2021 Seven Hills Walla Walla Carmenere

Happy Independence Day!  It's very hot today, but I still got a bunch of yard work done and now I'm ready for some cookout feast and a glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened up a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from Seven Hills, the 2021 Walla Walla Carmenere.  I needed a wine to go with 4th of July food, so let's hope this one fits the bill!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you might expect from this lost Bordeaux varietal.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of ripe blackberries, blueberries and baking spice, with undertones of vanilla bean.  Take a sip and those warm spice aromas quickly succumb to cool fruit, as blackberry, blueberry and plum wash over your palate before transitioning to warm spicy notes of white pepper intermingled with cocoa and mocha notes midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, providing for a velvety smooth dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a perennial favorite from Walla Walla and such a versatile, food-friendly wine.  This wine would pair well with steak, chops, pasta or hearty fish like salmon, we well as casual summer foods like barbecue and burgers.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some barbecued baby back ribs along with some roasted corn on the cob, mustard baked beans and cucumber salad.  Cheers!

2016 Pambrun Walla Walla Valley Merlot

Happy Sunday!  It's been an interesting week as last Monday we had 4" of snow and it seemed like we time traveled right from Easter to Christmas, which of course did not prepare us for the weekend which came in with highs in the 80s and a lot of humidity!  At least I got most of my yard work, including my first mowing of the year, done yesterday before the heat and humidity gave way to torrential thunderstorms today!  Such is Midwest weather I guess.  At any rate, to end the weekend, I've decided to open a bottle of wine from a winery that I own shares in, the 2016 Pambrun Walla Walla Merlot, which is a winery owned by Willamette Valley Vineyards. So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you might expect from a quality Merlot.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals rich, ripe aromas of blackberry, marionberry and kirsch amid the faintest hints of green cedar and tobacco.  A sip reveals a rush of black fruit flavors, blackberry, plum, marionberry and cherry that grab your attention before shifting to some earthy notes of limestone and basalt, amid some savory spice notes and a hint of sweetness over the top.  The fine grain tannins are expertly integrated for a velvety smooth dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a classic example of why Walla Walla excels with Merlot.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes from rack of lamb to braised short ribs.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime New York strip with some pearl onions and portabello mushrooms sautéed with fresh rosemary, along with a baked potato and some steamed asparagus.  Cheers!

2010 Syzygy Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, it's the first Saturday of August, which means it's Cellar Saturday, that magical day when I raid the cellar for something developing for at least a decade.  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of wine that's over a decade old, though it's only been in my cellar for a month!  On my recent Walla Walla vacation, I had the chance to meet with Syzygy proprietor and wine maker, Zach Brettler at his tasting room by the airport on my way out of town, and I was impressed with the wines.  He had taken a bit if a hiatus from winemaking for nearly a decade and has been selling some of the last of his 2009 and 2010 vintages, which are a treat.  The 2010 Syzygy Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a 100% Cabernet from the Conner Lee, Sagemoor and Klipsun Vineyards grown during a year that featured a solar eclipse.  So, let's see what this wine has to offer.

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with garnet along the edges.  The nose practically screams mature cabernet that is just hitting its stride, with aromas of leather, oak and earthy peat intermingled with notes of blackberry, cherry and plum that brings back memories of so many barrel rooms.  Take a sip and you are greeted by unexpected bright fruit flavors, strawberry, black cherry and plum that dance around your palate before giving way to some lovely black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured and expertly integrated for the velvety smooth, dry finish that lingers on for what seems like several minutes.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a wonderfully built Cabernet that is just singing right now.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from pasta and steaks, to lamb and smoked brisket.  Tonight, I am taking a page from my summer growing up, as it was very common when it was hot (with no central air conditioning) and very humid in the Midwest that my mom would routinely serve corn and tomatoes for dinner during the summer.  It was simple, but delicious with sweet corn and tomatoes in season.  Given that I did a lot of work around my uncle's house today and I seemed to have yet to stop sweating, I am enjoying some corn on the cob and sliced tomatoes for dinner, though unlike my mom, I've decided to add a rare grilled New York strip as well.  Cheers!

2016 Forgeron Malbec

Happy Sunday!  I am happy to report that I got a lot accomplished today, including my laundry and going to see the new Star Wars movie, it was not that great, but I suppose given what they had to work with it was as good as could be expected.  In any case, tonight I've decided to open a bottle from a recent wine club shipment from Forgeron Cellars, the 2016 Malbec.  This wine is a 100% Malbec from the Stone Tree Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this one is shaping up!

The wine is a deep inky black at the center with bright garnet along the edges, just as you'd expect from a Malbec.  The nose exudes aromas of leather, graphite, anise and smoke, that is often present from wines produced in the Wahluke Slope.  The taste is a rush of ripe berries and plum that transitions easily to some earthy notes of sage and dried herbs before some white pepper spices comes out at the finish.  The tannins are dusty but well integrated, creating the foundation for the wonderfully velvety smooth, dry finish that lingers on the palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's right up there with the 2014 Vintage as a favorite Malbec.  This wine sould paird well with a variety of dishes, from classic steaks to barbecue to pizza, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a simple bucatini Bolognese for a nice, hearty Sunday dinner that pairs so well with this wine.  Cheers!

2014 Bordigioni Merlot

Happy Saturday!  I am back!  The past couple months have been a bit off on my wine blogging as I've been involved in a production of the Music Man at Elkhart Civic Theatre, and last weekend we did four performances and now my evenings are back to being my own.  So, you can expect at least a modest increase in my posts.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2014 Bordigioni Sonoma Valley Merlot which I recently purchased from Wines Till Sold Out.  This wine is primarily Merlot, with about 5% Cabernet Sauvignon blended in.  It's been a very hot day of yard work, so I am looking forward to some relaxation tonight!

The wine is a bright ruby color in the class, with a bit lighter body than you might expect from a Merlot.  The nose is quite fruity, with prominent aromas of blackberry, cherry and currant, with a hint of leather.  The taste is similarly fruit forward, with a rush of blackberry and currant that envelops your palate before transitioning to some notes of white pepper spice and a reprise of red currant.  The finish is quite refined, with well integrated tannins supporting the velvety smooth and very dry finish that lingers for several minutes.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, the looks can be deceiving with the lighter body, but this wine certainly delivers all I would expect from a nice Merlot.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of dishes, from summer barbecue, burgers and brats to pasta, steaks and chops.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a simple dinner of a rare grilled prime sirloin steak topped with bleu cheese and grilled garlic scapes with some oven roasted Brussels sprouts with artisan bacon and a loaded baked potato.  Cheers!

2016 DaMaNation

Happy Saturday!  Have you ever had one of those projects around the house that should have been quite simple but suddenly it completely spun out of control?  That happens to me a lot, which probably says a lot about my home improvement skills.  Today it was a fence post that rotted and needed to be replaced, but it was more complicated since it was also the post where the gate was attached.  No problem I thought, I got a post, bought some new screws for the hinge, this should be easy.  Then I found the concrete that the old post was mounted in, and I proceeded to break it up with a sledge hammer and a wedge.  I made it down about two feed and couldn't swing anymore, so I borrowed a 30-pound hexagonal bar that my friend had, apparently it was once used on the railroad for laying track.  So another quick job that will last until tomorrow, but tonight I really could use a glass of wine.  I've decided to open a bottle of 2016 DaMaNation, a wonderful blend of Grenache (48%), Syrah (36%) and Mourvedre (16%) from the Lonesome Spring Vineyard in the Columbia Valley of Washington.  So let's see if this one will provide some relaxation after a frustrating day in the yard!

The wine is a lighter ruby color in the glass with nice clarity, classic for a quality GSM blend.  The nose presents inviting floral aromas of rose petals and lavender with undertones of ripe black fruit and basalt.  The taste is a rush of cool fruit, black plum and blueberry with a bit of tart cherry that transitions almost unnoticed to earthy flavors of olive, white pepper spice and a hint of rosemary.  The tannins are quite smooth, providing a great start to the velvety smooth and very dry finish that seems to linger.  This wine is to my mind very comparable in old world style to the many high quality GSM blends from the Southern Rhone Valley of France.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's an approachable and easy drinking wine that's quite versatile from a food pairing perspective.  I actually brought a bottle of this to Thanksgiving dinner and we enjoyed it with classic turkey dinner (something that's a challenge to pair with a red wine), but it would also pair well with hearty stews, lamb or risotto.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some panko crusted center cut pork chops, cheese risotto and steamed broccoli and red peppers.  Cheers!

2016 Seven Hills Walla Walla Carmenere

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle from a recent wine club (I think?) shipment from one of my favorite Walla Walla producers of one of my favorite varietals, the 2016 Seven Hills Walla Walla Carmenere!  Carmenere is one of those often overlooked varietals, which is unfortunate as it's an exceptionally food friends and easy drinking wine that everyone should enjoy!  So let's see how this latest vintage stacks up!

The wine is a beautiful garnet color in the glass.  The nose presents aromas of wonderfully ripe black fruit, blackberry, plum and currant over aromas of green herbs and light floral notes.  The taste us just a pleasure to behold, with a rush of ripe blackberry, plum and currant up front that transitions gracefully to notes of green herbs and a hint of white pepper midpalate.  The tannins are youthful but well developed, providing for a smooth, velvety dry finish with a reprise of tart cherry at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a pleasant drinking wine that would be good with just about anything, or even plain!  This would pair well with Italian, steak, barbecue, tacos, tapas, literally about anything, but tonight I'm enjoying this wine with some hot Italian sausage with onions and peppers and some spaghetti with garlic and olive oil, perfect combination of fruit from the wine with the spice of the dish.  Cheers!

2014 Anvil Walla Walla Merlot

Good Sunday afternoon!  I know it's been a remarkably long time since I've posted, but I am going to make up for it over the next couple weeks.  You see, I took a bit of a vacation to go out to Walla Walla for the 2018 Reveal auction and had a wonderful few days enjoying the wine, food and wonderful friends in my favorite wine-making area, so I promise at least three posts on that trip, with plenty of photos!  But for tonight, I've just decided to relax with a nice bottle of 2014 Anvil Merlot, a 100% Merlot from the Minnick Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley AVA.  I tasted this in the Forgeron tasting room last weekend, so I couldn't wait to get home where my wine club shipment was waiting for me.  So let's see how this one tastes.

The wine is a lovely deep indigo with bright garnet along the edges, just as you might expect from a nice Merlot.  The nose is a generous helping of blackberry and black cherry overlaid with hints of mint and earthy mineral notes.  The taste is a rush of ripe black fruit that envelopes your palate, washing it with rich notes of cassis, that gradually reveals layers of wonderful minerality and black pepper spice.  This finish is velvety smooth and very dry, with well integrated tannins that make this wine a joy to sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it has to rank near the top of my favorite examples of Merlot.  This wine would pair well with a broad array of dishes, from steaks and chops, to prime rib, to your favorite pasta dish, but tonight of course I'm enjoying this with steak.  Tonight it's a rare prime filet mignon with grilled leeks and brussels sprouts and a big baked potato.  Cheers!

2015 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Valley Merlot Cabernet Franc

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle that I've been anticipating for a while, and since I just got my spring wine club shipment from L'Ecole I can try it!  The 2015 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Vallet Merlot Cabernet Franc, a blend of Merlot (50%) and Cabernet Franc (50%) from the Seven Hills and Ferguson Vineyards.  I've heard such good things about the right bank style blend, so let's give it a try!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from these two varietals.  The nose is a symphony of earthy mineral notes, dusty basalt, leather and graphite (hat tip to the Ferguson Vineyard) over subdued black fruit notes with a bit of black pepper spice at the end.  The taste is just divine, particularly if you're a Merlot fan like I am, a rush of black cherry and currant give way to some black pepper spice and course mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is young, but about as solid as you could expect, with lush tannins supporting the long, smooth and velvety dry finish that lingers on.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a fabulous expression of the varietals and the terroir of these two powerhouse vineyards.  This was highly anticipated, but it's still an incredible value for just $36 retail!  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from roast beef to braised short ribs to wild salmon, but it practically begs to be paired with a steak.  So tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled filet mignon, baked potato with all the fixin's and some grilled leeks and Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2015 Forgeron Cellars Primitivo

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Not only is it Wine Wednesday, it's also March 14th, or "Pi Day" which means you can easily guess what's for dessert tonight. But before we get there, I've decided to open a bottle of my recent wine club shipment from Forgeron Cellars, the 2015 Primitivo, from the Stone Tree Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA.  I am a big fan of Marie Eve's efforts in Primitivo especially, so let's see how this year's vintage stacks up!

The wine is a deep inky color in the glass and the nose presents some striking aromas of blackberry, plum and currant with earthy notes of leather and violets intermingled throughout.  The taste is a wonderfully expressive combination of black fruit up front that gently transitions to some hearty dark chocolate and spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are remarkably smooth and well structured, providing for a velvety, long and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as I think it's a fine expression of the varietal and the terroir of the Wahluke Slope.  This wine strikes me as incredibly versatile as I could easily enjoy it with anything from tacos to pizza to steaks and classic Italian dishes.  But tonight I am once again taking the road less traveled and enjoying this with some maple glazed steelhead, roasted garlic and pecan rice and steamed asparagus.  And of course, a slice of blueberry pie for dessert!  Cheers!

2014 Forgeron Malbec

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's been a lovely day so why not end it with a wonderful dinner and a nice bottle of wine?  Yes on both counts!  Tonight I've decided to open a recent wine club bottle from Forgeron Cellars in Walla Walla.  I've been a fan of Marie Eve and her wines since I visited there in 2012, or maybe it was 2010, in any case, they have been doing some wonderful things with some less explored varietals in the region, including Malbec.  This particular wine is 100% Malbec from the Stone Tree Vineyard (89%) on the Wahluke Slope in Washington's Columbia Valley with the remainder from the Minnick Hills Vineyard (11%) in the Walla Walla Valley.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a stunning, deep purple color in the glass, picture perfect for Malbec.  The nose is a symphony of aromas that bring you to images of gauchos in the Andes of Argentina, leather, smoke, black cherry and hints of white pepper spice and mocha over the top.  The taste is refined and complex, pretty much the opposite of a big, gut punching Cabernet that's so popular among so many today.  There is a rush of ripe fruit up front, cherry, pomegranate and currant that transition effortlessly to some notes of peppery dark chocolate midpalate.  The finish is just the best part of this wine, with incredibly polished tannins supporting a velvety smooth finish that seems to last the better part of five minutes.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, maybe even a 9.5 as this has to be one of the best Malbecs I've had.  This wine practically begs to be paired with a big hunk of beef, and it would certainly be delicious with a prime ribeye, but tonight I am going off the rails again, pairing this wine with a lovely grilled mango marinaded pork tenderloin with grilled peppers and Brussels sprouts.  The wine just brings out the richness of pork while the complex fruit just makes the perfect complement.  Cheers!

2014 Maison Bleue Frontiere Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  Today I've opened a bottle of wine from Maison Bleue, a wonderful producer of great quality Grenache and Syrah from Walla Walla.  But this time I've gone a different route and opened a new bottle of their 2014 Frontiere Cabernet Sauvignon, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Waliser Vineyard in the Rocks AVA in the Walla Walla Valley.  Given my dinner choice tonight, I needed a good Cabernet, so let's see how this one stacks up.

This is my first wine from the Rocks, and I've been hearing positive things about this AVA.  The area is mainly alluvial material washed down the Blue Mountains by the Walla Walla River, resulting in soil dominated by large cobblestones.  This enhances drainage prompting roots to go deeper, and more heat deeper in the soil, which comes through in this wine.  The wine is an inky black color at the center with lovely garnet hues along the edges.   The nose is quite interesting, with a soothing combination of coarse mineral notes, cassis and mint that are somewhat unexpected.  The taste is a real departure for a Cabernet, with some lovely notes of red and black currant up front that transition nicely to some mineral notes of dusty granite over notes of tobacco and black tea leaves.  The tannins are firm and provide for a velvety, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a wonderfully structured and pleasant drinking Cabernet that would pair well with anything from steak, to pasta to hearty stews.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a USDA Prime cowboy ribeye, along with a big ol' baked potato and some grilled broccoli rabe.  The wine really holds up well to the steak, as the acidity nicely cuts through the richness of the steak.  Cheers!

2014 Seven Hills Klipsun Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's been a harrowing week thus far, so I'm glad we made it past hump day!  Traveling for business is not as glamorous as you may think and this week was no exception with flight delays galore, but I'm home now and it's time for a nice glass of wine.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle from one of my all-time favorite wineries, Seven Hills from Walla Walla.  Tonight I'm enjoying the 2014 Seven Hills Klipsun Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, a 100% Cabernet from the Red Mountain AVA of Washigton.  So let's see if it tastes as good as the aromas I've been inhaling as I type!

The wine is a deep, brooding inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is a lovely combination of leather, basalt and lovely ripe berries, blackberry, cherry and black raspberry.  The taste is wonderfully elegant, with a some lovely fruit up front, cherry and blackberries, that transitions to some earthy mineral notes midpalate that is a wonderful marriage of old world and new world.  The finish is just lovely, with fine grain tannins that provide multiple levels of complexity on the smooth, velvety and wonderfully dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a wonderful example of the potential for Cabernet from the Red Mountain.  This wine is an ideal steak wine, but would be nice with some rich pasta dishes, or earthy mushroom risotto.  But fortunately for me, tonight I am grilling a nice USDA Prime New York Strip, along with a baked potato with sour cream and fresh chives and some steamed broccoli.  Cheers!

2014 Reininger Walla Walla Malbec

What a fantastic Sunday!  It was about 65 and sunny so I took advantage of the weather and spend the afternoon in the yard, catching up on a number of things, mainly cleaning up some leaves and branches, and although it was enjoyable, I sure am tired now!  And what's better when you need to relax than a nice glass of wine.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of a recent wine club selection, the 2014 Reininger Malbec, a 100% Malbec from the Pepper Bridge Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley.  Now you'll recall that I'm not the biggest fan of Malbec, but for some reason I really have come to like Chuck Reininger's efforts with this varietal, so let's see how this one stacks up!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center, with garnet along the edges.  The nose is a rush of green grass, leather and ripe black fruit.  The taste just wonderful, with a rush of ripe fruit at the outset, blueberry, cherry, plum and currant that transition to some vanilla and black pepper spice notes.  The tannins are somewhat soft, but very well integrated for the long, velvety smooth and very dry finish.  This Malbec struck me as being very Cabernet like, which is probably why I like Reininger's interpretation!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's still very young and will no doubt improve with a bit of time in the cellar, but it's still drinking very nicely now.  This would be a great steak wine, but tonight I am enjoying this one with a classic Italian Sunday dinner of hot Italian sausage with onions and peppers and some spaghetti tossed with garlic and olive oil.  Such a great wine to balance the strong flavors of the sausage and peppers, Tutti a tavola a mangiare!

2009 Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

So I made it home from Florida (have I mentioned I'm not a huge fan?  I know that's surprising, but having been born in winter in Chicago, I really love the cold!) and tonight I've decided to have a nice home cooked dinner.  And wouldn't you know I found an awesome deal on Angus filet so what else could I possible have tonight besides a black pepper bacon wrapped filet mignon?  And since I'm heading to the deep end of the steak pool, I need a wine to stand up to it with grace and poise, which screams Napa Valley Cabernet!  So I've opened a bottle of 2009 Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that I stumbled upon in the cellar (don't you love surprises?).  I reviewed the 2010 vintage last year, which you can see here.

The wine is a classic deep, brooding Napa Cab, with an inky black center leading to some bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is just wonderful, even with the glass two feet away, the aromas are beckoning me to grab the glass and sip!  The nose presents aromas of black plum, blackberry, licorice and oak over a lingering hint of limestone minerality.  The taste is lovely, with a rush of ripe black fruit that envelopes your palate.  The rich berries and plum transitions effortlessly to some lovely mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are well intergrated and finely structured, providing the classic backbone to a big Cab like this one, along with it's velvety, bone dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's not from a great vintage, but it's always amazing how these wines develop with just a few years in the cellar.  As I mentioned, tonight I am enjoying this wine with the steak pictured above, grilled rare along with some grilled maroon carrots, and a big baked potato with butter and sour cream.  I just love big steak night, cheers!

2011 Nativ Eremo San Quirico Irpinia Campi Taurasini

Yeah, say that wine name 5 times fast!  I ordered this wine recently from Wines Till Sold Out as it often provides nice opportunities to try different wines that you might not come across in your everyday wine travels.  In this case we have a wine based on Aglianico grapes from the Campania region of Italy (for those without a map handy, that's a region on the front of the ankle of the "boot" of Italy).  I've had a few wines based on Aglianico before and they are usually very pleasant, dark and brooding, so let's see how this one turned out!

The wine is an inky black color at the center of the glass that becomes a bright ruby along the edges.  The nose presents aromas of ripe black fruit, blackberry, plum and black cherry intermingled with some vanilla bean and plenty of oak.  The taste is quite nice, with luscious black fruit at the outset with transitions to some lovely warm spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are supple, providing for a velvety smooth and very dry finish, that dares you to have another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's a very nice expression of the varietal and it was a value as well at just $20.  The wine would be ideal with a variety of southern Italian dishes, the classics like pasta with red sauce, or lovely Sicilian Pasta alla Norma, but tonight I am going completely off the grid, pairing this wine with a classic Chicago dish of Slotkowski kielbasa with potato pierogis, grilled onions and sauerkraut!  I know it's random, but it really works!

Bledsoe Family Red Wine

Happy Friday!  I just got back from the gym and I'm ready for a nice glass of wine!  Today I received a shipment of wine that I ordered from Doubleback Winery in Walla Walla.  For those of you unfamiliar, this is the winery that was started a number of years ago (I believe they just released their 6th vintage of Cabernet, the 2012 which was in the shipment I received today) by former NFL quarterback Drew Bledsoe and his wife Maura.  The Cabernet is the signature wine, but they also produce an intriguing table wine, the non-vintage Bledsoe Family Wine, which is sold in very interesting clear 1-liter bottles with a stopper similar to the ones Grolsch uses on their beer bottles (you can see it in the photos below).

The wine is a deep inky purple color in the glass, with bright ruby around the edges.  The nose is an interesting combination of ripe plum, green herbs and a bit of mocha.  The wine is really nice, with a blast of fruit up front, plum, tart cherry and raspberry, that transitions nicely to some mineral notes of dusty limestone.  The tannins are a bit chewy, but supportive of the long, velvety and exceptionally dry finish.  For a red table wine, it reminds me a lot of a good quality northern Rhone blend.  Keep in mind, I didn't decant this wine, but it opens up very nicely with a couple hours of air.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, I really like it, and though not inexpensive at $38, it's certainly reasonable for an everyday wine.  Now this may sound kitschy, but when I first saw the bottle, it reminded me of the big clear jugs of table wine my Italian neighbor Lidio used to drink when I was growing up.  Granted it's not a gallon jug, but it still made me think this would be perfect with a classic spaghetti and meatballs, which is what I'm pairing it with tonight.  It would also be ideal with a grilled steak or braised short ribs, almost any classic comfort food you could think of.  Cheers!

2010 Ryan Patrick Vineyards Rock Island Red

So I happened to stop by my local wine store today, just to see if they had anything interesting to buy, and surprise, I found something!  Well, first I found a bottle of 2009 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon for only $39, so I picked that up.  Then I happened upon two other Washington wines from Ryan Patrick vineyards, which is based in Mattawa, Washington, to the northwest of Walla Walla and right in the heart of the Columbia Valley neat the Wahluke Slope.  So I picked up a couple bottles and tonight I've opened the 2010 Ryan Patrick Rock Island Red, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (58%), Malbec (34%) and Syrah (8%).

The color is a nice deep garnet in the glass.  The nose is quite pleasant with notes of ripe, candied fruit, plums and cherries and marionberries, with a hint of cocoa powder and some faint floral notes. The taste is not at all what I expected, rather than a rush of jammy fruit I was hit with some smooth cherry cola and vanilla notes overlaid with just the slighted spice midpalate.  The tannins are round and supple, making for a velvety, smooth dry finish that seems to last a minute or more.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's a solid red blend at a very good price of just $20.  Tonight I am pairing this wine with a lovely prime top sirlion, grilled rare and served with some grilled leeks, Brussels sprouts and baby golden beets atop a bed of baby kale.  The mellow fruit and big flavors of this wine make it a perfect wine for a big grilled steak, but it would be great with a variety of more rustic dishes, or just by itself, which is how I'll enjoy it after dinner!  Cheers!

2010 Forgeron Petite Sirah - Stone Tree Vineyard

What a long day!  Sometimes it seems like the work around the house just never ends, whether you're mowing the grass, raking leaves, or this time of year shoveling snow, there is always work to do.  Today I took down the Christmas decorations, dragged the trees to the curb, took down almost all the lights and garland, though there is one section outside the living room I didn't get to since it started snowing and I didn't feel like getting up on the ladder in the snow!  In any case, now it's time to relax, and to help me do that I've opened up a bottle of 2010 Forgeron Petite Sirah, from the Stone Tree Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope.  I just happened upon this bottle while looking for something to go with my dinner, and what a find, a Forgeron Societe exclusive wine with only 108 cases produced!

The wine is a deep, inky purple color in the glass that's almost black at the center.  The nose is just divine, with aromas of ripe black fruit and a bit of smokiness that accents the notes of boysenberry and blueberry.  The taste is a rush of ripe fruit, blueberries, plums, black cherries, that transition to some lovely notes of white pepper and cassis midpalate.  The finish is lovely, as the well integrated tannins support the long, smooth and velvety dry finish that seems to last a minute or more.  I can't wait to have another sip!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a big, fruit forward wine that would pair well with a variety of dishes, from steak to a lovely roast lamb, but tonight I am pairing it with some barbecue chicken breast!  You see, I really love petite sirah as a great wine to go with barbecue, in a similar vein to Zinfandel, the strong fruit notes and the spice just make it perfect with smoky, sweet barbecue with just a hint of spice.  Along with the chicken breast, I'm also having some oven roasted rainbow potatoes and some sugar snap peas, it's like summer came back for an evening!  Cheers!

1999 I Balzini Super Tuscan - Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese

Happy New Year!  Yeah, I know I'm a few days late, but what can you expect from me?  Tonight not only will I make my first blog post of 2015, but it's also "Cellar Saturday" that first Saturday of the month where I raid the cellar and open a bottle that's had some time to mature.  Tonight, that mature bottle is the 1999 I Balzini Super Tuscan blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese that I originally bought in a vertical that included the 1997-99 and 2001 from Wines Till Sold Out.

Having let this wine breathe for a couple hours, it's a bright ruby, with some darker color toward the center, and surprising clarity given its age.  The nose is quite pleasant, with some ripe berry, prune and cherry notes up front, than transition to some toasted oak and smoky notes.  The taste is quite nice, with some ripe cherry and cola notes up front, that transition to some notes of plum and dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are very well developed, supporting a round, velvety and very dry finish that seems to last a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a very pleasant wine that would make a great accompaniment to a variety of heavier, meaty dishes.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled Angus New York Strip topped with some Stilton, along with a big old baked potato and some fresh steamed Brussels sprouts.  A perfect dinner for such a lovely wine!