  This wine would pair well with a wide range of dishes, from summer caprese salad to alder planked salmon, steak and brats to barbecue.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a fall classic of grilled lamb loin chops, roasted fingerling sweet potatoes and steamed asparagus.  Cheers!

2019 Pepper Bridge Trine

Happy New Year!  Hard to believe we are in 2023 as time seems to be accelerating (or perhaps I'm just getting older).  So to celebrate the first day of the new year with a wonderful dinner, we need a wonderful wine as well.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2019 Pepper Bridge Trine, a classic example of a fine Bordeaux style blend from the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Franc (42%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), Merlot (16%), Malbec (8%) and Petit Verdot (4%) sourced from the Seven Hills, Waliser, Octave, and Pepper Bridge Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley.  Having opened this wine about 90 minutes ago, let's see how it's tasting!

The wine is a lovely deep ruby color in the glass, and a gentle swirl reveals aromas of ripe red fruit, raspberry, cherry and currant, layers of fresh herbs and some mineral notes.  The first sip is a rush of ripe red fruit interwoven with layers of semi-sweet chocolate, light floral notes and consistent mineral notes that give the wine an interesting complexity.  The tannins are well structured providing for a wonderfully consistent dry finish that seems to linger for minutes. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's usually a house favorite when I have it on hand.  This wine would pair well with a range of hearty winter dishes, from prime steaks to braised short ribs, hearty beef stew to classic mushroom risotto.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with my new year's feast of a pan seared filet mignon topped with béarnaise along with a butter poached lobster risotto and some oven roasted carrots.  Cheers! 

2017 Noirvana Pinot Noir

Happy Taco Tuesday (I bet you'll never guess what's for dinner tonight!) and let's have some wine!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of Michigan wine, and you know I'm not such a big fan of Michigan wines, but a friend of mine gave be this bottle for Christmas, and it's made by her boyfriend's family, so I had to give it a try.  The 2017 Noirvana Pinot Noir is from the Karma Vista Vineyards in Coloma, Michigan, so let's see how this wine is tasting.

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity, just a touch darker than you might expect from the varietal.  A gentle swirl in the glass reveals aromas of cherry, currant, lavender and oak, with virtually none of the funk that's usually present with a Pinot Noir.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of ripe red fruit, cherry, strawberry and raspberry that transition to some classic earthy elements of tar and dusty limestone that are classically associated with the varietal.  The tannins are nicely developed and firm enough to support a supple dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's one of the better Michigan red wines I've tried, and likely would be a good comparison to many west coast Pinot Noirs.  This wine would pair well with a variety of more elegant dishes, from herb crusted rack of lamb, venison tenderloin or a classis risotto.  But, since it is Taco Tuesday, I am enjoying this wine with some steak fajita tacos, topped with cheese, sour cream and some fresh jalapeno.  Cheers!

2015 Helix Stone Tree SoRho

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Tonight I have decided to open a recent wine club shipment from one of my favorite wineries in Walla Walla, Reininger!  This time it's the 2015 Helix Stone Tree SoRho, a Southern Rhone style blend of Mourvedre (46%), Cinsault (30%) and Grenache (24%) from the Stone Tree Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope.  This is a perennial favorite given the addition of Cinsault to the blend, which always provides a bit of floral lift to the blend.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a bit darker in color than many Rhone blends, with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is a lovely combination of green grass, violets, earthy peat and ripe red fruit.  The taste is a rush of ripe red fruit, currant, cherry and strawberry that transitions effortlessly to some earthy notes of tar intermingled with white pepper spice.  The soft tannins perfectly frame the fruit and earth for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as I think this is a bit of a step up from the past few vintages.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of dishes, from southern Mediterranean seafood to grilled pork tenderloin, or even turkey since we just made it through another Thanksgiving.  But tonight I'm enjoying this with classic midweek fare of leftovers, in this case pork chops and roasted fingerling potatoes.  Cheers!

2013 Kirkland Signature Brunello di Montalcino

Well, I've been out of it a little while and everyone gets delusions of grandeur!  Yes, I've been away for a few days, but now I'm home and feeling like I need a nice glass of wine.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of wine from Costco's Kirkland Signature brand.  I'm fascinated by the variety of wine they decide to private label, and a couple weeks ago I bought a couple bottles that intrigued me, this first one being a 2013 Brunello di Montalcino.  Now granted I like a nice Brunello, but typically let them age a good decade before opening them, but since this one was relatively inexpensive, I've dispensed with the cellar aging.  So let's dig in!

The wine is a light ruby color in the glass, with great clarity, just as you'd expect from a nice Sangiovese.  The nose is a classic combination of red fruit, strawberry, raspberry and tart cherry intermingled with some green grass, dried herbs and a bit of charcoal.  The taste is a rush of red berries, which transitions to some tart cherry notes midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat muted, but the finish is still rather expressive and dry, with some spicy notes at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a 7.5, as that's about what I would expect from a just released Brunello.  The wine would likely mature with a bit of age, but it was still a good value for under $30.  This wine would pair well with a variety of Italian dishes, from risotto to pasta and seafood.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some porcini mushroom and truffle ravioli topped with some creamy pumpkin and butternut squash sauce.  The red fruit and bright acidity of the wine are a nice complement to the richness of the ravioli.  Cheers!

2014 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday!  It's been and adventure the past couple days as we were totally walloped with snow, yesterday we had about 14 inches and after hours of shoveling, I think it's time for a break!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of wine I found at my local supermarket today as they were having a 15% off sale on all their wines, so I picked up a few bottles of the 2014 Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby color, just as you'd expect from a nice Columbia Valley Cabernet.  The nose is a pleasant combination of red fruit, green grass and light floral notes.  The taste is a pleasant rush of ripe red fruit up front, cherry, raspberry and currant that transitions nicely to some notes of cherry cola and pipe tobacco midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat soft, which gives rise to a smooth and supple dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's nothing spectacular, but it is a solid and pleasant everyday Cabernet.  It was also a terrific value, as the regular price at my market was $8, but with the sale I bought these bottles for less than $7, making this an ideal everyday red.  The wine would pair nicely with a broad variety of dishes, from pizza to tacos to steak.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled New York strip with grilled leeks, mashed potatoes and gravy and steamed asparagus.  All in, a wonderful Saturday evening dinner, cheers!

2014 Raymond Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Wine Wednesday!  I’ll admit this is a bit of an odd post as I enjoyed this wine last weekend when I was visiting my cousin in Boston, and I thought I should blog about it since I’d visited the winery a number of times in the past. So tonight I’m sharing the 2014 Raymond Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

The wine is a lovely ruby color in the glass, somewhat lighter than a typical Napa Cabernet. The nose of chock full of classic Napa Cabernet aromas, leather, red fruit and cassis.  The taste is a wonderful array of black fruit, blackberry, cherry and plum that transition nicely to some notes of mint and dusty limestone midpalate. The tannins are nicely integrated, resulting in a long smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it’s just what you’d expect from a solid Napa valley Cabernet. This wine would pair well with a variety of steaks and chops as well as hearty Italian dishes. Despite the pairing suggestions, I enjoyed this wine with some dessert of fresh cannoli from Modern Pastry in the north end of Boston.  Cheers!

2015 Dona Paula Estate Malbec

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Tonight I’ve decided to open a nice Malbec from one of my favorite Argentine peoducers, Dona Paula Estate.  I’m feeling a bit lazy tonight and I’m hankering for some Thai food, so it seems that a 2015 Dona Paula Malbec from the Uco Valley in Mendoza just might do the trick!  So let’s see if I was right.

The wine is a deep, inky purple color in the glass. The nose presents aromas of ripe red fruit, cherry, plum and currant intermingled with green herbs and a touch of mint.  The taste is classic Malbec with a rush of red fruit mixed with green herbs, black pepper spice and earthy undertones that are just what you’d expect from a nice Malbec from Mendoza.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it’s a nice example of a classic Malbec and a terrific value for around $12. This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes beyond the classic steak, and tonight I am enjoying this wine with some Pad Kee Mao Thai take out, it’s always a challenge to pair wine with Thai food, but I’ve found a good Malbec is usually a solid choice. Cheers!

2014 Forgeron Barbera

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's been a wonderful day today, though a little chilly, but at least it's stopped raining!  So tonight I've decided to open a recent wine club selection from Forgeron, a wonderful producer of some great wines out of Walla Walla.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of the 2014 Columbia Valley Barbera, so let's see what this wine has to offer.

The wine is a deep ruby color, almost inky at the center, very similar to the color on a nice Merlot.  The nose is a lovely combination of leather, smoke, graphite and red fruit, raspberries, cherries and currant.  The taste is a lovely rush of cherry cola, blackberry and pipe tobacco that transitions effortlessly to some lovely notes of dark chocolate and dried Italian spices midpalate.  The finish is very smooth, with fine grained tannins supporting a long, dry finish with a reprice of spice at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's one of my favorite vintages of Barbera from Forgeron over the past several years.  This wine would be wonderful with steak, roasts or even barbecue, but in my eyes it practically begs to be paired with classic Italian pasta dishes, so tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a simple linguine with tomato basil marinara topped with shaved Parmesan.  Cheers!

2013 Helix Bacchus Vineyard Merlot

Happy Tuesday!  It's been a while since I've posted because last week I was actually in Houston all week helping with the relief efforts down there.  It was quite a bit of hot, sweaty, backbreaking work, but it was really worth it to see the appreciation of the folks down there that were in such desperate need of a helping hand.  In any case, I'm back now and ready for some wine!  Tonight I've decided to open a recent wine club wine from Reininger's Helix brand, the 2013 Helix Columbia Valley Merlot from the Bacchus Vineyard.  So let's see what this one has to offer.

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, the ideal representation of the varietal.  The nose presents lovely aromas of strawberry, red currant, leather and oak that just make you want to dive right into the glass.  The taste is as smooth as can be, with lovely flavors of ripe red fruit, cherry, currant, marionberry that transitions to some lovely earthy mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is quite smooth, despite the tightly wound tannins, which provide a bit of tartness right at the end of the smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's drinking nicely now, but will likely improve with a few years in the cellar.  This wine would pair well with hearty fall dishes from stew to chili to lovely Italian pasta, but as always I am going against the herd.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with seared sesame crusted Ahi tuna on a bed of baby arugula with some wild rice.  I know red wine and fish may not make sense to some, but after all, Tuna is the steak of the sea!  Cheers!

2013 Origami Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Black Friday!  Tonight amidst all the hubbub, I've decided to open a bottle of 2013 Origami Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, as I recently bought a case from Wines Till Sold Out.  I must admit this was not at all what I was expecting from a '13 vintage Napa Cabernet, in fact at first glance it appears to be a very nice Pinot Noir, with very light body and classic Pinot aromatics.  So let's see how things develop!

As mentioned this is a very light bodied wine, with lovely ruby color in the glass.  The nose is everything a pinot should be, lovely ripe red fruit, raspberries, tart cherries, green grass and dusty limestone.  The taste is such a mind blowing reversal, as your nose has you fully prepared for a Pinot and the taste is all Cabernet, with a blast of ripe red fruit, cherry, blackberry and raspberry, that transitions to some lovely vanilla bean, cardamom and oak notes midpalate.  The finish is just lovely, with rather subdued tannins providing a nice base for the long, smooth dry finish that beckons another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it doesn't seem like it at first, but this is a wonderful Cabernet that plays mind games on the nose.  Although this would be a great wine with red meat, tonight I am enjoying this with a more Pinot inspired pairing with snow crab legs, drawn butter, cornbread and steamed asparagus.  Cheers!

2011 Encantado Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Friday!  It's been a long week and I just need to relax a bit and I figure I deserve it, after all I went to the gym after work and now that I'm home I should be able to enjoy a nice glass of wine before dinner.  Tonight it's the 2011 Encantado Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, and for those who recall my review of the 2012 Encantado Cabernet Sauvignon that night I totally blew off the gym, so I am getting more disciplined at least!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass with nice legs.  The nose is classic Cabernet, with rich black and red fruit notes along with some nice toasted oak and spice notes.  The taste is lusciously fruit forward, with blackberry and plum bursting forth, then a smooth transition to some warm spice notes of vanilla, cocoa powder and a hint of anise.  The tannins are well integrated and provide a nice backbone for the long, dry and velvety finish that seems to last until you take another sip.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's drinking quite nicely now, but could definitely mature over time, and at $25 from Wines Till Sold Out, I'm having a tough time deciding which of these wines I like better!  Tonight I am enjoying this with a simple meal of grilled New York Strip, some steamed jasmine rice and some asparagus, as this Cabernet is a perfect grilled steak sort of wine.  Cheers!

2012 Dark Horse Wine Big Red Blend 01A

Well, it's time to relax and have a glass of wine as I make dinner.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2012 Dark Horse Wine Big Red Blend, an interesting one that I recently picked up at Trader Joe's.  This wine is from a maker in California, but it's a blend of Malbec, Syrah, Tempranillo and Merlot sourced from California, Australia and Argentina.  Let's just hope the whole is greater than the sum of its parts!

The wine is a deep, inky purple in the glass, reminiscent of a nice bold Cabernet.  The nose is anything but, with aromas of red ripe fruit, raspberry, blackberry and currant overlaid with hints of mint and floral notes.  The taste was pleasant, with fruit flavors that were much milder than I was expecting based on the nose.  The fruit gives way to some warm spice notes midpalate, but the finish was unremarkable.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 6.5, it's a nice everyday table wine at a decent price of only $8.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic midweek dinner of leftovers!  I'm having some grilled wine and cheese brats with some potato salad and coleslaw, a nice easy drinking wine to pair with classic fair food.  Cheers!

2009 Bergevin Lane Vineyards Moonspell Cabernet Sauvignon

So once again I am blogging from my phone since I still don't have my phone or Internet installed, but such are the joys of new home ownership!  But tonight I have a new favorite Washington wine that I discovered right here in Elkhart, Indiana!  I had dinner at a local restaurant in town about a month or so ago and discovered this wine, the 2009 Bergevin Lane Moonspell Cabernet Sauvignon from the Columbia Valley.  I really liked the wine so I asked the manager where I could find this wine and he hooked me up with a case!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass and the nose is a rich combination of ripe red fruit, black cherry, plum and cassis along with a pleasant aroma of rich leather and forest floor.  The taste is rich and complex with some modest fruit up front, that transitions to some dusty limestone and tart cherry mid palate. The finish is smooth and exceptionally dry, and seems to last for 30 seconds or more!  

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a great drinking wine and a prime example of a great Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a lovely dinner of linguine and spicy marinara with a nice Mediterranean salad, a perfect combination!

 

2010 Maison Nicolas Perrin Syrah Viognier

Tonight's wine is an interesting one that I picked up yesterday at G.B. Russo's and it's interesting for a number of reasons, not least of which is the lesson in bureaucracy I received, though it's that bureaucratic effect that led to my getting this wine at a bargain price!  The winemaker, Nicolas Perrin wanted to make a wine in the style of a Hermitage in the northern Rhone, but at a price that would make it much more approachable to young people (as opposed to $300 a bottle!).  So he came up with a blend of 97% Syrah and 3% Viognier sourced from the northern Rhone.  Unfortunately when it came time to bottle the wine, the French authorities would not allow him to classify it as anything but a "Vin de Table" which was the lowest classification and only allows you to state on the label the producer and that it comes from France.  Then, as he tried to export it to the United States, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives would not allow him to state a vintage on a "Vin de Table" so he ended up with the very basic label we see before us.  But by 2012, the French had changed their rules creating the "Vin de France" category which allowed a vintage to be added, so now he is changing the label and liquidating all the wine in the old labels, voila!  A bargain!

The wine itself is very dark ruby with a tinge if India ink.  The nose is very rustic, with aromas of peat moss, forest floor and wild herbs, over just a hint of fresh cut grass.  Now keep in mind this wine needs some time to breathe, so you might consider decanting or letting it breathe for an hour or more as I have this evening.  The wine has a very rustic taste up front, with wild herbs, grass and great minerality at the outset, with very mild red fruit that expresses itself nicely midpalate.  The finish is very smooth, as the tannins accent the mineral characteristics and make for a very smooth finish.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's not a wine for everyone, but for those who really appreciate the great mineral character and terroir that can be expressed in a wine from the Rhone valley.  As I mentioned earlier, it was also a great bargain at only $8!  The wine would pair well with richer dishes as a nice contrast for heavy cream sauces or sweeter dishes.  Tonight I am pairing this wine with some maple and bourbon glazed roast pork tenderloin, some baby potatoes with butter and parsley and some baby carrots from my garden.  Bon Appetit!

2006 Bernardus Marinus Red Wine

Well, it's a good time to enjoy a lovely Bordeaux blend from the Carmel Valley in California!  The 2006 Bernardus Winery red wine from the Marinus Estate in upper Carmel Valley in California, this wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec grapes, making it a very interesting blend.

The wine is a lovely deep purple color in the glass, and the nose exhibits a notes of red fruit, raspberries, cherries and blackberries along with some earthy elements of tobacco, leather and anise.  The taste is very fruit forward, with flavors of ripe cherry and plum, transitioning to dry spices and cinnamon.  The tannins are quite supple, leading to long, smooth finish with notes of dark chocolate and smoke, which is often characteristic of blends with Malbec.

This wine is a very nice wine that stands well on its own, but would pair nicely with a variety of grilled meats or hearty winter dishes, though tonight I am pairing it with pizza!  Overall I would rate this wine a solid 7, but with a price tag of $20 it seems as though it should rate a bit higher.  Even so, I am certainly pleased to be sipping on a glass or two of this one tonight, cheers!

2009 L'Ecole No.41 Seven Hills Estate Cabernet Franc

So I am up by the cabin east of Blackduck, Minnesota and I'm roughing it today with a bottle from my favorite winery, the 2009 L'Ecole No. 41 Seven Hills Estate Cabernet Franc.

Of course, since I'm roughing it and using the Blogger for mobile app, I'll need to keep this brief (and of course the app failed since I was only on 1 bar of Verizon, so I'm actually publishing this now that I'm back home!). The nose is a pleasant combination of red berries, leather and smoke that fits well with a late summer afternoon in the northwoods. The taste is a lovely combination of luscious ripe red fruit with a bit of cocoa powder, leading up to a long, smooth, very dry finish.  Overall I would rate this one a solid 8.5, it's another great effort from L'Ecole, can't wait for my next wine club selections next month!

I'm enjoying a glass of this wine on a sunny afternoon with some garlic stuffed Spanish Queen olives and some local cheese flavored with tomato and basil. Now this is roughing it!