2021 Charles Krug Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Today it's been very hot and humid, and although this morning I spent a few hours helping friends clear out a house, the rest of the day has been spend huddling in the air conditioning!  At least inside, I can open up a nice bottle of wine to enjoy. Tonight, I've opened a bottle from a favorite Napa Valley producer, the 2021 Charles Krug Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.   Let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is an inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from a big Napa Cabernet.  The nose presents aromas of leather, ripe cherry and green herbs with some mineral undertones.  The first sip is a delight, a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant that wash over your palate before retreating and allowing the earthy mineral and warm spice notes present themselves midpalate.  The tannins are firm but yielding, ideal for the long, smooth dry finish that lingers until your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a delightful Napa Valley Cabernet that tends to be much more affordable than the bigger names out there.  This wine would pair well with a variety of bold dishes, but as always it would be best with a nice big steak.  Well, we're in luck as tonight I am enjoying this wine with a nice big T-bone grilled rare along with some grilled hatch chilis, the first of the season that I picked up at my local market this morning!  Cheers!

2017 Domaine de Fabrègues 'Le Coeur' Languedoc

Happy Sunday!  It's been raining her for much of the day, which is good as it's been very dry for the past month and the farmers and my lawn can use it!  After accomplishing some inside chores today, it's time to make dinner and open a nice bottle of wine.  My selection tonight serves two purposes, first to enjoy a nice wine, but second to try out a new gadget I recently bought.  You see, the wine I am opening is a magnum, which I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out, and not wanting to drink to excess tonight, I plan to try my new Rabbit vacuum wine preserver!  So, after a few glasses tonight, I can seal up the rest of this large bottle until I'm ready to enjoy it.  Now, about the wine, the 2017 Domaine de Fabrègues 'Le Coeur' Languedoc is a blend of Syrah (80%) and Carignan (20%) from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of the South of France.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, as you might expect with such a Syrah heavy blend.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of vanilla, blackberry and blueberry, with hints of vanilla and earthy mineral notes.  Take a sip and you experience a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, blueberry and tart cherry that ease back into some warm spice, espresso and mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are smooth and dark, providing for a wonderfully smooth, dry finish than lingers on your palate.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a fine example of the wines of the south of France, and it was also a solid value at just $33 for the magnum!  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from braised short ribs to hearty stew, pasta with wild mushroom cream sauce, or hearty fish dishes.  Tonight I am taking the latter approach and enjoying this wine with a crispy skin salmon filet with some roasted rainbow carrots and baby beets and steamed purple asparagus with hollandaise.  Cheers!

2015 San Rustico Amarone della Valpolicella Classico

Happy Sunday!  It's been a slow, rainy day here, though I managed a couple hours between raindrops to remove some fencing temporarily in anticipation of a tree removal tomorrow morning.  But now I'm back inside, finishing laundry and making Sunday dinner.  For tonight's festivities, I've opened a bottle of a perennial favorite Italian variety that I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out.  The 2015 San Rustico Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is a blend of Corvina and Corvinone (68%), Rondinella (27%) and Molinara (5%), dried for three months before pressing.  So, let's see how this wonderful and interesting wine is shaping up!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity.  A gentle swirl of the glass releases aromas of black cherry, kirsch and warm spices, with undertones of smoke and earthy loam.  Take a sip and your senses make and abrupt turn with a rush of sweet ripe cherry, blackberry and prune that very gradually evolves into some white pepper spice and bit of charred oak.  The tannins are nicely structured for the long, smooth dry finish with a reprise of spice notes on the very end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a very pleasant drinking wine and it was a great value at just $30.  This wine would be perfect with steaks or game meat, such as bison, elk or lamb, as well as smoky barbecue.  Tonight I've taken a different approach and am enjoying this wine with some bucatini with mussels fra diavalo, as the spice and acidity of the sauce marries well with the up-front sweetness of this wine.  Cheers!

2018 Ratified & Repealed California Red Wine

Happy Independence Day!  Let me first say, as you may already know, I am a sucker for interesting packaging, particularly when it involves art deco styling, which leads me to tonight's wine.  The 2018 Ratified & Repealed California Red Wine checks all the boxes, with a bottle reminiscent of a liquor bottle along with art deco lettering and design.  I picked this wine up at Trader Joe's a few weeks ago, and I don't recall that it was expensive, so let's hope the wine is as attractive as the bottle!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass with nice clarity.  A swirl of the glass reveals aromas of blackberry, currant and hints of graphite.  A sip reveals a rush of ripe fruit, black currant, cherry and plum that transition to some notes of warm spice and vanilla bean midpalate.  The tannins are well structured, providing for a smooth dry finish with a good bit of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a very pleasant drinking red wine that would pair well with a range of weeknight dinners, or just sipping on the patio with friends.   This wine would be wonderful with grilled steaks, barbecue or tacos, or even a weeknight burger.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with my 4th of July dinner of a prime tomahawk ribeye grilled Pittsburgh rare along with some grilled garlic scapes, broccoli rabe and corn on the cob.  Cheers!

2016 Bergevin Lane Vineyards Moonspell Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It's been a busy day of cooking and work, but at least this evening I have the opportunity to relax a bit with a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight I've opened up a bottle that I brought back from my road trip to Walla Walla last summer, the 2016 Bergevin Lane Moonspell Cabernet Sauvignon.  I had the chance to buy some of their 2009 vintage from a local restaurant when I first moved back to Elkhart (you can see my review of that wine here) so I was thrilled when I happened upon their tasting room on my last trip, bringing back a few bottles.  This wine is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington, so let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is an inky black at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, just as you would expect from a nice Cabernet.  A gentle swirl in the glass releases aromas of green grass, earthy limestone and hints of green herb, a breath of the Walla Walla Valley, as I took a whiff and was immediately taken back to my visit last summer.  Take a sip and you're treated with a rush of fruit, tart cherry, black raspberry and currant, that transitions effortlessly to some warm spice notes, along with some earthy minerals midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured providing a great base for the long, smooth dry finish that seems to linger for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a classic rendition of a Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon.  I really enjoyed the 2009 vintage when I tried it, and this one is no different, a refreshing taste that brings me right back to the Walla Walla Valley.  This wine would pair well with big hearty meals, from steaks and chops, to Yankee pot roast, venison loin to rack of lamb.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a bone-in bison ribeye along with some roasted golden beets and potatoes, along with some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2017 Woodward Canyon Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon

 Well Happy Black Friday!  I must admit, although I'm not much of a black Friday shopper, I did go to Costco today, but mainly to get a wreath and some fresh garland to do my traditional day after Thanksgiving outdoor Christmas decorating.  Mission accomplished!  So now it's time to have a nice bottle of wine and a dinner that does not involve turkey of any sort.  Tonight's wine is the latest vintage of a wine that I've enjoyed for quite a while, the 2017 Woodward Canyon Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon.  This vintage is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (85%), Cabernet Franc (13%), Petit Verdot (1%) and Merlot (1%).  So let's see how this vintage is shaping up!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass and the nose presents aromas of leather and green grass, before opening up to some lovely fruit notes of blackberry, currant and cherry amid warm spice notes.  The taste is a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and plum that wash over your taste buds before transitioning to some notes of cedar, warm caramel and cocoa midpalate.  The tannins are expertly structured presenting a lovely base for the long, and velvety dry finish that seems to linger for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's easily lived up to its namesake as one of the premier Cabernets of Washington state.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from braised short ribs to hearty pastas to big steaks.  Of course I'm in luck as I happened to receive a shipment of steaks from Wild Fork Foods (I highly recommend them, see their site: https://wildforkfoods.com/) on Wednesday, so tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a big honkin' tomahawk ribeye grilled rare with some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2017 Forgeron Anvil Boushey Vineyard Syrah

Happy Saturday!  It's been a long week and I'm happy to have a day to catch up around the house.  It was sunny and 55 degrees here today, ideal for the first lawn mowing of the year, but unfortunately the snow (!) didn't fully melt until this afternoon.  So instead I cleaned the gutters, another day in the life!  So tonight I'm planning a casual dinner with a nice bottle of wine, a recent wine club selection from Forgeron Cellars.  The 2017 Anvil Boushey Vineyard Syrah is a 100% Syrah from the Birdhouse Block of the Boushey Vineyard in the Yakima Valley of Washington.  This particular block has a thin layer of topsoil resulting in the vine roots reaching directly into a layer of basalt which provides some interesting character to the fruit.  So let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep, inky purple in the glass, with bright ruby along the edges, a bit darker than some examples of the varietal.  The nose is a rich combination of leather, intertwined with green grass and tart cherry.  The taste is just a classic syrah, with a rush of ripe black fruit up front, cherry, blackberry and currant that transitions to some interesting warm spice notes midpalate, white pepper, oak and some stark minerality on the finish.  The tannins are well structured, and fully supportive of the lingering and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's near the top, if not at the top of the 2017 Syrahs I've had the pleasure to taste.  This wine would be fairly food friendly, pairing well with anything from barbecue and steaks, to salmon, pasta or tacos.  Tonight I am hankering for summer, so I'm enjoying this wine with a classic cheeseburger with some sweet potato fries.  Cheers!

2017 Stolen Horse Syrah

Happy Wine Wednesday!  This week has gone by fast, but at least there are often new wine club shipments to enjoy mid-week, as I am doing tonight.  I received two wines in my fall shipment from the Bledsoe Family Winery, the 2017 Flying B Cabernet Sauvignon and tonight's wine, the 2017 Stolen Horse Syrah.  This wine is made from Syrah (96%) co-fermented with Viognier (4%) from the Lefore and Kenny Hill Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this wine is shaping up.

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, a bit darker than you might expect from a Syrah.  The nose is chock full of sweet berry fruit, cherry, raspberry and marionberry with floral notes lingering over the top.  The taste is at first cool, with blueberry and cherry up front that gives way to some warm spice notes and earthy minerality that is characteristic of the Rocks District.  The tannins are chewy, creating some nice textural balance to the fruit and sets up perfectly for the long, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a bit of a departure from previous vintages, with a more pronounced expression of Rocks fruit.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, which shouldn't be a surprise as I find Syrah to be a very food friendly varietal.  I could easily enjoy this wine with steaks, chops, stews, salmon or pasta among other dishes, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with some barbecued beef ribs along with some oven roasted root vegetables and steamed baby Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2016 Helix SoRho

Happy Friday!  I admit, I'm glad the week is over, but it seems lately my Friday afternoons have been chock full of physical activity.  Today, for example, I finished work just before 2:00 pm, then went to the gym, then came back and pulled weeds, then mowed the grass and by the time I was done it was nearly 7:00!  So given all that rush of activity, I need a nice glass of wine and tonight I've opened a bottle of 2016 Helix SoRho, a southern Rhone style blend from Chuck Reininger.  This wine is a blend of Mourvedre (43%), Grenache (34%) and Cinsault (23%) from the Stone Tree Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a bright ruby color in the glass with nice clarity, as you'd expect from a southern Rhone style blend.  The nose is a wonderful combination of fresh summer fruit, strawberry, black currant and raspberry, intermingled with some earthy notes of tar and gravel.  The taste is remarkable, with a rush of sweet berry fruit enveloping your palate, before shifting to some warm spice notes midpalate.  The finish is exceptionally smooth and dry, with a bit of reprise of the lovely earthy notes from the start.

I have to admit, there have been some vintages of this wine (mainly the early ones) that have definitely not been my favorite, but the last few vintages have stepped up, with this one, I think that Chuck and his team are finally hitting their stride, as this seems more like a classic Rhone than ever.  Given that preface, I'd rate this wine a solid 9, my highest rating of any vintage yet.  This wine would pair well with a lot of more game type meats that can be a challenge to pair with wine, dishes like duck, or pork tenderloin, but tonight since I'm tired, I paired this with a simple dinner of broccoli rabe and garlic scapes sauteed in olive oil and tossed with a bit of penne.  Cheers!

2016 Forgeron Zinfandel

Happy Sunday!  I've spend much of the afternoon tying to memorize lines for the play I'm in as well as doing laundry before tonight's rehearsal, so I figured I deserve a break with a glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of the recent wine club selection from Forgeron Cellars, the 2016 Zinfandel, a 100% Zinfandel from the Alder Ridge Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA in the Columbia Valley of Washington.  So let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a bright garnet in the glass, with nice clarity, just as you'd expect from a nice Zinfandel.  The nose is a tempting array of anise, candied fruit, tobacco and smoke that expresses why this red wine is a perennial summer favorite.  The taste is characterized by a halting rush of fruit, cherry, blackberry and currant that transitions nicely to some warm spice notes of white pepper and clove with a hint of mocha midpalate.  The tannins are soft and well structured for the long, smooth and wonderfully dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's just a very pleasant drinking Zinfandel that's very food friendly and approachable.  This wine would be ideal for many summer favorites, from barbecued ribs and steaks to burgers and brats.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some grilled pork tenderloin along with some asparagus and butternut squash and kale farro.  Cheers!

2016 Seven Hills Summit View Vineyard Clone 191 Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Friday!  It's been a long week and I am definitely ready for a nice glass of wine or two this evening.  Tonight I've decided to open one of my favorite Cabernets that I just got in a shipment from Seven Hills Winery, the 2016 Seven Hills Summit View Vineyard, Clone 191 Cabernet Sauvignon!  This wine is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Walla Walla AVA of Washington, and quickly becoming a perennial favorite of mine, is it just highlights the fantastic potential of Washington Cabernet.  So let's see how this third vintage tastes!

The wine is a deep inky black at the center with bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is a perfect example of the Walla Walla nose of dusty limestone intermingled with tart cherry and blueberry aromas with just a hint of spice.  The taste is just fantastic, with a rush of cherry cola, blackberry and blueberry that transitions easily to some notes of mineral, anise and warm spice notes of white pepper midpalate.  The finish is a lingering reprise of spice, with firm tannins and delightful dryness.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a fantastic example of a great Cabernet with the earthy approach-ability of Walla Walla.  This wine practically begs to be paired with a big steak, but I think it would also fare well with lamb, hearty pasta or even summer barbecue.  Tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime New York strip, with some mashed potatoes with chives and grilled leeks and asparagus.  Cheers!

2017 Alamos Malbec

Ah, what a busy day spent in Chicago for a meeting, but the good news is that I had a chance to visit Eataly while I was there!  I love Eataly and especially in early fall when they have a big sale on so many things from limoncello to proscuitto to buffalo mozzarella, it was outstanding!  So tonight I arrived back late on the train, what with the hour time change and all, so I'm working on dinner feverishly, but still need some time for a wine decompression, and tonight it's with a relatively young wine, the 2017 Alamos Malbec from Mendoza Argentina.  Now given the different seasons down there, with harvest coming around the same time we have bud break, the '17 vintage is really more like a '16 vintage for northern hemisphere wines, which just helps me over the psychological barrier of drinking a red wine a year old!  So let's see how this one tastes.

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass.  The nose presents aromas of warm spice, green grass, blackberry and cherry.  The taste is quite a departure from the aromas, as you are hit with a rush of black cherry and blackberry right up front which transitions nicely to some warm spice and notes of mocha and caramel midpalate.  The finish is somewhat subdued as the youthful tannins are somewhat erratic but supportive of a smooth dry finish, that's a bit brief.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's not the most spectacular Malbec I've had, but it's a great everyday wine, and a good value.  I bought this bottle at Trader Joe's for about $10 if I remember correctly.  So the wine tonight is clearly in a supporting role with my dinner of a nice pan seared veal loin chop with some roasted giant mutant Brussels sprouts and a loaded baked potato (yes I didn't plate it perfectly, but give me a break I was starving!).  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!

2007 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, I've been somewhat of a slacker for the past couple months, but I finally remembered to Cellar Saturday, that magical first Saturday of the month where I raid the cellar for something interesting to open.  Tonight I've decided to open a nice one, a bottle of 2007 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, so let's see how this one stacks up!

The wine has the deep coloration you'd expect from a nice Cabernet.  The nose is an interesting combination of black fruit and earthy notes, blackberry, plum and prune interlaced with tar, peat and tobacco.  The taste is a rush of bright cherry fruit that envelopes the palate while easily transitioning to some warm spice notes midpalate.  The finish has a note of sweet cherry, as the well structured tannins still provide the backbone for the long, smooth and velvety dry finish that seems to last a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's a really nice Cabernet and I'm glad I let it develop for the past decade as it was well worth it.  This is also a classic, "big" California Cabernet, so it's practically begging to be paired with a nice steak and tonight is its lucky day!  I'm enjoying this wine with a rare grilled filet mignon along with butter braised Yukon gold potatoes and steamed broccoli.  Cheers!

2013 Chateau Buena Vista Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Friday! I've been working in the yard gathering leaves all afternoon, so it's definitely time to have a glass of wine!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2013 Chateau Buena Vista Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that I got at Costco just a few weeks ago, so let's see how this wine tastes!

The wine is lovely deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a quality Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose is a rush of smoke, leather, blackberry and cherry that just exudes ripe Napa Cabernet.  The taste is a rush of ripe black fruit and warm spice, blackberry, plum and cassis overlaid with white pepper spice and kirsch.  The tannins are beautifully structured providing for the backbone of a long, smooth, voluptuous finish that seems to last more than a minute.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just what you'd expect from a Napa  Cabernet.  This wine practically screams to be paired with a big honkin' steak, and it just so happens I have a thick, Angus porterhouse to enjoy with this wine tonight, grilled rare with some grilled leeks, Brussels sprouts and a big baked potato with some sour cream and  chives. A perfect finish to a long week, cheers!

Cogdal Vineyards Little Man Winery Big Lake Red Table Wine

What an eventful day!  My uncle and cousin were doing a Midwest road trip and decided to come for a visit last night and stayed for breakfast and church before they went off to visit some other relatives in central Indiana.  After they left, I decided to go to the outlet mall and then up to Lake Michigan for the afternoon, mainly to restock my olive oil and aged balsamic from the Olive Cart in South Haven, Michigan.  Which brings me to the wine I've decided to open tonight, the non-vintage Cogdal Vineyards "Little Man Winery" Big Lake Red Wine, after seeing the big lake this afternoon, how could I not open a Big Lake Red?  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is somewhat lighter in color, a bit of a cross between Pinot Noir and a Merlot, with nice clarity.  The nose presents aromas of green grass, mint and a hint of pipe tobacco.  The taste is quite nice, with a rush of ripe black fruit up front, blackberry, black cherry and kirsch that transition to some warm spice notes midpalate.  The finish is somewhat subdued, with mild acidity and mellow tannins supporting a smooth dry finish.

My view of the big lake in Saint Joseph, Michigan!

Now I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a big fan of my local red wines, as so much of it lacks depth or more often is just a sweet cherry fruit bomb, but having visited this winery, they have made some good progress with nice dry red wines and this one is no exception, so I'd rate it a solid 8.  An easy drinking red blend like this should be easy to pair with a variety of dishes, but as always I had to make it challenging, so tonight I'm enjoying this wine with panko crusted pork chops with some pasta and fresh green beans.  The subdued fruit and mild acidity of this wine makes it a prime target for pork, cheers!

2014 Seven Hills Summit View Vineyard Clone 191 Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Wine Wednesday!  My favorite weekday, just ahead of Taco Tuesday, so what's on the menu tonight?  Well it's a very limited production wine from one of my all-time favorite wineries in Walla Walla, Seven Hills!  This is reported to be a big, bad Cabernet Sauvignon from the Clone 191 block of the Summit View Vineyard.  There were only 57 cases produced, so let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is just a deep, inky black color at the center with a tint of bright ruby along the edges, just as you'd expect from a larger-than-life Cabernet.  The nose is surprisingly subdued, with modest notes of leather, black currant and a hint of sweet vanilla.  The taste is interesting, with some ripe black fruit up front, blackberry, currant and a bit of cherry, that transitions to some some warm spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are young, but show good structure as they shape the long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish that offers a reprise of black pepper spice at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, understanding that it's still quite young and will no doubt improve with some time in the cellar (I'm likely to put the rest of my bottles away and revisit this one sometime after 2020).  This would be a great steak wine, but it would also go well with some hard cheeses out on the patio (you know summer is just around the corner!).  Tonight I'm enjoying this one with a simple grilled steak, some grilled Brussels sprouts and a baked potato.  Cheers!

Cogdal Vineyards Cabernet Franc

So yesterday I took a little drive to South Haven, Michigan and on the advice of my boss, I decided to do a little wine tasting at Cogdal Vineyards.  He mentioned they had some reasonable red wines that were actually dry (usually Michigan "dry" red wines are a cross between blackberry jam and Welch's concord grape juice), so I decided to give them a try.  He also mentioned that their Cabernet Franc was pretty good, hence this post! I was particularly interested in this wine as the owner, Jack, who was guiding me through the tasting, informed me that they grow the Cabernet Franc at the vineyard, so this wine is truly a product of the vineyard I visited (which was very picturesque, see the photos below!).  The wine is actually a blend of the Cabernet Franc along with some local hybrids, but unfortunately there wasn't a technical sheet available with the details, so it will remain a mystery for now.  So let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is somewhat lighter in color and body than some other Cabernet Francs that I've tried.  The nose presents a pleasant combination of blackberry, warm spice, green grass and smoke.  The taste is a rush of fruit up front, blackberry and tart cherry that transition to some lovely pepper spice notes and smoke midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat subdued, but still provide some nice backbone for what actually is a pleasant, smooth dry finish!

The tasting room at Cogdal Vineyards, a very nice place to try some wines!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's one of the first Michigan red wines that I've enjoyed!  It was also a good value at just $19, and one that would be pleasant to sip on the patio of the tasting room (if only it wasn't so hot yesterday!).  This would be a good wine for some lighter fare, particularly some of those tough to pair pork or barbecue dishes.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a teriyaki glazed grilled pork tenderloin along with some farm fresh corn on the cob and steamed green beans, a perfect Midwest summer Sunday dinner!  Cheers!

A view of the vineyard at Cogdal Vineyards in South Haven, Mich.

Some of the grapes as we approach harvest time!

2010 Liquid Sky Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Saturday!  Today I had a wonderful adventure to South Haven, Michigan where I stopped at the Dutch Farm Market to get a very berry pie, then I was able to do some wine tasting (more on that in a future post) and restock my olive oil and balsamic supply from my favorite oil retailer, the Olive Cart and I got a quart of ice cream from Captain Nemo's (I clearly didn't think that one through with an hour and a half drive home!  And to make matters worse for the poor ice cream I stopped at Costco on the way home and they happened to have something spectacular for dinner tonight (more on that in a bit).  So to match the fantastic dinner, I've decided to open a bottle of 2010 Liquid Sky Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon from the Moon Mountain AVA in Sonoma, so let's see how it is!

The wine is an inky black color at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, just what you'd expect from a nice Cabernet.  The nose presents aromas of blackberry, blueberry, kirsch and smoke that really gets you prepared for something good.  The taste is a rush of jammy black fruit up front that transitions nicely to some warm spice notes, leather and smoke midpalate.  The tannins are firm and well integrated into the long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.  This is a big Cabernet for folks who really enjoy the big wines from California.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it really is a delicious Cabernet and it was a good value at just $25 from Wines Till Sold Out.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime ribeye cap steak (yes, Costco had ribcaps!!!) along with a baked potato and some grilled Brussels sprouts, and of course a nice piece of very berry pie for dessert.  This is a perfect wine for a big, rich steak like a ribcap.  Cheers!

2010 Reininger Walla Walla Merlot

Happy Friday!  Have I mentioned lately that I'm an idiot?  So yesterday two cases of wine arrive at my office from Reininger Winery in Walla Walla.  Now I knew I ordered one case last week and they were shipping it 2 day air, so I thought maybe they sent half in each box,  But I opened the first case and it was my complete order, so I called the friendly folks at Reininger and explained that I had an extra case of wine so we opened it and there were 3 bottles of 2010 Helix Merlot, 3 bottles of 2011 Reininger Merlot and 6 bottles of 2010 Reininger Merlot, one of which I opened tonight.  So apparently I ordered this wine last July and was supposed to pick up the case when I went to Walla Walla on vacation, but I didn't, and ironically I have no memory of any of this!  So dumb me gets a surprise when something he orders finally arrives!  Senility can be fun on days like this I guess!  Anyway, on to the wine.

The wine is a lovely deep ruby color in the glass.  The nose presents aromas of blackberry, cherry leather and hint of violet floral notes.  The taste is classic Merlot, a rush of ripe berries, cherry and warm spice with the lovely Walla Walla hints of dark chocolate that come to play midpalate.  The tannins are firm but very nicely integrated into the long, warm and very dry finish that seems to last a minute or more.

All the great wine that I received yesterday!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's the ideal representation of a great Walla Walla Merlot.  I can't speak to value, as I have no memory of ordering this wine much less what I paid for it, but I'm guessing since I ordered a half case it must have been a deal!  This wine would be perfect for steak, or big hearty Italian dishes and tonight I am enjoying this one with a nice rare grilled sirloin tri-tip steak, baked potato with all the fixins and some grilled Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!