2008 Delas Côtes-du-Ventoux

Even though it's starting to feel like autumn, it's just not time to put away the summer reds for another year, so tonight I am enjoying a bottle of 2008 Delas Côtes-du-Ventoux, a southern Rhône blend of Grenache (80%) and Syrah (20%) that just strikes me as ideal for a late summer afternoon. 

The wine is a lovely deep ruby to purple color, and the nose is thick with ripe fruit, blackberry and plum, and a nice bit of spice that balances the fruit very well.  There is also a good bit of earthiness too, somewhat reminiscent of the forest after a spring shower that reminds me of the flavors of black truffles.  The wine is quite fruit forward, with a lovely balance of ripe black fruit, black pepper and a bit of tartness that doesn't come from the tannins, but I believe comes more from the fruit itself - very interesting.  The wine is quite flavorful throughout, reaching a crescendo of cherry cola flavor midpalate, which gives way to tannins that are well structured providing for a very pleasing finish.

Overall, I would rate this one a solid 7.5, it's certainly not a spectacular, make your jaw drop sort of wine, but it's a great value!  I bought this bottle today at my local wine retailer for just $10.49, which seems a bargain for the quality of wine inside.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a lovely Polish dinner of all things!  Some fresh smoked kielbasa, pierogis and sauerkraut, so you see, you can pair lovely southern French wine with just about anything if you try hard enough!

2009 L'Ecole No. 41 Petit Verdot

Happy Labor Day!  What a wonderful holiday where we celebrate the joy of working but cooking out and enjoying a last gasp of summer with family and friends.  And what better way to celebrate the end of summer than with a bottle of wine from one of my favorite Washington wineries?  Ha!  Rhetorical questions that one!

So with my lovely Labor Day cookout, I've cracked open a bottle of 2009 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Valley Petit Verdot, what is normally a blending grape for Bordeaux, all on it's own.  Now a few weeks ago I tried a bottle of the '09 Cabernet Franc, and I must admit I really like this Petit Verdot a lot better!  I'm not sure whether it's the varietal or just the character of this year's vintage, but this is simply an outstanding bottle of wine!

The wine is a deep ruby red to purple in the glass, and the nose is a wonderful combination of luscious ripe fruit that causes your brain to immediately start thinking of juicy plums or berries just dripping down your chin. The nose is an ethereal blend of ripe fruit, with elements of grape, plum and anise, transforming to a bit of cocoa, baking spice and just the faintest hint of woodsy earthiness.  The taste is a delight, with a shock of fruit right at the outset, rich grape, plum, berry which then transitions to real dryness midpalate, before the tannins come rushing in to provide that long, tart finish.

I really have no idea if this is what the true expression of the petit verdot should aspire to, I just know that I really love this wine and could go on sipping it for the better part of an afternoon.  Overall, I would rate this one a solid 8.5, one of my personal favorites and one I wish I had more of since it's sold out!  As for pairing, tonight I had it with my typical Labor Day feast of a ginormous 28-ounce boneless ribeye grilled rare with a tossed salad of baby herbs and a bit of 25-year balsamic vinegar.  So yummy!!!

2001 Château Les Gravières Saint Emilion Grand Cru

And for my second official Cellar Saturday, I've decided to open up a wine that has only been in my cellar for less than a month!  Tonight it's a more than decade old Grand Cru Bordeaux, the 2001 Château Les Gravières Saint Emilion.  Now unlike many Bordeaux blends, this one is 100% Merlot, though I'll admit I've always found something about French Merlot that seems to make it better than anywhere else.

The wine itself has a lovely deep purple to ruby coloration.  The nose is a wonderful blend of rich red fruit, leather and smoke.  The taste is remarkably fruit forward, with wonderful ripe plum, red berries and cassis that creates a seeming jolt of sweet fruit flavor that quickly transitions to black pepper and musty oak.  The tannins are quite supple, offering a very smooth, dry finish.  Given it's age, this wine is probably now entering its prime years for drinking, so it's a good thing I opened it!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, mainly since I love classic Bordeaux and this is definitely in that realm.  The nose, the color, the taste, all remind me of the wonderful wines I drank the last time I was in France.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled ribeye, haricots vert almondine and some roasted red potatoes.  I bought this wine recently from Wines Till Sold Out for only $30, and I am just amazed sometimes at what wonderful wines they can find for bargain prices that really give you a chance to taste something out of the ordinary!