Wine Tasting: 2012 Mullan Road Cellars Red Wine Blend

Tonight's vino is a Columbia Valley, Washington red blend that consist of 51% Cabernet, 37% Merlot, and 12% Cabernet Franc.

2012 Mullan Road Cellars Red Wine Blend

Tasting Notes:
Ink like in color, and aromas of bountiful red fruit and spices.   Black cherry, and relaxed blueberry with hints of ginger and allspice.  Initially fruit forward, yet a wet earthen mossy flavors tame the bouquet of fruitiness to leave you analyzing the depth of it’s complexity.  Finish isn’t substantial and slightly more subdued that I would hope for.  Tannins and acidity just a touch off.

Final Thoughts:
This is a good wine.  Just not spectacular.  In my personal opinion, I do not believe the QPR is there for this wine at around the $40US range

Wine Tasting: 2012 Bodegas Breca Old Vine Garnacha

Tonight I decided I wanted to relax and try something with a little change of pace.  That would be the 2012 Bodegas Breca Old Vine Garnacha.

Tasting Notes:
A very dark cranberry sauce like color with scents of cranberry and wet granite. Flavors of allspice and fruitcake jump out at me with late batanicals and an eathen minerality.

Final Thoughts:
Quite smooth and very tasty with a late acidity followed up with a slight warming sensation.  Excellent.  Tonight, I'm a happy man.

Wine Tasting: 2012 Mythic Block Malbec

I've had a few Mythic wines and while many tend to be popular.  I've found them mostly good, but nothing nothing that I found really special.  Today's wine is probably the most expensive one I've tried so far, but it's not a budget buster either at around $29US.

Tasting Notes:
Medium bodied and violet in color with a peppery black plum on the noise.  On the palette, a black cherry and blueberry mix with hints of pomegranate.  Potent bouquet of flavors, yet lean on body and texture.

Final Thoughts:
Malbec wines (beyond blends that include Malbec) are a wine that I'm only lightly familiar with as I've only tried 10-20 of them.  Some where rough, others were okay, but I haven't had one knock my socks off.  This one is better than most that I've had.  I like this wine, though I can definitely see why it's a popular blending wine.  The Malbec grape has a lot of interesting characteristics that can give red blends a lot of depth.  Maybe if one day my winemaking skills reach the point of making real red blends.

Wine Tasting: 2012 Domaine de la Janasse Côtes du Rhône Villages Terre d'Argile

Time to practice my French!  Well, French wine drinking anyhow!  Tonight's fare is 2012 Domaine de la Janasse Côtes du Rhône Villages Terre d'Argile.

Tasting Notes:
Dark garnet in color with a medium plus body.  Licorice, red fruit, with a light minerality in the aromas.   Juicy and smooth sporting black cherry, red plum, and cranberry on the palate.  Nice acidic balance.

Final thoughts:
Not too bad.  French wine is gaining a stigma where you have to spend a lot to get a decent French wine.  Given that France is supposed to make lots of great wine you would expect to find decently priced wine that is very good.  Thought it seems many French wines come with bloated price tags that do not match their quality.  This one I'm happy to say is well worth it's price tag coming in at under $20US.

Wine Tasting: 2012 Decoy Zinfandel

I've recently tried Duckhorn's Goldeye and thought it was fantastic.  Today, I wanted to try another one of their products.  The Decoy line of Zinfandel.  The 2012 vintage to be exact.

Tasting Notes:
Burgundy in color with medium legs.  Jammy red fruit on the nose, On the palate I would a completely sugarless raspberry.  The point that it's is on the edge of being outright bitter.  The acidity is quite high out of the bottle, but it burns off after a bit, though not enough to vastly improve the wine.  The wine is thin lacking the body you generally expect from a big Zinfandel.

Final Thoughts:
I'm a huge fan of big fat jammy Zinfandel.  I'm not a fan of this wine as it definitely is not one of those.  This is however, my first Decoy wine. I really enjoy Duckhorn's Goldeneye wines.  I hope other wines in the Decoy line do not disappoint as this one does.

Wine Tasting: 2012 Goldeneye Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

Delicious!  Well, I'm getting ahead of myself.  Today's wine is Goldeneye's 2012 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir.

Goldeneye is Duckhorn's upper echelon wine label and as I've clearly already stated.  This wine does not disappoint.  While I haven't yet visited Duckhorn's Vineyard in California.  It is supposed to be one of the more highly rated Vineyards to visit.  Keep that in mind if you plan a visit to Napa Valley.

Tasting Notes:
Caliginously garnet in color, medium bodied with a warming alcohol level. Fruit forward with strawberry and raspberry jam on the nose and cherries, strawberries, and rose petals on the tongue. Very juicy with a long finish and a potent acidity that blends well with the progressive fruit flavors.

Final Thoughts:  I believe I've already made this obvious.  This was in delicious and well worth it's price point. ($40-$45 US)

Wine Tasting: 2012 Martinelli Zinfandel Vigneto di Evo

Up to bat this evening is a big Zinfandel.  To be more specific, Martinelli's 2012 Vigneto di Evo Zinfandel.  This wine was crafted by Bryan Kvamme of Martinelli Winery in California's Russian River Valley and 876 cases were produced.

Tasting Notes:
Full bodied and crimson in color.  Scents of rose petals and red fruit.  Adventurous florals and allspice along with hints of black cherry and plum.  Definitely a muscular alcohol (17.2% ABV) though it surprisingly doesn't necessarily daunt the audacious forward flavors.

Final thoughts:
Very bold in the line of some of the great Australian Barbossa Valley Shiraz.  This is a very good wine though definitely not something you would drink everyday.  Something you pull out when guest come by who enjoy bold wines as I do.

Wine Tasting: 2012 Baron Cooper Old Vine Zinfandel, Tamura Vineyard

A product of Greg Burns of Jessie’s Grove and St. Amant.  Baron Cooper Old Vine Zinfandel from Tamura Vineyards is up for tasting tonight.

I've actually had this wine and a Luke Goldschmidt Cabernet Sauvignon waiting for tasting for several months now.  Considering their supposed quality, I'm surprised it's taken me this long to get around to them.

Tasting Notes:
Aromas of red fruit, floral essence, with some hints of radish. On the tongue it's has a savory cranberry sauce flavor, a light impression of pepperiness along with other spices and rich velvety floral on the palate. Almost silky texture with a long finish and nice acidity for a good balance. Very nice.

Overall, an excellent Zinfandel.  I wish I had picked up more than just two bottles.

Tasting: 2012 Michel Schlumberger Pinot Noir

I came across this wine at a local wine shop during a wine tasting.

Within a few minutes, the acidity drops to give the wine a good balance. The floral and fruit flavors make this wine quite savory with a lasting finish. I believe this would make an excellent choice for a dinner wine with the right pairing.

Tasting: 2012 Sbragia Home Ranch Chardonnay ~ Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County

Greenish gold in color.  Pears, green apples, rubber, and a buttery oak.  Feels great in the mouth and has a medium plus body and a long finish.  This is a very good Chardonnay!  I'm glad I have another bottle of it!