2021 Yokayo Frost Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, this Saturday was a busy one trying to get caught up with work around the yard and house, but I think I made it and now it's time for a nice dinner and glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2021 Yokayo Frost Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon that I bought recently from Wines Till Sold Out.  This wine is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Frost Vineyard in the Mendocino County AVA of California.  Let's see how this wine is shaping up!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass with nice clarity, perhaps a bit more subdued than some of the bigger California Cabernets.  The nose is a pleasant affaire with notes of leather, ripe cherry and herbal notes.  Take a sip and you'd be forgiven for mistaking this wine for a Zinfandel with a rush of jammy fruit, cherry, blackberry and plum with a pronounced peppery spice throughout. The tannins are subdued providing for a sharp dry finish with lingering spice.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a very nice everyday wine, that is a good value at just $12,50.  This wine would pair well with steak, tacos, barbecue or hearty pasta, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with some grilled beef kabobs with zucchini, onions, red peppers, yellow squash and shitake mushrooms, and fresh corn on the cob, and ideal Midwestern summer dinner.  Cheers!

2016 Château de Lafaurie-Monbadon Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux

Happy Saturday!  I admit I slept in this morning as I was up late last night doing some volunteer cooking, so I took it easy today and did some random chores, grocery shopping and then decided to relax with a cocktail before dinner.  Tonight, I've decided on a different dinner, and that calls for a different wine, so I've opened a bottle of 2016 Château de Lafaurie-Monbadon Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux that I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out.  This wine is a classic Bordeaux, a blend of Merlot (70%), Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) and Cabernet Franc (15%).  So, let's see how this wine is shaping up!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from such a Merlot heavy blend.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of blackberry, cherry and cassis with undertones of violets and a hint of aged leather.  The first sip is a surprising rush of tart cherry that quickly gives way to some sweet blackberry and raspberry, before transitioning to some earthy notes of cedar and dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are still a bit tight, providing for a very sharp dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a very easy drinking and food friendly Bordeaux that was also a solid value at less than $14.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from steaks and chops, to braised lamb shank, rich baked pasta to country barbecue.  Tonight, I am once again taking the road less traveled and enjoying this wine with a Japanese style stir fry.  Given the tight grocery budgets we are all facing, I decided to marinade some sliced chuckeye steak (if you are unfamiliar it's very flavorful and usually around $5-6 a pound) in some Bachan's Japanese Barbecue sauce, then christened my Hexclad wok and stir fried with some fresh veggies, served over white rice.  Cheers!

2017 Forgeron Cellars Anvil Proprietary Blend

Well, it's been quite a week, so I apologize for not posting in a while.  Last Friday we had some thunderstorms roll though and three was a lightning strike right near my house which ultimately fried my modem!  So, I had no internet access (outside of my cell phone hotspot) for nearly a week.  Fortunately, my new modem was delivered yesterday and not I'm reconnected with the virtual world and able to create a new blog post!  Thankfully the Fedex guy also delivered a new wine club shipment from Forgeron Cellars, the 2017 Anvil Proprietary blend from Minnick Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  The proprietary blend apparently is not secret, so this wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (46%), Malbec (38%) and Merlot (16%), so let's see how it tastes!

The wine is deep ruby color in the glass, with great clarity.  The nose is a wonderful combination of red currant, raspberry and caramel with some floral notes over the top.  The taste is a rush of red berry fruit that transitions easily to some lovely mineral notes of graphite and dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are sharp but nicely structured, illustrating a mash up of youth and aging potential in this wine.  The finish is well built and exceptionally dry, making this an ideal wine for hearty meals.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's still a bit young but it exhibits a lot of potential with a few years in the cellar.  This wine would pair well with a wide range of dishes, from grilled steaks and chops, to lamb to hearty stews.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a big bone-in ribeye grilled Pittsburgh rare along with grilled leeks and asparagus. The sharpness of the tannins in this wine are ideal for cutting through the fattiness of this steak.  Cheers!

2017 Bledsoe Family Wine

Happy New Year!  I can't believe the teens are almost over and we will soon be in the roaring 20s, but at least for now we will enjoy 2019, which of course will mean plenty more wine and food to enjoy.  Tonight being a holiday and a rather subdued one at my house, I thought I'd open a bottle of 2017 Bledsoe Family wine to enjoy with dinner tonight.  This wine is quite interesting as it is a blend of many of the same grapes used for the the high-end Doubleback Cabernet, including Cabernet, Malbec and Merlot from the Healy and McQueen Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley.  This wine comes in very cool 1L bottles that make this a crowd favorite.

This vintage is still quite young as it was released a bit early (the 2016 vintage was released in the spring of 2018, but this wine was just released several weeks ago).  The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, characteristic of the heavy Cabernet influence.  The nose is soft, with elegant fruit aromas intermingled with earthy notes of leather and a hint of lavender.  The taste is a rush of soft, ripe fruit, raspberry, cherry and black currant that transitions nicely to some white pepper spice midpalate, before kicking it back to a reprise of some floral notes just ahead of the finish.  The tannins are still a bit tight, but well integrated for the long, but somewhat sharp and dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a very nice everyday drinking red wine from a quality producer.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of foods, from steaks and chops to barbecue and pizza.  But since New Year's falls on Taco Tuesday, I am enjoying this wine with some bean and chorizo tacos with all the trimmings.  Cheers!

2016 Tall Dark Stranger Malbec

Well, this afternoon I was at the supermarket and I happened upon this wine, the 2016 Tall Dark Stranger Malbec, and it had such an interesting bottle, and it was on sale for $10, so I figured why not bring home a tall dark stranger for dinner?  I figured even though I'm probably not the exact demographic these wines are targeting, how could you really go wrong with a Malbec from Mendoza Argentina?  In any case, let's see how this wine tastes.

The wine is a bit lighter in color than many of the Argentine Malbecs I'm used to, not the dark brooding color that's so typical (perhaps this should have been a tall light stranger?).  The nose presents aromas of green grass, black cherry and violets, with just a hint of white pepper.  The taste is very fruit forward, with tart cherry, blackberry and blueberry that transitions to a bit of roast meat and green olive midpalate.  The tannins are young and tightly wound, providing for a sharp but very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a 7.5, as it's a decent drinking Malbec and not overpriced at $10.  This wine would pair well with just about anything a gaucho would eat in Mendoza, and tonight I am enjoying this wine with a new cut of steak I recently discovered from my butcher, the chuck eye steak.  This cut is from the area right between the ribeye and the chuck, making it what many call, "the poor man's ribeye."  The nice part is that it typically well marbled and very flavorful for a steak that routinely sells for $5-7 a pound.  Tonight, I've grilled the Angus chuck eye rare on a bed of grilled leeks along with grilled broccoli rabe and a baked potato with sour cream and scallions.  Cheers!

2015 Pepper Bridge Vineyard

Happy Thursday!  It's been a busy day today, seems like I haven't had a moment to catch my breath, so it's definitely wine o'clock now!  And tonight I've opened a bottle of the most recent wine club shipment from Pepper Bridge Vineyards, the 2015 Pepper Bridge Vineyard red wine, a blend of Merlot (46%), Malbec (31%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (23%) from the estate vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep, brooding, inky color in the glass, classic for Pepper Bridge red wine.  The nose presents aromas of black cherry, interlaced with hints of cedar and baking spice.  The taste is a rush of blueberry and tart cherry up front that transitions to some wonderful notes of dusty limestone, cherry cola and black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are still a bit sharp in their youth, providing for a long, 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 drinking well now, but I can see this one developing into a lovely wine with a few years in the cellar.  This wine is ideal for big meals, steak, chops, classic pasta dishes.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare prime petit filet mignon, potato puree and steamed sugar snap peas.  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!

2015 House Wine Red Blend

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, my local supermarket was having a sale on all wines, 15% off, so I decided to pick up a bunch of wines that I likely wouldn't have bought otherwise.  So tonight I've twisted off the cap on a bottle of 2015 House Wine red blend, originally a creation of Charles Smith in Walla Walla, this value priced wine has evolved to include wine sourced from Washington, California and Idaho, making this a true "American" blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot, and other red varietals.  So let's see if this one makes it in my house!

The wine is a lighter body, with bright garnet color in the glass.  The nose is somewhat subdued, with notes of leather, smoke, blackberry and cassis.  The taste is somewhat fruit forward, with a blast of blackberry jam that transitions to some hints of mint and peppery spice midpalate.  That tannins are a bit sharp, but the finish is nice and dry with a lingering of black fruit.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7, it's nothing spectacular, but it's a decent drinking red table wine that was a bargain at just $8.  This wine would be good with a variety of hearty dishes, from steaks and burgers, to barbecue and pizza, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with pasta on the patio, some three cheese tortelini with a tomato cream sauce.  Cheers!

2014 14 Hands Kentucky Derby Columbia Valley Red Blend

Happy Taco Tuesday!  Bet you'll never guess what's for dinner...but as for the wine, tonight I've opened a bottle of 2014 14 Hands Kentucky Derby Red Blend which I picked up at my local market a few months ago, well after the Derby which is why it was likely on sale.  In any case, 14 Hands does make some nice, inexpensive and easy drinking wines, and this one is a blend of Merlot (50%), Cabernet Franc (48%) and Barbera (2%) all from the Columbia Valley of Washington.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a nice ruby color in the glass, very characteristic of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.  The nose is a pleasant combination of ripe red berries, plum and a bit of peppery spice.  The taste is a wave of cherry, currant and plum up front that transitions smoothly to some notes of white pepper spice and just the faintest hint of mint midpalate.  The tannins are still a bit tight, adding some sharpness to the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this win a solid 8, as it's really just a pleasant drinking everyday red blend that I'm sure was well under $20.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from steaks and chops to pizza, but tonight I'm enjoying this wine with some chicken tacos and a side of black beans for Taco Tuesday!  Cheers!

2013 Angel's Landing Napa Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  I've had my usual Sunday afternoon of grocery shopping and laundry, so now it's time to have a bit of relaxation for the evening.  And for that I'm opening a bottle I stumbled upon in the cellar last week, the 2013 Angel's Landing Napa Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.  I can't recall where I got this bottle, but I figured with a decent vintage and a Napa Cabernet, it's likely to pair well with Sunday dinner, so let's see what it has to offer!

The wine is a deep inky color, with bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect for a Cabernet.  The nose is chock full of blackberry, prune and currant with earthy undertones of leather and green grass.  The taste is quite fruit forward, with a rush of blueberry and black raspberry that transitions nicely to some earthy mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are quite firm, adding some sharpness to the long and exceptionally dry finish that seems to last a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a really nice Napa Cabernet, but the finish could be smoother in my view.  This wine is practically begging to be paired with a nice steak, and tonight is its lucky night, as I'm enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime New York Strip along with grilled asparagus and a baked potato with sour cream and scallions.  Cheers!

Fruit Hills Winery Marquette - Non-Vintage

Happy Friday!  We are really getting down to the wire, just 2 days left until Christmas!  I have another big get together planned for tomorrow, so it will be a full day of cooking, but don't fear, I'll probably have enough time for one more post before the big day.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of wine that I bought from a local producer about 7 miles from here, Fruit Hills Winery.  They source a lot of grapes from other locations, but I tend to focus on the wines made from local fruit (that being Indiana and Michigan!).  The Marquette is a blend of grapes from their vineyard in Bristol, Indiana (mostly Cabernet Franc) along with Marquette grapes from Michigan.  For those unfamiliar, Marquette is a hybrid released by the University of Minnesota in 2006 that traces its roots to Pinot Noir, so that's what makes this a good wine for tonight's dinner!

The wine has a lighter body, very similar to a Pinot Noir.  The nose presents aromas of green grass, plum and red raspberry, along with a bit of that funk that Pinot fans are so familiar with.  The taste is a rush of green grass and floral notes that transition to some warm spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat muted, leaving a finish that is somewhat sharp but still dry.  Very much a Pinot Noir type wine!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7, it's not really spectacular, but it is quite versatile when it comes to food pairings.  This wine would pair well with Christmas ham or turkey, a variety of chicken dishes, or seafood.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some fresh sea scallops seared in toasted sesame oil along with buccatini tossed with broccoli rabe sauteed in garlic and olive oil.  Cheers!