2023 Pepper Bridge Merlot

It's always a fun time when wine club shipments arrive, particularly those who time it out so you get several smaller shipments throughout the year.  And so it was for me last week, when my shipment from Pepper Bridge Winery arrived with three bottle of the 2023 Pepper Bridge Merlot.  You know I am a bit fan of Merlot, so let's see what this latest vintage is offering!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, with nice clarity, just as you'd like to see from this underappreciated varietal.  The nose presents a variegated blend of aromas, from anise and oak to blackberry and clove, just a nice breath of fall!  The first sip is a rush of ripe fruit, cherry, blackberry and currant, with an good bit of peppery spice throughout, marking a rather rambunctious first impression, before transitioning to some notes of tawny spice and ripe plum midpalate.  The tannins are young but stand at attention for the long, smooth dry finish that will have you rapidly reaching for another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's another classic vintage for a prime Walla Walla Merlot producer.  This wine would pair well with aged cheeses, hearty pasta or classic fall dishes like beef stew.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a grilled T-bone with some sautéed onions and mushrooms, blistered cherry tomatoes and steamed asparagus.  Cheers! 

2022 Woodward Canyon Grenache Mourvèdre Syrah Malbec Red Wine

Happy Easter!  Although the weather forecast was for rain, it's been an absolutely beautiful sunny day in the low 60s, perfect for relaxing and finishing the last bit of yard work for the weekend.  And of course there is Easter dinner to look forward to, and tonight is a good one, ideal for a new blend from Woodward Canyon that arrived a week or two ago.  This is what I affectionately call a GSMM blend with the addition of Malbec.  This wine is a blend of Grenache (41%), Mourvèdre (29%), Syrah (24%) and Malbec (6%) from the Woodward Canyon Estate Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  Let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from this blend.  The nose presents rustic aromas of green grass, earthy peat and undertones of ripe blueberry, cherry and currant.  The first sip is a rush of ripe black fruit, cherry, blackberry and currant that wash across you palate with just the right amount of sweetness before transitioning to some notes of forest floor and black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are youthful but well behaved, providing for a wonderful smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a step up from the standard GSM blend, as the Malbec really gives this wine some nice backbone.  This wine would pair well with a range of hearty dishes, from steaks and chops to pappardelle Bolognese, lamb to ratatouille.  Tonight, I am going the classic lamb route, but rather than the standard rack of lamb, I found a lamb loin roast at my local market, so a boneless rack of lamb!  I served this herb crusted with mashed potatoes, oven roasted Brussels sprouts and a red wine reduction.  Cheers! 

2021 Forgeron Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

What an arctic blast we have been experiencing the past couple days!  The low last night was -6 and the high today was barely above zero, so needless to say I have been huddled indoors.  But at least there is good food and wine to take a bit of the chill away and tonight I've opened a bottle of 2021 Forgeron Cellars Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is a 100% Cabernet sourced from the Minnick Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a bit lighter in body than your typical Cabernet, emblazoned with bright ruby color in the glass.  The nose presents welcoming aromas of leather, toasted oak and warm cherry pie that beckons you to take a sip.  That first sip is a rush of ripe blackberry, plum and cherry with a good bit of acidity, which transitions to some earthy notes of dusty loam, vanilla bean and dark chocolate midpalate.  The tannins are youthful but well behaved, providing for a lovely, smooth dry finish with just a bit of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine an 8.5, as it's a very nicely composed Cabernet that will likely improve a bit with some time in the cellar.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty winter dishes, from beef stew and braised short ribs, to baked pasta or risotto.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a pan seared bison New York Strip, oven roasted white and purple potatoes and steamed green beans almondine.  Cheers!

2020 Seven Hills Founding Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  Yesterday was the day of my annual Christmas Party, and we had a great crowd which means there were not a lot of leftovers!  I use this party as an opportunity to try some new dishes for the guests, and this year we had three new ones that were all well received.  Today, after spending a good portion of the afternoon cleaning up, it's now time to open a bottle of wine and enjoy a good dinner.  Since this is the last Sunday of the month, it's also Dinner in the Diner Sunday, the last one of this yearlong effort, but more on that later.  For the wine, tonight I've opened a bottle of 2020 Seven Hills Founding Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the original vineyard planted by Seven Hills founder Casey McClellan and his father back in the early 1980s.  The other vintages I've enjoyed (including the 2017 and 2019) were well worth it, so let's see how the 2020 is faring!

The wine has the classic look of a big Cabernet, inky black at the center and bright ruby along the edges.  The nose presents aromas of leather, blackberry, cherry and dark chocolate, inviting you to take a sip.  That first sip is a wild ride of flavors as you experience and eruption of sweet cherry up front, that eases into some earthy notes of toasted oak and dusty limestone, before transitioning to some espresso and dark chocolate notes midpalate.  The tannins are youthful, but well behaved, providing for the wonderfully smooth dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a classic example of the age worthy potential of Walla Walla Cabernets.  This wine would pair well with a range of hearty dishes, from rack of lamb and braised short ribs, London broil to hearty pasta dishes.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a main course derived from the dining cars of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, fried country ham with red gravy, along with some mashed sweet potatoes and green bean casserole.  Cheers!

2020 Pepper Bridge Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms out there!  And to help you celebrate your mom, I've opened the latest vintage of one of my favorite Cabernet Sauvignons that just came in a wine club shipment last week.  The 2020 Pepper Bridge Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (88%), Petit Verdot (6%) and Cabernet Franc (6%) sourced from the Seven Hills, Octave, Tom Waliser and Pepper Bridge Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is shaping up!

The wine is a beautiful bright and brooding ruby color in the glass, classic for the varietals.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of black plum, blackberry and cherry intermingled with hints of lavender and sage.  Take a sip and your palate is awash in tart cherry that eases into blackberry and plum, before transitioning to some notes of dark chocolate and some earthy minerality.  The tannins are wonderfully structured yet youthful, providing for an beefy dry finish that lingers for a minute or more. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it lives up to prior vintages which have been a perennial favorite.  This wine would pair well with steaks and chops, wild mushroom risotto or hearty pasta.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a classic Sunday dinner of rare, pan seared filet mignon topped with Béarnaise and served with oven roasted carrots.  Cheers!

2019 Birge Cellars Super Tuscan

Welcome to the long weekend!  It's been a busy day of running errands and grocery shopping (we'll see the results of that over the next few days!) and now it's time for a nice relaxing dinner and glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened up a special bottle from one of my colleagues who makes his own wine under his eponymous cellars label.  He gave me this bottle of Super Tuscan he made in 2019, and although I have no idea what the blend is, I can only guess that it blends some Sangiovese with other Bordeaux varietals sourced from Italy.  Given that I'm a firm believer that ignorance is bliss, let's dive into this wine!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, somewhat darker than your typical Sangiovese which is no doubt a testament to the blending of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  A gentle swirl in the glass reveals aromas of green pepper, black cherry and a hint of floral undertones that I find intriguing.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a subdued black fruit blend of black cherry and plum, intermingled with some pomegranate and green herbs.  Midpalate, you see a nice transition to some earthy minerality with hints of mint and floral, before easing into the finish, with youthful tannins that support a classically dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a very pleasant drinking wine that's really highlights the varietals that make a good Super Tuscan.  This wine would pair with a variety of hearty dishes, from big steaks to risotto, hearty stews to generous pasta.  Tonight I am taking the classic Italian route and enjoying this wine with some linguine topped with Italian sausage marinara, fresh basil and shaved parmesan.  Cheers!

2017 Anvil Dionysus Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, today was just a marathon of yard work, collecting leaves, mowing and trimming hydrangeas, I am ready to relax!  So it's a good thing that I have a nice dinner to enjoy and a wonderful bottle of wine to help me enjoy the evening.  Tonight I've opened a perennial favorite Cabernet, but a new vintage that I received this week, the 2017 Anvil Dionysus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this latest vintage is tasting!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a vineyard known for it's Cabernet.  A gentle swirl releases aromas of ripe red fruit, cherry, raspberry and currant with wonderful earthy aromas of cedar and oak that just take me back to the barrel room at Forgeron.  Take a sip and deep flavors of black cherry cola, anise and oak wash over your palate before transitioning to some earthy notes of dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are youthful and vibrant, which combine with the bright acidity to provide a wonderfully smooth dry finish that will leave you reaching for another sip. 

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a perennial favorite for Columbia Valley Cabernet that stacks up with the best of the Walla Walla Valley or Napa.  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from hearty fall stews to steaks and wild mushroom risotto.  Forgeron is always kind enough to provide a pairing recipe, and with this wine they offered a pan roasted duck breast with wild mushrooms, which is sure to please.  But tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a prime ribeye grilled rare with some grilled leeks, bacon roasted Brussels sprouts and a big baked potato.  Cheers!

2018 Forgeron Mourvèdre

Happy Sunday!  For today's Sunday dinner, I've decided to make my traditional Christmas ham, so the challenge is what wine to pair with it?  I've long thought that a nice Mourvèdre makes a nice pairing with pork generally, so why not ham as well?  So that's what I've opened, the 2018 Forgeron Mourvèdre, a 100% Mourvèdre from the Heart of the Hill Vineyard in the Red Mountain AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this one is shaping up!

The wine is a lovely ruby color in the glass, with crystal clarity, just as you might expect from this varietal.  The wine exudes aromas of blackberry, blueberry and vanilla bean, with undertones of leather and tobacco.  One sip, and a flood of ripe, sweet fruit washes over your palate, blackberry, cherry and currant that eases into some notes of vanilla and peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured, but still a bit youthful, providing a nice base for the long, dry finish with a nice bit of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a very pleasant drinking example of this pure varietal.  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from pasta with cream sauces, cedar planked salmon and lamb.  But, tonight it's time for my traditional Christmas dinner with a wonderful glazed ham, mashed sweet potatoes and green bean casserole (because it's not a holiday without green bean casserole!).  Cheers!

2017 Elodia El Manzano Don Arturo Estate Malbec

 Happy Birthday!  I mean yes, thank you!  It's my birthday today, which means that I went out on my annual hunting trip to get Christmas trees, and today I landed a couple of really nice white pines.  Then I came home, made out Christmas cards and made an apple pie and now it's time for some wine and dinner!  It didn't seem like I did much today, but now that I see the list I'm pretty impressed!  So tonight I've opened a bottle of 2017 Elodia El Manzano Don Arturo Estate single vineyard Malbec from the Uco Valley in Mendoza Argentina which I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out, and you'll see why I've opened this wine when we get to the pairing.  So let's see how this wine is shaping up!

The wine is a deep inky indigo at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just as you might expect from a nice Mendoza Malbec.  The nose presents aromas of cherry, blackberry, leather and pumice that shows the character of Argentina.  The taste is a rush of ripe fruit that washes over your palate before transitioning to some wonderful earthy mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are vibrant and youthful, but well structured, providing for a very smooth, dry finish that lingers for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as I think this is a new favorite Malbec (truth be told, I ordered four bottles of this one and enjoyed three of them before I got around to reviewing it!).  This wine is an ideal steak wine, which is ideal since I've decided to enjoy this wine this evening with a Brazilian steakhouse favorite of rare grilled picanha!  For those unfamiliar, picanha or sirloin cap, it's a delightfully tender steak, comparable to a filet, but with a lovely cap of fat to add incredible flavor.  Tonight I am grilling this with some bacon roasted brussels sprouts and a baked potato.  Cheers!

2016 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Franc

Happy Sunday!  Yesterday was a day full of errands and yard work, and today I got to relax a bit and do some work inside the house (though I set a live trap for a groundhog and managed to catch a raccoon, so I had to take that critter for a drive this afternoon).  Tonight it's time for a nice glass of wine and a good Sunday dinner, so I've decided to open up a bottle of 2016 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Franc.  This is a limited production wine (just 250 cases) of 100% Cabernet Franc from the Seven Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley, so let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a lovely garnet color in the glass with great clarity.  The nose exhibits light aromas of leather, violets and a bit of pepper with some undertones of cocoa powder.  The taste is wonderfully characteristic of the varietal, with a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, currant and plum that transitions easily to some notes of dark chocolate and peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are youthful, but well structured, providing a great base for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a pleasant drinking wine and great example of a varietal that is often overlooked as a blending grape.  This wine has a certain Mediterranean flair to it, so it would pair nicely with a broad range of cuisine, from the bouillabaisse of the French coast, to Sicilian pasta dishes to Greek moussaka. Tonight I am enjoying this with a bit of French or Belgian bistro cuisine, some moules-frites, since I went to Costco yesterday and am trying to use up the 5 pounds of mussels I bought!  Cheers!

2016 Robert Storey Cellars Grand Reserve Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Well, it's been another busy week and after doing some work for the class I'm teaching at a local college, I figure it's time to relax with a nice bottle of wine with dinner.  Tonight I'm opening a bottle I purchased last month from Wines Till Sold Out, the 2016 Robert Storey Cellars Grand Reserve Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  This nice little Cabernet from the Sonoma Valley should be a nice wine to enjoy on a chilly evening, so let's see what it has to offer.

The wine is a deep garnet color in the glass, somewhat lighter than a typical big Cabernet.  The nose is chock full of earthy aromas of leather, peat and tobacco overlaying some subdued fruit notes of cherry and currant.  The taste is an interesting combination of smoke and fruit up front, with some underlying flavors of blackberry and cherry that transition to some caramel and white pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are young and somewhat underdeveloped, though the finish is still smooth and dry, with a lingering presence.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a good quality everyday Cabernet at a good price of just under $19.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of everyday cuisine, from pizza and tacos to hearty beef dishes and barbecue.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with the king of steak, a rare grilled Prime ribcap, with some steamed asparagus and a big honkin' baked potato with sour cream and scallions.  Cheers!

2015 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It's been a somewhat busy weekend that's too rapidly coming to a close, on Friday evening I had some folks over for a pre-holiday get together and then had lots of activities and work after that.  So before the official end of the weekend, I thought it appropriate to open a nice bottle of wine with dinner.  Tonight it's a recent wine club selection from L'Ecole No. 41, the 2015 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon (coincidentally, I opened a double magnum of the '09 vintage for my get together on Friday).  This wine is sourced from some of the best vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley, including Ferguson, Seven Hills, Pepper Bridge, Loess and Summit View, providing a broad spectrum of the Walla Walla AVA terroir.  So let's see how it tastes!

The wine is a deep inky purple in the glass, with a bit of garnet at the edges. The nose is a lovely combination of blackberry, blueberry, smoke and rose petals, suggesting a style more old world than new.  The taste is a rush of ripe fruit, black cherry, blueberry, currant and blackberry that envelop the palate before transitioning seamlessly to some savory herbs and wonderfully earthy notes of basalt and tobacco midpalate.  The tannins are youthful, but very well structured to provide a perfect backbone to the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a lovely example of the fine Cabernet coming from the Walla Walla Valley.  This wine would pair well with a broad array of hearty dishes, from braised short ribs to lamb chops to hearty pasta, but for Sunday dinner, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled bone-in ribeye, grilled Brussels sprouts and a big, loaded baked potato.  Cheers!

2016 Kirkland Signature Series Stags Leap District Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Wine Wednesday!  It's been unseasonably warm and today it was raining much of the day, signaling that the weather is about to turn remarkably fall like by the weekend.  But for now, it's still 68 degrees out and I can grill my dinner under the eave of the garage.  To pair with my dinner, I've decided to open a second bottle of Costco's Kirkland Signature wines I bought a few weeks ago.  The Brunello was a bit unimpressive, so let's see if we can do better with the 2016 Kirkland Signature Series Stags Leap District Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon!

The wine is a deep, inky purple at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, typical of a big, bold Napa Cabernet.  The nose is somewhat elegant, with earthy aromas of leather and green grass, over some notes of blackberry and a hint of lavender.  The taste is a rush of black fruit, blackberry, cherry and plum that transition to some dusty limestone and black pepper notes midpalate.  There is a bit of tartness on the back end, before the rather youthful tannins bring you into the smooth, dry finish.

Overall, I'd rate this wine a solid 8, this was a nice example of a descent Stags Leap Cabernet, at a much more approachable price (I think this was around $27).  Like many Napa Cabernets, this wine would be perfect with steak, prime rib or a variety of hearty meals coming up this fall.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a nice filet mignon grilled rare, along with some grilled asparagus and a big, loaded baked potato.  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!

2016 Corvelia Red Wine

Happy Sunday!  I have to admit it was entirely too hot an humid to do anything outdoors today, so I spent most of the afternoon doing laundry and watching movies, so now it's time to enjoy a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2016 Corvelia Red Wine, a red wine blend from Paso Robles that I picked up at Trader Joe's last week.  I am a sucker for packaging, so I freely admit I bought this one because it had a cool bottle and label, so let's see how the wine actually tastes!

Although I have no idea what grapes are in this blend, the wine has a deep, purple and ruby color that's clearly reminiscent of a nice Zinfandel or Cabernet Sauvignon, which wouldn't be surprising for a wine from Paso Robles.  The nose presents aromas of leather, anise, blackberry and cherry.  The taste is a wonderful rush of fruit up front, an interesting combination of ripe blackberry and plum intermingled with tart cherry, which transitions to some spice notes of white pepper and cherry cola midpalate.  The tannins are youthful but well built, providing a nice base for a long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a very pleasant, easy drinking wine that was also a nice value for just $11.  This wine would pair well with a broad range of dishes, from steaks and chops to pizza, tacos and barbecue.  But tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled petite Angus porterhouse over a bed of grilled leeks along with grilled asparagus and mashed potatoes.  Cheers!

2015 Chateau Grand Lacaze Medoc

Happy Saturday!  I have to admit I didn't get very much done today, I had so many wonderful plans to work in the yard and get some chores done around the house, and then I decided to sleep in and the rest is history (or anti-history since it never happened!).  But at least I'm now ready for dinner and a wonderful bottle of wine, and tonight's treat is a bottle of Bordeaux that I recently picked up at Costco.  I will admit when I first went to France in 1995, I really took a liking to Haut Medoc, but I suppose in a pinch, a regular Medoc will do, so tonight it's the 2015 Chateau Grand Lacaze Medoc, a wonderful left bank blend of Merlot (50%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (50%).  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity.  The nose is so Bordeaux-y, with wonderful earthy notes of leather, basalt, ripe red fruit, and the faintest hint of funk.  The taste is wonderfully earthy, with a rush of earthy peat intermingled with red currant, cherry and plum that transitions nicely to some notes of graphite and olive tapenade midpalate.  The tannins are still youthful, but nicely structured for the long, smooth and very dry finish, just as you'd expect from a nice Bordeaux.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a pleasant drinking table wine today that will likely improve a bit with a few years in the cellar.  This wine was also a terrific value at less than $10, making it an ideal everyday wine.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes from grilled fish to roast pork tenderloin to steak.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with an appetizer of stuffed artichoke along with a rare grilled prime New York strip, sweet potato hash and steamed sugar snap peas.  Cheers!

2015 Pepper Bridge Vineyard

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

The wine is a deep, brooding, inky color in the glass, classic for Pepper Bridge red wine.  The nose presents aromas of black cherry, interlaced with hints of cedar and baking spice.  The taste is a rush of blueberry and tart cherry up front that transitions to some wonderful notes of dusty limestone, cherry cola and black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are still a bit sharp in their youth, providing for a long, and very dry finish that seems to last a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's drinking well now, but I can see this one developing into a lovely wine with a few years in the cellar.  This wine is ideal for big meals, steak, chops, classic pasta dishes.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare prime petit filet mignon, potato puree and steamed sugar snap peas.  Cheers!

2015 Justin Justification

Happy Sunday!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of wine from Justin, a producer I've admired since I was introduced to them on the Napa Valley Wine train a few years ago.  I am opening a bottle of 2015 Justin Justification, a wonderful right bank inspired blend of Cabernet Franc (52%) and Merlot (48%) from Paso Robles, just slightly different than the 2014 vintage (which you can read about here).  I picked this one up last week at Costco, so let's see how this wine stacks up!

The wine is a lovely deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from these two varietals.  The nose is a wonderful combination of rich leather, fig and smoke, the kind of aromas that really get my mouth watering.  The taste is wonderfully old world, with a rush of ripe fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant that transitions nicely to some green grass and dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are youthful and a bit sharp, but the finish is long and very dry, with a reprise of tart cherry and Bordeaux like funk at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a pleasant drinking wine with a truly old-world style.  This wine would pair very well with steak, ribs, chops or a nice charcuterie plate, but tonight I am enjoying this one with a rare grilled bone-in ribeye with some grilled asparagus and corn on the cob, what a wonderful Sunday dinner!  Cheers!

2015 Peju Napa Valley Cabernet Franc

Happy Saturday!  I spent the day working around the house, and even though they were calling for rain all day, it was just gray and cool, so I was able to get some stuff done.  And now it's time for a bit of relaxation before dinner, and unsurprisingly, I'm relaxing with a glass of wine.  Tonight it's a bottle that my old boss gave me, the 2015 Peju Napa Valley Cabernet Franc.  Apparently he and his wife aren't fans of Cab Franc, so he gave me a couple bottles, which I thought was very nice of him.  So let's see how this wine tastes!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with a dark center.  The nose is classic Cab Franc, with layers of ripe blackberry, black currant and plum over earthy aromas of leather and peat.  The taste is wonderfully fruit forward, with a rush of currant and plum that transitions nicely to some mineral notes of dusty limestone midpalate.  The youthful tannins are still a bit sharp, providing a solid backing for the long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's a very nice Cabernet Franc that I think will soften a bit with some time in the cellar.  This wine would be ideal with a variety of steaks, chops, roasts and stews and tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled porterhouse with grilled leeks and fresh local asparagus with a big baked potato with butter, sour cream and chives.  The sharp tannins in this wine a perfect for cutting through such a rich meal.  Cheers!

2015 Doubleback Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Selection Sunday!  I'm excited as my Bucknell Bison are heading to the NCAA Basketball Tournament, and we're moments away from learning who they will play.  So to celebrate and to continue my enjoyment of Washington Wine Month, I've decided to open a bottle of a new wine club selection that I received on Friday, the 2015 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon, a work from winemaker Josh McDaniels at Drew Bledsoe's signature label.  This wine has one of the highest amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon (98%) of any previous vintage, with the balance Malbec all from the McQueen, Bob Healy, Lefore and Pepper Bridge vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley.  I was in Walla Walla at harvest time (you can see my first day's post here) and I recall during that trip two big events, first that harvest was incredibly early, as the warm growing season resulted in harvest starting the third week of August and the fires all around that would result in days there the smoke was almost unbearable!  So now I'm finally beginning to taste some of the results of that vintage!

This wine is a classic Cabernet, with a deep, inky color at the center and bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is just a wonderfully earthy experience with layers of leather, oak and a bit of smoke over dried herbs and dusty limestone.  The taste is youthful, but remarkably complex, with ripe blackberry and cassis up front that transitions smoothly to some earthy mineral and spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are youthful but remarkably well structured, providing for a velvety mouthfeel and a long, voluptuous finish with a reprise of tart cherry on the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's drinking wonderfully now in it's youth, but has ample potential to improve with a few years in the cellar (lucky I bought a few extra!).  This wine practically begs to be paired with a big, honkin' steak, ideally a richly marbled prime tomahawk ribeye, but tonight I have to go with my second choice, a nice thick Angus New York strip grilled rare with grilled asparagus and a big baked potato with sour cream and chives.  Cheers!