2017 Forgeron Cellars Anvil Proprietary Blend

Well, it's been quite a week, so I apologize for not posting in a while.  Last Friday we had some thunderstorms roll though and three was a lightning strike right near my house which ultimately fried my modem!  So, I had no internet access (outside of my cell phone hotspot) for nearly a week.  Fortunately, my new modem was delivered yesterday and not I'm reconnected with the virtual world and able to create a new blog post!  Thankfully the Fedex guy also delivered a new wine club shipment from Forgeron Cellars, the 2017 Anvil Proprietary blend from Minnick Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  The proprietary blend apparently is not secret, so this wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (46%), Malbec (38%) and Merlot (16%), so let's see how it tastes!

The wine is deep ruby color in the glass, with great clarity.  The nose is a wonderful combination of red currant, raspberry and caramel with some floral notes over the top.  The taste is a rush of red berry fruit that transitions easily to some lovely mineral notes of graphite and dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are sharp but nicely structured, illustrating a mash up of youth and aging potential in this wine.  The finish is well built and exceptionally dry, making this an ideal wine for hearty meals.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's still a bit young but it exhibits a lot of potential with a few years in the cellar.  This wine would pair well with a wide range of dishes, from grilled steaks and chops, to lamb to hearty stews.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a big bone-in ribeye grilled Pittsburgh rare along with grilled leeks and asparagus. The sharpness of the tannins in this wine are ideal for cutting through the fattiness of this steak.  Cheers!

2014 Yao Ming Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  Let me say first that I've been working today, which is not ideal since Sunday should be for relaxing and enjoying a nice glass of wine.  Well, at least it's now time for the nice glass of wine!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of wine I bought at Costco, maybe a year or more ago, the 2014 Yao Ming Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.  This was a wine that Costco was only carrying for a limited time and I think I bought one of, if not the last bottle at my local warehouse.  So, let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a deep garnet color in the glass, just a bit lighter than you might expect from a big Napa cab.  The nose is a refined combination of leather, smoke, oak and vanilla, reminiscent of a classic, old-school library. The taste is a rush of ripe fruit, cherry, blackberry and plum that wash over the palate before transitioning to some wonderful mineral notes of dusty limestone and basalt midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, providing for a wonderfully smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's a very nice drinking Napa Cabernet, but it doesn't strike me as a standout wine.  Like most Napa Cabernets, this wine practically begs to be paired with a big steak, but it would also do well with pasta, lamb, or roasts.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a nice rare grilled Angus T-bone served on a bed of grilled leeks and some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2015 DaMa Collage

Well, it's officially the first day of autumn (yeah, don't get technical with me, I know the astronomical autumnal equinox is supposed to be Monday, but the first day of fall has always been the 21st of September).  And since it's now fall, it was of course time to bust out the leaf vacuum, as my yard was already partially covered in leaves!  Ironically enough, it was also crazy hot today, as I think we peaked at 87!  So, tonight I'm resting in the air conditioning with a glass of wine, specifically, the 2015 DaMa Wines Collage, a blend of Merlot (53%), Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) and Cabernet Franc (7%) from the Walla Walla Valley of Washington.  So let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a bright ruby in the glass, with nice clarity.  The nose presents aromas of blackberry, tart cherry and fig, with hints of lilac over the top.  The taste is cool and smooth, with a burst of cherry cola at the front that evolves into some vanilla bean and white pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are firm but well structured, layering the long, smooth 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 just a very pleasant sipping wine that would pair well with a variety of dishes, from pasta to steaks to wild salmon.  Since I'm tired and not in the mood for cooking anything elaborate, tonight I am enjoying this wine with a simple dinner of Trader Joe's lobster ravioli topped with tomato cream sauce and shaved parmesan.  Cheers!