2012 Molino della Suga Brunello di Montalcino Riserva

Well, it's the first Saturday of a new month, which means it's Cellar Saturday!  It's that magical time when I raid the cellar for something at least a decade in the making to see how it's developed along it's journey. Tonight I've taken a couple of cheats on my decade, first I've selected a Brunello, which by Italian law must be aged in barrel for six years, and then in bottle a further six months before release.  So, such a wine is already 65% of the way to a decade on release day!  Second, I recently bought some of this wine from Wines Till Sold Out, so I let them do a little of the aging for me!  The 2012 Molino della Suga Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is a 100% Sangiovese Grosso (another requirement of Italian law), and Brunellos are usually just hitting their stride at the 10-year mark, so let's see how this one is tasting!

The wine is a bright ruby in the glass, with nice clarity, just as you might expect from the varietal.  Take a whiff and you're greeted with aromas of dried flowers, ripe cherry and plum, with hints of vanilla and anise.  Take a sip and you're immediately transported to the Tuscan countryside, with layers of dried herbs, ripe cherry and some earthy notes of tobacco and graphite, which ease into some black pepper spice and a hint of thyme midpalate.  The tannins are a bit tight at first, but gradually open up for a velvety mouthfeel leading into a smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a very pleasant and easy drinking Brunello that is just hitting its stride. This wine would pair well with classic Tuscan dishes, such as Bistecca Alla Fiorentina, pappardelle with a traditional ragu, ribollita, or a simple platter of salami and cheeses.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some Trader Joe's Cacio e Pepe ravioli with carpaccio truffle cream sauce, the spice of this wine is a perfect foil for the richness of the truffles.  Cheers!

2020 Pepper Bridge Winery Walla Walla Merlot

Happy Saturday!  This was a busy day for me as I had to find a new Christmas tree farm for my trees this year as my previous farm had run out of any trees over 6'/  So after driving to Fort Wayne, I bagged to wonderful spruce trees for my annual hunting trip for trees.  And now it's time for a little relaxation and dinner before the daylong decorating party tomorrow.  Tonight I've opened a bottle from the Pepper Bridge wine club shipment that literally arrived today, shortly after I got back from the tree farm!  The 2020 Pepper Bridge Walla Walla Merlot is a blend of Merlot (92%) and Malbec (8%) from the Seven Hills, Pepper Bridge and Waliser Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, classic for a nice Merlot.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of blackberry, raspberry and herb notes of thyme and cardamom with just a hint of cinnamon underneath.  Take a sip and you're treated to a rush of black fruit with prominent flavors of vanilla bean, cherry and a hint of mint that transition to some dark chocolate midpalate.  The soft tannins are a lovely set up for the wonderfully smooth, lingering dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's drinking nicely now, but could benefit from a few years in the cellar.  This wine would pair well with classic steaks, hearty pasta or a wonderful winter venison stew.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime ribcap, grilled leeks, bacon roasted Brussels sprouts and a big baked potato.  Cheers!

2019 In Sheep's Clothing Cabernet Sauvignon

So today I ventured out to Costco to pick up some steaks and I was a bit stunned by the prices, which are up on average 25% over just the past few months.  But what can you do, I'm clearly not a typical consumer as viewed by the Federal Reserve Board or any other number of idiot economists, so I'm not going to substitute prime steaks for hot dogs or chicken, but I digress.  At least I found an interesting wine there from the Columbia Valley of Washington, the 2019 In Sheep's Clothing Cabernet Sauvignon, which was only $14.  So let's see what this wine has to offer.

The wine is an inky black at the center, with deep ruby along the edges, just as you might expect from a nice Cabernet.  A swirl of the glass releases aromas of blackberry, blueberry and currant with hints of thyme and lavender beneath the surface.  A first sip reveals an unpretentious everyday drinking Cabernet with a rush of ripe black fruit intermingled with caramel that easily transitions to some notes of smoke and dried herbs midpalate.  The tannins are well structured, with a bit of acidity at the finish that makes this wine an easy dinner wine during the week.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's nothing spectacular, but you might be well served with a case of this wine to reach for during the week when your glamorous instragram food gives way to days of leftovers.  This wine would pair well with everything from burgers and pizza to pasta and steaks.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with one of the aforementioned expensive steaks, in this case a prime ribcap grilled rare with grilled leeks and roasted peppers, smashed purple potatoes with parsley (aka Joker potatoes) and some steamed asparagus with Hollandaise. Cheers!

2011 Clarendon Hills Brookman Vineyard Merlot

Happy Cellar Saturday!  It's the first Saturday of the month and a perfect opportunity to raid the cellar for something at least a decade in the making.  Though I often have to dig deep for Cellar Saturday wines, this one I didn't have to dig at all since it's only been in my cellar a few weeks thanks to an opportune buy from Wines Till Sold Out!  The 2011 Clarendon Hills Brookman Vineyard Merlot is a 100% Merlot from the Brookman Vineyard in the McLaren Vale in South Australia.  It's been a while since I've enjoyed an Australian wine that wasn't Syrah, so let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a nice Merlot.  As you lift the glass, you catch aromas of black cherry, currant and hints of mocha with undertones of leather and earthy spice.  On your first sip you are greeted with a rush of black plum, cherry and currant that dance with notes of vanilla, before transitioning to wonderful fresh herb notes of thyme and white pepper midpalate.  The tannins are well structured and velvety, providing for a wonderfully dry finish that lingers amid a reprise of herb notes.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a pleasant drinking Merlot and a terrific value at just $22!  This wine would pair well with many hearty dishes, from lamb to steak, or a warm shepherd's pie as the temperature dips near zero here this evening.  But tonight, I'm taking the road less traveled and enjoying this wine with a homemade risotto Milanese topped with pan seared sea scallops.  Cheers!

2019 Bledsoe Family Winery Healy Rose

Well, this past week featured some remarkably early summer like days, with highs in the mid- to upper-70s and lots of sun, which had me yearning for rose season, but alas today it was cloudy and windy with a high of 42.  But that's not stopping me, I am tasting some rose, and tonight it's the 2019 Bledsoe Family Winery Healy Rose, a lovely rose from the Walla Walla Valley that just arrived with a wine club shipment last week.  So let's see how this preview of summer is tasting!

The wine is a lovely pale peach color in the glass.  The nose is a basket of summer fruit, peach, watermelon and citrus all dancing around, beckoning you to take a sip.  The taste is just a mouthful of summer, with a rush of ripe peach, honeydew, pink grapefruit and strawberry that just dance around your palate before transitioning to some mineral and herb notes of thyme and lavender midpalate.  The acidity is quite pronounced leading to a wonderfully vibrant yet dry finish that lingers like a long summer evening.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's my first taste of rose season and it's already got me wanting more!  This wine would pair well with summer salads, barbecue or pasta.  Tonight, since it's still chilly, I am pairing this with a recipe I saw from one of my favorite food bloggers Chris of Don't Go Bacon My Heart (you really should check him out on Instagram or his site: https://www.dontgobaconmyheart.co.uk/ a wonderful Gorgonzola pasta with pancetta, leeks and mushrooms (you can find the recipe here: https://www.dontgobaconmyheart.co.uk/gorgonzola-pasta/) and this rose is just perfect with that hearty pasta dish.  Cheers!

2006 Belpoggio Brunello di Montalcino

Well it's the first Saturday in May and that means it's Cellar Saturday, that magical time when I reach back into the cellar to find some wine that's at least a decade from it's original vintage and tonight I have one that just came together with my dinner tonight.  I am a big fan of great Italian wines, and of course the granddad of them all is Brunello, that carefully crafted Sangiovese that works it's magic with almost any traditional Italian cuisine.  And since I maintain that a nice Brunello really doesn't start to sing until it's at least a decade old, I've decided to open a bottle of 2006 Belpoggio Brunello di Montalcino.  Now I let this one decant for about 90 minutes, so let's see how it's tasting!

The wine is a wonderful garnet color in the glass with a tinge of amber along the edges.  The nose is classic Brunello, with aromas of anise, blackberry, spice box and some earthy notes.  The taste is remarkably fruit forward, with a rush of candied cherry, strawberry and a hint of thyme, but then it seems to be a bit tired midpalate, as it transitions to some earthy mineral notes of tar and peat.  The tannins are soft but well integrated, making for a long, soft dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's wonderfully developed, but the weakness midpalate was a drawback.  This wine would pair with any classic Italian dish, from Bistecca alla Fiorentina to classic pasta with hearty red sauces.  Tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a dinner that started with a trip to Eataly in Chicago last Monday, where I picked up some fresh squid ink tagliatelle, which I am tossing with some mussels simmered in olive oil, garlic, San Marzano tomatoes, oregano and basil.  The classic briny seafood mixture is just perfect with this earthy wine.  Cheers!

1998 Fontanafredda Vigna La Delizia Barolo

Happy Saturday!  And of course this being the first Saturday of the new month, it's Cellar Saturday!  That magical day when I reach deep into the cellar and open a more mature bottle to enjoy.  Tonight I have a treat that's actually only been in my cellar for a day, but it's a mature wine I bought last week from Wines Till Sold Out, the 1998 Fontanafredda Vigna La Delizia Barolo!  Now Barolo is one of those prized Italian wines made from the Nebbiolo grape from the Piedmont region of northern Italy. My personal preference is that I really don't think you can appreciate a nice Barolo if it's less than 10 years old, and this one being 18 should be just about hitting its stride by now.  I've decanted this wine for about an hour and a half, so let's see what this one has to offer!

The wine is a nice garnet color with a bit of brownish tint along the edges.  The nose presents aromas of leather, anise, blackberry and spice box that makes you feel like you've just walked into and old school Italian deli in New York, just what you would expect from a mature Barolo.  The taste is just wonderful, a brief blast of ripe fruit up front, blackberry and prune that transitions to some lovely mineral and spice notes midpalate, mint and a bit of dried thyme with a hint of dried flowers.  The tannins are still alive and well, leading this fine lady to a long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish that goes on and on.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's just perfect for drinking right now, but definitely as a number of years left.  This wine was not inexpensive at $50, but a considerable discount to the $190 retail price, so I can't complain too much.  This wine would be perfect with almost anything Italian, but it would be ideal with risotto or a pasta with a nice red sauce.  Tonight I've gone a little off the beaten path and am enjoying this wine with some herb roasted chicken, fresh asparagus and a bit of linguine tossed with fresh garlic and olive oil.  Tutti a tavola a mangiare!

2010 Salvatore Principe Blue Groove Zinfandel

So tonight I'm having my Easter dinner a week early, so what goes better with glazed ham than a nice Lodi Zinfandel?  I can't think of anything, so tonight I've opened a bottle of 2010 Salvatore Principe Blue Groove Signature Series Zinfandel that I bought yesterday at one of my old time favorite wine stores, G.B. Russo's in Grand Rapids.

The wine is a lovely deep purple color in the glass, classic Zin.  The nose is a marvelous, jammy combination of black plums, raisins and a hint of leather and limestone.  The taste is a wonderful  blast of fruit, plums, raisins, blackberries and cassis that lasts for a few seconds and then transitions to some herb notes of black pepper, thyme and cocoa powder.  The finish is lovely, with some bold tannins supporting a long, silky finish that seems to last a minute or more.  A classic Lodi Zinfandel, rich, fruity and somewhat rustic.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's a very nice example of a quality Zinfandel, but it was also a terrific value at just $7!  I wanted to buy a case, but there were only three bottles left, so I bought those.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with my early Easter dinner, of glazed ham, some red hasselback potatoes (thanks for the recipe Epicurious! Red Hasselback Potato Recipe at Epicurious) and the ubiquitous green bean casserole!  The wine makes such a great compliment to meats like ham, but it would also be great with a steak or pizza.  Cheers!