2013 Charles Krug Generations

Happy National Drink Wine Day!  Of course I usually think that every day is National Drink Wine Day,  but I suppose I'm biased.  In any case, I've decided to celebrate the official day with a wonderful Bordeaux style blend that I picked up on my visit to Napa last year, the 2013 Charles Krug Generations.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (88%), Malbec (6%), Merlot (4%) and Petit Verdot (2%), so legitimately it could still be labeled as a Cabernet.  I tried a bottle of this when I was in Napa in 2015 (see here: 2012 Charles Krug Generations), so let's see how this vintage tastes!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, classic for a Napa Cabernet.  The nose is a lovely combination of graphite, leather, black cherry and a hint of blueberry.  The taste is a lovely rush of black fruit, cherry cola and mocha that transition to some mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is wonderful, with firm, youthful tannins providing for a long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, it's drinking very nicely now, but is sure to develop with a bit of time in the cellar (lucky I bought an extra bottle!).  This wine would be perfect for a hearty meal, from pot roast to Italian pasta dishes, but since it feels like spring today, I've decided to grill out!  I'm enjoying this wine with a nice Thai chili rubbed New York strip with grilled asparagus and a big baked potato with all the trimmings.  Cheers!

2011 Grand Napa Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Wine Wednesday!  You'll be happy to know that I once again have internet at my house, granted it's not the fastest, but it certainly works for wine blogging and checking e-mail (fortunately I'm not a teenager, so I don't play video games or do much streaming).  So let's get down to business, wine!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2011 Grand Napa Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (78%) and Merlot (22%) from a somewhat underrated vintage.

The wine is a deep inky black color at the center with bright ruby along the edges, just what you'd expect for a nice Napa Cabernet coming into its prime.  The nose presents aromas of ripe black plum, cocoa powder and a hint of anise.  The wine is a lovely rush of fruit up front, with some tart cherry and plum that ease into some notes of fresh herbs and minerals midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, supporting the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's just about reaching it's prime.  And although it's likely not as stellar as the 2012 vintage, this one is drinking very nicely for just $25 from Wines Till Sold Out.  This would be an ideal steak wine, but tonight I am enjoying it with pizza, because why not?  Cheers!

2012 Helix Columbia Valley Syrah

So so here is the big news this week I disconnected from Comcast! I became very tired of paying so much money for such little service which means now I have no Internet at home.  So until my Internet is installed on Tuesday, I will be blogging in from my phone.  So please excuse any typos. Now for today's wine the most important thing!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle that I recently got from my wine clubs selection at Reininger the 2012 Helix Columbia Valley Syrah!  So let's see how this one tastes. 

The wind is a deep inky purple in the glass. The nose presents aromas of leather, blackberry green grass and smoke. The taste is a rush of ripe fruit upfront with blueberries, current and a hint of boysenberry that transitions to some white pepper notes midpalate. The fine grain tannins provide a great foundation for the long smooth and exceptionally dry finish, that leaves you wanting more. 

Overall I would rate this wine a solid eight as it's a great red wine for a variety of dishes, from lamb to pasta to barbecue. Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a little different pairing, some seared sea scallops over a bed of spring greens along with some linguine tossed with garlic and olive oil topped with shaved Parmesan. Cheers!