2018 Reininger Cima

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's been really hot here lately and right now a storm front is rolling through, so hopefully the power stays on so I can post this!  Tonight, based on my dinner choice, I've decided to open a bottle that's been in the cellar for a few years.  The 2018 Reininger Cima is a blend of Sangiovese (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (24%), Merlot (24%) and Petit Verdot (2%) from the Seven Hills, Pepper Bridge and XL Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  I have been a fan of the Reininger Cima since I first tasted the 2006 vintage, though I sometimes review the out of order since I've already reviewed the 2019, I think I have reviewed nearly every vintage in that period.  So. let's see how this one is tasting!

The wine is a bright ruby color in the glass, with a bit of depth owing to the influence of the Bordeaux varietals in the blend.  The nose presents aromas of leather intermingled with subdued fruit notes of strawberry and raspberry with hints of white floral over the top.  The first sip is classic Super Tuscan style with a rush of tart cherry and blackberry that gives way to notes of vanilla caramel, earthy tar and tobacco midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, providing for a very smooth dry finish that lingers into your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a great expression of the varieties of Washington wine, using a range of varietals expertly blended for a memorable sip.  This wine would pair well with a range of classic Italian dishes, from hearty pasta Bolognese to risotto alla Milanese.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a classic New Jersey Italian dinner of hot Italian sausage with onions and peppers served with linguine tossed with broccoli rabe, asparagus and garlic scapes.  Cheers!

2025 Seven Hills Rosé

Happy Saturday!  It's Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start to summer and the unofficial start to rosé season!  Tonight I happened to open a bottle of wine from one of my favorite Walla Walla producers, Seven Hills Winery, and my happenstance someone called and convinced me to order a case of this for the upcoming summer, so let's taste the 2025 Seven Hills Rosé, a wine composed primarily of Cabernet Franc, so let's see what's going on!

This wine is a lovely pale peach color in the glass, just what you'd like to see from a summer rosé.  The nose presents aromas of bright citrus, pomegranate, pineapple and hints of white floral.  The first sip is a mouthful of summer, with notes of green grass, lemon chiffon, pink grapefruit and some bright citrus acidity that will have you drifting to the patio to finish the bottle.  The tannins are crisp yet unobtrusive, providing for an elevated, crisp dry finish that leaves you satiated on a summer evening.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's one of the best rosé wines I've sampled in several years.  This wine would pair well with a range of summer dished, from caprese salad to fish tacos, salmon ceviche to black and bleu salad.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a classic pairing, sesame crusted tuna steak with citrus wasabi dipping sauce, wild rice blend and steamed broccoli.  Cheers!

2023 Seven Hills Walla Walla Cabernet Franc

Happy Sunday!  It was another hot one here today, with temperatures in the 90s and high humidity, so I did just a little bit of yard work, then mowed, and then went for a bike ride, so now I need some air conditioning and a nice glass of wine!  Tonight, I've opened a bottle from a recent wine club shipment from Seven Hills Winery, the 2023 Walla Walla Cabernet Franc is a 100% Cabernet Franc sourced from the McClellan Estate and Summit View Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, here goes nothing!

The wine is a little lighter in body, with great clarity and a lovely ruby color in the glass.  A gentle swirl reveals aromas of black currant, raspberry and tart cherry with hints of prune and white floral notes.  The first sip is fruity adventure, with a rush of ripe, jammy berry fruit that completely covers your palate with a rich velvety mouthfeel, and before you realize what's happening, you are introduced to some earthy tar and tobacco, before being slapped back with a spicy dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's one of the most fun and inviting examples of this often overlooked varietal.  This wine would pair well with a wide range of dished, from broiled trout to steak au poivre, barbecued ribs to street tacos.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a grilled porterhouse topped with garlic scapes, with roasted baby beets and steamed sugar snap peas.  Cheers! 

2021 Anvil Chardonnay

I am very happy to have a long holiday weekend as I feel like I've been working too much and haven't had a vacation yet this year!  So at least I can enjoy some nice wine and food this weekend, and tonight I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from Forgeron Cellars.  The 2021 Anvil Chardonnay is an old-vine Chardonnay sourced from the French Creek Vineyard's "Old Wente Block" which was originally planted in 1981 in the Yakima Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a very pale golden color in the glass, a bit lighter than I would have expected.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of pear, green apple, lemongrass and hints of white floral.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of persimmon, pineapple and citrus, with buttery undertones, that ease into notes of pear and gradient minerals midpalate.  The finish is crisp and inviting, providing for a subtle dryness that will leave you reaching for more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a very different sort of Chardonnay, that portrays the crispness of a lighter white varietal, with the depth of flavor that can only come from old vine Chardonnay.  This wine would pair exceptionally well with summer seafood dishes, from light white fish, to shrimp, to chilled oysters.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some seared sea scallops along with linguine tossed with garlic scapes and broccoli rabe.  Cheers!

2022 Bledsoe Family Winery Healy Rosé

Happy Sunday!  I finished planting all the annual flowers along the garage today, so my planting season is officially over.  To celebrate, I've opened a bottle of summer rosé since it's been in the upper 80s every day for the better part of a week.  Tonight, it's the 2022 Bledsoe Family Winery Healy Rosé which was just delivered in a club shipment yesterday (or maybe it was Friday, the days are running together lately!).  This wine is a 100% Syrah sourced from the Schafer, Flying B and Los Oidos vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is shaping up!

The wine is a lovely pink salmon color in the glass, and give it a swirl and you're greeted with aromas of tropical sunshine, with mango, citrus and pineapple intermingled with white floral notes and just a hint of minerality.  Take a sip and you're palate is inundated with sweet tropical fruit, bright citrus and a crisp freshness that awakens your senses.  The tannins are mellow, providing for a crisp dry finish that exhibits a roundness that lingers until your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as I think this is the best effort yet of the Healy Rosé.  This wine practically begs to be enjoyed on long afternoons on the patio with friends, enjoying summer caprese salads, light seafood or summer barbecue.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a butter poached lobster risotto, as the creamy richness of the dish is a perfect foil for the bright acidity of this wine.  Cheers!

2005 Helix Stillwater Creek Merlot

 Happy Cellar Saturday!  It's the first Saturday of a new month and time to dig in the cellar for something at least a decade in the making, and tonight I have opened a bottle from a recent library tasting done by Chuck Reininger and the gang at Reininger Winery.  In this case it was a tasting of library Merlots from the Helix label and tonight I've opened a bottle of the 2005 Helix Stillwater Creek Merlot.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep, inky color at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, characteristic of the varietal, but still bright for the age of this wine.  A quick swirl in the glass releases aromas of charred meat, white pepper spice and faint hints of white floral notes, that just exclaim the rustic nature of this wine.  A quick sip reveals flavors of black cherry, currant and umami, that transitions nicely to some smoky oak and earthy tar notes midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, but the acidity is rather abrupt at the long, very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a very interesting, mature Merlot that's a real treat to drink.  This wine would pair very well with charred meat, steaks, chops, grilled pork tenderloin or even some earthy dishes like a wild mushroom risotto.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some friends that came over for some grilled picanha, along with oven roasted Yukon gold potatoes and some grilled asparagus.  Cheers!

2018 Anvil French Creek Vineyard Chardonnay

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!  I'll admit this has historically been more of a beer holiday than a wine holiday, but Let's go with it!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club selection from Forgeron's Anvil label, the 2018 Anvil French Creek Vineyard Chardonnay!  Marie Eve made her name in Chardonnay, and this wine is a 100% Chardonnay from the French Creek Vineyard, Old Wente Clone in the Yakima Valley AVA of Washington.  So on this rare occasion of reviewing a white wine, let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a pale golden color in the glass while the nose presents aromas of pineapple, citrus and a hint of stony mineral.  The taste is crisp and refreshing, with an interesting combination of apple, citrus and dusted limestone up front that transitions to a hint of white floral and candied pineapple toward the crisp dry finish that leaves you refreshed.

This wine is an ideal summer sipper that would pair well with a range of dishes, from lighter salads, to sushi or as an aperitif with some fresh fruit.  Tonight of course, I am enjoying this wine with a classic St. Patty's day dinner of corned beef and cabbage that has been simmering all afternoon, along with carrots and red potatoes served with a slice of buttered soda bread.  Cheers!

2017 Forgeron Anvil Chardonnay

Happy Wine Wednesday!  This time we have a special treat, one of those rare events when I taste a white wine (dun dun dun!).  Yes, I am really just a red wine drinker, but my friends at Forgeron keep trying to convert me with the annual Anvil Chardonnay shipment.  So tonight I've opened a bottle of 2017 Anvil Chardonnay, a 100% Chardonnay from the old Wente Block in the Yakima Valley of Washington.  As our friends at Forgeron have told me, this block "was planted in 1981 on a south facing plateau just above the Yakima River. The chalky, stony soil, drains well and warms easily, producing a full-bodied, layered wine, of great balance and complexity."  So let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a pale golden color in the glass and the nose is a cascade of bright fruit, pineapple, pear and citrus with a hint of white floral aromatics at the back end.  The taste is mildly fruit forward with some notes of citrus and apple that transitions effortlessly to some faint mineral notes before the wonderfully rich and classic buttery finish of a finely structured Chardonnay.  Admitting I am not a white wine drinker, I can say that when I opened a bottle for some guests the other night, it was a big hit!

I am not going to rate this wine, since I really don't consider myself qualified, but I think I can safely say this wine would be a solid choice to please a diverse crowd of wine drinkers.  As for pairings, I think this wine would be ideal with the classic white wine dishes like chicken, fish and seafood.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some seared sea scallops along with some four cheese risotto and steamed asparagus.  Cheers!

2016 Forgeron Barbera

Happy Sunday!  I'll admit it's been a busy weekend with a lot of chores around the house and catching up on work, so I've been neglecting my wine blogging duties.  So with my Sunday dinner tonight, I've decided to open up a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from Forgeron Cellars, the 2016 Barbera.  This wine is a 100% Barbera from the Sagemoor Vineyard in the Columbia Valley AVA, so let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a lovely deep garnet color in the glass, with great clarity.  The nose is a wonderful combination of leather, oak, smoke and hints of white floral.  The taste is an intense rush of ripe red fruit, cherry, raspberry and currant that transitions almost imperceptibly to some notes of vanilla bean midpalate.  The tannins are nicely integrated, providing a bit of backbone for this normally softer varietal, leading to a wonderfully long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as the Columbia Valley has been producing some wonderful Barbera for a while, and Forgeron produces what I consider to be consistently great examples of this varietal.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from pasta with red sauce to pork tenderloin to hearty winter casseroles, but tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a perfect hearty Polish winter dinner of kielbasa with sweet kraut and pierogis with sauteed onions.  Cheers!

2016 Domaine La Sangliere Cotes de Provence Rose

Well, here it is, my last gasp of summer!  As the temperatures have been coming down, with highs only in the 60s and 70s and lows reaching into the 40s, I thought I needed one last bit of summer before the leaves start falling in earnest.  So today I've opened a bottle of 2016 Domaine La Sangliere Cotes de Provence Rose!  I saw this wine at Costco a few weeks ago and was fascinated by the blend of Cinsault (70%) and Grenache (30%) and the price was such that I couldn't resist getting a bottle even though it was late in the rose season, so let's see how this one tastes.

The wine is a lovely peach color in the glass.  The nose is a lovely combination of peach, strawberry, white floral notes and some minerality.  The taste is somewhat mellow when compared to the nose, with subdued flavors of citrus, mango and strawberry that transitions to some warm mineral notes midpalate.  This wine displays the classic French stealth finish, with mild acidity and incredible dryness that is feels like there wasn't a finish at all.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's not a spectacular rose, but one that would be ideal with a variety of food on the patio during the summer.  It was also a wonderful value at just $8!  This wine would be ideal for summer salads, or a variety of seafood, which is handy since I'm enjoying this wine with my end of summer crab boil, featuring Alaskan king crab legs, corn on the cob and red potatoes with parsley and butter, the kind if dinner that you never notice you've just eaten a stick of butter!  Cheers!

2014 Peju "The Experiment" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It was a bit of a lazy day for me today, I came back from church and then did a bit of laundry, caught up on the interwebs and just generally relaxed.  So what better way to cap off an afternoon of relaxing than with a nice bottle of wine!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of wine the boss gave me, he's really swell that way, particularly since he does a lot more Napa visits than I ever do, the 2014 Peju "The Experiment" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  After reading the label, I did a little searching on the Peju website and found the story of this wine to be fascinating.  Apparently, Peju winemaker Sarah Fowler has an annual experiment where she try various methods for toasting and constructing the oak barrels and then shares the results with her fellow winemakers in a tasting.  For the 2014 vintage, she experimented with 33 different toasting styles and 20 coopers to make this wine, so let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a deep inky black at the center, with bright garnet along the edges, classic for a Napa Valley Cabernet.  The nose is a cascade of vanilla bean, white floral notes and a hint of white pepper that practically scream for you to take a deep sip.  The taste is a rush of sweet black fruit up front, black raspberry, plum surrounded by hints cinnamon that transition to some wonderful dark chocolate and white pepper notes midpalate.  On the finish, you have a distinct emergence of vanilla bean as the well integrated tannins provide for the long, smooth and very dry finish that seems to last a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's just a classic big Napa Valley Cabernet, with a lot of flavor complexity that you seldom see on many of the Napa styled red wines today.  This wine would be great to enjoy with hearty Italian dishes, roasts, wild game or a classic steak, but I think it would be even better just to sip on the patio with some salted dark chocolate.  Tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a rare grilled prime ribcap, topped with fresh rosemary and garlic scapes, along with a baked potato with sour cream and chives, and some fresh steamed green beans with red and yellow peppers.  Cheers!

2016 DaMa Wines Rose of Cabernet Franc

What a day!  It started by pouring down rain this morning when I am in a pinch to get my yard and garden ready for having some folks over for a cook out this week (you can't be ill prepared for the first yard gathering of the season!).  But alas, I was able to clean all the patio furniture, pick up branches that came down in the storm, pull weeks and mow in what seemed like a very compressed timeframe, though now that I look at the clock it's been seven hours!  Well with patio get together's and warm weather, it's definitely the start of rose season, and tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2016 DaMa Wines Rose of Cabernet Franc.  This is a 100% Cabernet Franc, the second vintage from the Chene de Mille Vineyard in the Columbia Valley, so let's see how this one stacks up!

The wine is a lovely, very pale peach color in the glass, such that you might even mistake it for a white wine if you weren't paying attention.  The nose presents aromas of grapefruit, melon, strawberry and a hint of lemongrass.  The taste is quite nice, very fresh, notes of citrus, mango, and a hint of pineapple that transitions to some wonderful white floral and lemongrass midpalate.  The finish has nice backbone, clear acidity and a bone dry finish.

Overall, I like this one better than the 2014 or 2015 vintages, so I'd rate this one a solid 8.  It's crisp and refreshing and this girl is ready for summer!  This wine would pair with a variety of summer dishes, from salmon to a caprese salad, but tonight I am going way off script and enjoying this wine with some chicken Tikka Masala!  What's better with Indian food than a nice dry rose?  Cheers!

2013 Masterpiece Vineyards Russian River Valley Zinfandel

Do you know what day it is?  That's right, it's hump day, a perfect time to open a nice bottle of wine to celebrate the week being half over,  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of this month's office wine selection that I bought last month from Wines Till Sold Out, the 2013 Masterpiece Vineyards Russian River Valley Zinfandel!  You know I love Zin, and I'm a sucker for classic paintings on wine labels (this one is Manet's The Plum) so let's see what this one has to offer.

The wine is a lighter ruby color in the glass with great clarity.  The nose presents aromas of of leather, oak, blackberry and a hint of white floral notes.  The flavor is somewhat more elevated for a typical Zinfandel, with some lovely red fruit notes, blackberry, strawberry and plum that transition to some lovely mineral notes and black pepper spice midpalate.  The finish is quite nice, with young but firm tannins supporting the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's still a little young but drinking quite nicely, and it was a great bargain at just $13.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from steaks and chops, to barbecue and pasta.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a panko crusted baked chicken breast along with some broccoli tossed with linguine, garlic and olive oil.  Cheers!

2011 Spring Valley Vineyard Frederick

So, the last weekend of Washington Wine Month and I've decided to go out with a bang!  Tonight I've opened a bottle I bought in Walla Walla last year, the 2011 Spring Valley Vineyard Frederick, named for Frederick Corkrum, the second son of Uriah and Nina Lee, the farmers who came to the Walla Walla Valley in the nineteenth century.  This particular vintage is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Cabernet Franc (30%), Petit Verdot (6%) and Malbec (4%).

The wine is a lovely deep ruby color in the glass.  The nose presents aromas of strawberry, marionberry, some white floral notes and hints of baking spice and clove, just the type of aromas that signal to your body that you're about to taste something really good!  The taste is just lovely, with a rush of ripe fruit up front, berries, cherry and plum that transitions to a bit of green herb and mineral notes midpalate. The finish is wonderful, as nicely structured tannins support the long and velvety dry finish that reprises some of the subtle floral notes from earlier.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's one of my personal favorites from Walla Walla, and surprisingly available (though somewhat pricey) throughout the country.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with what it begs to be paired with, a rare grilled prime sirloin, with some steamed organic rainbow carrots and a baked potato.  Here's to Washington Wine Month!

2014 Seven Hills Columbia Valley Dry Rose

Happy Easter!  Yeah, I know, Easter was two weeks ago, but given my hectic travel schedule over the last few weeks I've had to wait until today to have my traditional Easter ham!  And not only am I having to pair a wine with glazed ham, it's also beginning to feel a lot like springtime, so what better wine to open than a nice 2014 Seven Hills Columbia Valley Dry Rose?  This particular dry rose is a blend of Cabernet Franc (84%), Petite Verdot (8%) and Malbec (8%), making it somewhat more interesting than many rose blends I've seen.

The color of the wine is a nice pale peach color in the glass.  The nose expresses an interesting combination of citrus notes, along with some white floral notes and a bit of peach.  The taste is delightful, with a crisp blast of fruit up front, plenty of grapefruit and tropical notes of papaya that give way to some honeysuckle and mineral notes of limestone midpalate.  The finish is crisp, refreshing and bone dry, perfect for sipping on the patio on a cool summer evening, which I can see myself doing a lot this summer!

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a terrific dry rose wine, ideal for the summer months and a perfect complement to the sweetness of my glazed ham dinner.  The wine is also a great value at $17, but even more so with the wine club discount!  As mentioned, tonight I'm enjoying this one with a classic, though belated Easter dinner of glazed ham, cheesy potatoes and of course, green bean casserole!  The only thing better than this will be the left overs, ham sandwiches for lunch this week!  Cheers!