2016 Reininger Syrah XM

Happy Sunday!  It's been another weekend of non-spring weather, with rain an highs in the 40s, and it looks like the next four days will be between 30 and 45, so I guess the "Summer of George" will have to wait a few weeks.  I just finished a virtual tasting with the fine folks from Reininger, focusing on their white and rose wines, and since I didn't have any of those on hand, I decided to open a bottle of their red wine for dinner.  The 2016 Reininger Syrah XM is another interesting wine from Chuck Reininger, one of the most creative winemakers I know.  This wine is an "XM" which stands for extended maturation, so he reserves some of his wine (in this case the 2016 Walla Walla Syrah) and let's it age in barrel for a few extra years and releases it under the XM moniker.  This wine is a 100% Syrah from the Pepper Bridge and Seven Hills Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see what this new, old wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass that has the look of a hearty Cabernet as opposed to a Syrah.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas that bring you right back to the barrel room, with leather, toasted oak, blackberry and cassis dancing in your mind.  Take a sip and you're greeted with one of the most velvety smooth Syrahs you can imagine, a rush of blackberry, cherry and currant envelop your palate with a thick almost syrupy mouthfeel that just makes your mind explode.  The fruit is encased in earthy elements, oak, peat and basalt that evolve to some twang midpalate.  The tannins are almost perfectly integrated, providing for that velvety smoothness to extend to the long, dry finish that will have you begging for more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as it has to be one of the most perfect examples of Syrah I've ever tasted.  This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from steaks and lamb, to heaty pastas or stews.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a Sunday barbecue dinner (oh how I long for summer!), of barbecued beef baby back ribs, grilled corn on the cob, mustard baked beans and sriracha slaw.  Cheers!

2021 DaMa GSM

Happy Saturday!  It was a wild day of yard work, as I mowed for the first time this year, but had to pause for a while to let a thunderstorm pass, but I finally finished, then changed the oil and tuned up the lawn mower, so I feel accomplished!  And now, for a nice glass of wine with dinner.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of a recent wine club shipment from DaMa Wines, the 2021 GSM.  This wine is a blend of Grenache (56%), Syrah (29%) and Mourvèdre(15%) from the Yakima Valley AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a lovely bright ruby color in the glass, it really is gem-like in the light, with a bit of fuchsia along the edges.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of blackberry, tart cherry and bits of earthy sandalwood and peat.  Take a sip and you're awash with rich, sweet fruit, blueberry, marionberry and cherry that dance around until you ease into some hints of cardamom and earthy notes.  The tannins are somewhat subdued but they still manage to hold everything together for a wonderfully smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's an adventurous wine that will have your palate going in multiple directions.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from pastas and risotto, to Sunday roast beef.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a bit of a Pacific Northwest pairing of crispy skin salmon with a lemon dill cream sauce, along with some roasted sweet potatoes with red onion and jalapeno, and some steamed rainbow cauliflower.  Cheers!

2020 Bledsoe Family Winery Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Sunday!  It was another cold and rainy day here in the Midwest, sometimes I forget how we apparently skip spring and go right from winter to summer.  In any case, this is a good time to open up a nice bottle of wine to enjoy with my Sunday dinner, and this time it's a selection from a recent wine club shipment from the Bledsoe Family Winery, the 2020 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon!  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (78%), Merlot (9%), Malbec (7%) and Petit Verdot (6%) from six different vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center with bright garnet along the edges, just as you might expect from a big Cabernet.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of lavender, blackberry and currant with just some hints of minerality.  Take a sip and you're treated to a rush of ripe dark fruit, blackberry, currant and plum that transition easily to some earthy notes of graphite and basalt midpalate.  The tannins are velvety smooth, providing for a luxuriously long dry finish that lingers effortlessly for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as I think this is the best vintage yet from the Bledsoe Family Winery (even better than the Flying B wines of 2015, 2016 and 2017 or the Bledsoe Family Vintages of 2018 or 2019!).  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from grilled steaks and chops, to Yankee pot roast and Sunday lasagna!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a pan seared ribeye basted with butter and rosemary, along with some asparagus with hollandaise.  Cheers!