Duck Inn (Chicago) Pour Boys Wine Group Dinner

Duck Inn (Chicago) Pour Boys Wine Group Dinner

An abbreviated group of the Chicagoland contingent of our Pour Boys Wine Group met for dinner at Duck Inn, Chicago. 

The Duck Inn was opened in Chicago’s near south side Bridgeport neighborhood by Chef Kevin Hickey in 2014.

Previously Kevin worked with Four Seasons in Dublin, London and Atlanta before coming back to his native Chicago in 2004 — first at The Ritz Carlton Hotel as Executive Chef and eventually the Four Seasons Chicago as Executive Chef & Restaurant Director where he led his team to two consecutive Michelin Stars, the only Four Seasons Chef to receive Michelin Stars in North America and AAA Five Diamond status with the restaurant Seasons. He eventually opened the acclaimed restaurant, Allium.

In November 2015, The Duck Inn was named one of the “Best New Restaurants in America” by Esquire Magazine, named as one of the Top 10 restaurants in America by USA Today and chosen as Restaurant of the Year by Eater Chicago. The Chicago Tribune named Kevin Hickey, Chef of The Year for 2015. To date, The Duck Inn has been awarded the coveted Bib Gourmand by Michelin for six consecutive years.

We ordered from the menu a their two signature offerings to share - Rotisserie Duck with Foie Gras, and the All Natural Ribeye Beefsteak with Fries.

Peach Wellington - Duck and Foie Gras Sausage with duxelles Italian black truffle, klug farm peaches and peach jus …

And finally, no visit to Duck Inn is complete without trying their famous Duck Inn Dogs, their tribute to the classic Chicago Hot Dog. Made with all-natural beef and duck fat in a hog casing and grilled to a perfect snap, their dog is topped with all the classic ingredients of a Chicago dog. 

We brought from our respective cellars a flight of red wines to pair with the diverse food courses. 

As customary, when we bring BYOB, we share with the Sommelier, Chef, or in this case the owner/proprietor and Chef Kevin Hickey, who, as always, was enthusiastic and eager to taste. 

Sea Smoke "Southing" Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2013

Dan brought this from his cellar from his wine club allocation of this popular ultra-premium label from Sea Smoke, one of the Central Coast's cult Pinot producers. 

Sta. Rita Hills is the coolest, westernmost sub-region of the larger Santa Ynez Valley appellation within Santa Barbara County. This relatively new AVA produces highly rated Chardonnay and Pinot Noir due to the cool climate effects of the ocean breezes and well-drained, limestone-rich calcareous soil. 

The unique geography there is such that the mountain ranges lie perpendicular to the coast rather than parallel, so the Pacific marine layer fog and breezes sweep regularly into through the valley. 

The Southing label is sourced entirely from the Sea Smoke Estate Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills of Santa Barbara County. 

This is aged  16 months in 55% new French oak barrels.

This release was awarded 94 points by Wine Enthusiast and 90 points by Wine Spectator.

Bright Ruby Colored, medium bodied, ripe black raspberry and hints of strawberry and black cherry fruits accented by notes of mocha, cinnamon, spice, dusty rose and hints of cola.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?2044703


Domaine Vieux Telegraph Chateauneuf du Pape 2015

Lyle brought from his cellar this highly rated Rhône Blend. 

Our visit to Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe was a highlight of our trip to France and Provence and  Châteauneuf-du-Pape, one of  the most renowned wine producing area in the Southern Rhône River Valley. 

We blogged a few prior to and in our preparation for the trip and and our visit and then featured our visit to Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe. Châteauneuf-du-Pape in a blogpost at the time. 

That was a return visit for me as I visited Vieux Télégraphe during my tour to Châteauneuf-du-Pape back in 1998.

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe is a leading producer in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and their flagship and signature label La Crau is one of the most celebrated grand cru of the southern Rhône.

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe "La Crau" Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2015

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/07/domaine-du-vieux-telegraphe-chateauneuf.html

This much heralded release was awarded 96 points by James Suckling, 95 points by Wine Spectator, 94 points by Wine Advocate, 93 points by Jeb Dunnuck, and 92-94 points by Vinous.

Suckling said it best - “An array of red, blue and purple fruits. Gently spicy, chalky and fragrant, it has a very supple, fleshy and layered palate with a web of fine, smooth and supple tannins. Extremely elegant and composed. A long draw on the finish. Great depth and drive.” 

Wine Spectator said best from 2020 through 2035. Wine Advocate said It should drink well for up to 20 years. The fruit seemed somewhat subdued when compared to brighter the Force Majeure, perhaps we drank this too soon but at nine years it should be at a point to reveal its true nature and character. 

The flagship wine of the estate, as always, sourced from the oldest vines of the estate on la Crau,  the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape, is a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 15% Syrah and 5% other permitted varieties. 

Bright ruby-red. medium to full-bodied, floral on opening, ripe red and dark berries, kirsch, licorice, white pepper, smoky mineral overtone, hints of mocha chocolate on the long, silky finish laced with fine chewy gripping tannins.

RM 92 points. 

Force Majeure Parvata (GSM) Red Blend 2017

In light of Lyle bringing the VT CDP, I brought from our cellar this American version of the Rhône Blend, acquired from our wine club allocation. 

We discovered this wine during our visit to the Force Majeure estate and vineyards during our Walla Walla Wine Experience back in 2018. 

Like the Vieux Telegraph, this was a blend of the classic Rhône varietals - 42% Mourvèdre, 25% Grenache, 23% Syrah, 5% Counoise, and 4% Cinsault, all sourced from vineyards in the Columbia Valley Washington, Red Mountain Appellation. Indeed, Parvata means “mountain” in sanskrit, and hence is the name for Force Majeure's southern Rhône style blend, grown in the sandy, loamy soils of the lower section of the Red Mountain vineyard.

This was aged in 25% new French oak, mostly 400- and 500-liter barrels.

This too was highly rated getting 95 points from jebdunnuck.com and Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, and 92 points from Vinous. 

Unlike the VT CDP with its long storied history over several generations, this is just the third vintage of this cuvée, first released in 2015.

Stephen Tanzer said, “Still a bit youthfully rigid today and in need of a year or two of patience.” 

Bright ruby-red, full bodied, expressive, vibrant, powerful, dense with an intense core of fresh ripe red, black and blue fruits, accented by spice, bitter dark chocolate, licorice and oak, finishing with ripe, fine-grained tannins on a long lingering finish. 

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?3519567

https://forcemajeurevineyards.com/

https://theduckinnchicago.com/menus/

Destiny Neighborhood Beef Tenderloin Wine Dinner

Destiny Neighborhood Beef Tenderloin Wine Dinner

Visiting our favorite getaway Destiny Cove vacation rental in Destin, Florida, we hosted a dinner with friends and neighbors. Linda prepared a full beef tenderloin, sliced into filets of beef, served with baked potatoes, haricot verts and mixed green salad. 

Before dinner we served a variety of artisan cheeses, fruits and mixed nuts. 

To accompany the dinner we opened a wine flight with varietal wines for each course. 

With the salad course we served a Washington State Chardonnay. 

With the main course we opened a medley of red wines - an aged vintage Napa Cabernet, an aged simple easy drinking Sonoma Cabernet, and a complex Washington State GSM Blend. 

Our guests brought for the dessert course a selection of artisan cupcakes from the bakeshop just outside our community gate and carrot cake cupcakes, which we paired with a flight of dessert wines from Italy and Austria.

Moffett Livingston Stanley's Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1997

We were planning a mini-family reunion last month in Destin so I brought for that occasion several 'family' wines, whimsically sharing names with certain family members, such as this Stanley's Vineyard label and so named brother-in-law.

This is named for 'Stanley', a family name in the owner/producer John Livingston's family. John resettled his family in St. Helena, Napa Valley in 1976 as an idyllic place to raise his six children, not necessarily with any forethought of joining the wine business. However, in 1984, they began pursuing their learned passion in wine and began producing Cabernet wines.

John Livingston was a geologist, and became intrigued with finding vineyards suitable to produce Stanley’s Selection Cabernet wine, seeking an optimum combination of stony hillside soils, eastern exposures and suitable micro-climates. In the ensuing years he found such vineyards, also chosen for sound farm management and proven consistency. All the vineyards were only a few acres in size, too small for big wineries but perfect for Livingston Stanley Cabernet. The 'Stanley’s' Vineyard label was blended from six small parcels in Napa by legendary winemaker John Kongsgaard.

Moffett Vineyards and the Livingston Moffett Winery, continued to be operated by Diane and John Livingston and were assisted for 22 years by their son Trent who helped grow the family winery from the cellars to the marketplace. Diane and John retired and sold the winery in 2005, resulting in a generational transition with Trent as successor of Moffett Vineyards.

Trent and his wife Colleen Moffett relocated in 2014 to the northern Willamette Valley to pursue making 4 different Pinot Noirs from 3 different Willamette Valley sub-appellations, all the while remaining connected with Napa Valley through Moffett Vineyards.

In addition to the Moffett Vineyards heritage, Trent and Colleen are co-producers of Screenplay Wines and C&T Cellars. .

This is the last of three bottles we acquired back upon release. We drank the first two bottles back in 2010 and 2014 and still held this bottle a decade later in our cellar. 

At two and a half decades, this was still holding its own, only perhaps slightly diminished from age at a quarter century, testament to the longevity of the ‘97 vintage Napa Cabs.  

This release was awarded 93 points by Wine Enthusiast and 90 points, Wine Advocate, Robert M. Parker, Jr. Upon release, Parker said it should drink well for fifteen years.

Winemaker's notes - "For the 1997 vintage, John chose four mostly one- to two-acre vineyards: Price, next door to Spottswoode; Walther, near Caymus; Corbett, adjacent to Moffett Vineyard; and Gemstone, with five clones of Cabernet along with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petite Verdot. Yields ranged between of 2.5 to 4.5 tons per acre. It was aged in a combination of French and American oak."

Tonight, this was largely consistent with my earlier tastings, dark ruby colored, medium bodied with blackberry, black cherry and currant fruits, starting to give way slightly with notes of black tea with hints of anise and bitter dark chocolate with a bit of spice, plum with tone of cedar on the medium to firm tannins and acid balanced finish.

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=162762

http://moffettvineyards.com/

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2014/12/livingston-moffet-napa-cab-with-beef.html

Another label we were holding for our bro-in-law, a fan of the namesake producer, we opened this for casual drinking with cheeses, fruit and nuts before dinner. 

Dan Aykroyd Discovery Series Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

This was a futile inglorious attempt at producing a novelty namesake branded wine by comedian and Saturday Night Live fame Dan Aykroyd, who folks say, should've stayed with acting.

Winemaker Notes - "The grapes are sourced primarily from the Alexander Valley, which with its cool mornings and evenings and warmer inland climate allow the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes to fully ripen. The wine is aged in 60-gallon French, American & Hungarian oak barrels for added complexity and increased concentration. This process also brings out softer tannins and a more fruit-forward palate."

 

Cellartrackers panned this wine, albeit they tend to be sophisticated wine drinkers. This exceeded my expectations, which admittedly were very low. I was open minded and opened it prepared to dump it, but while simple and uninspiring, it was okay for casual sipping with some cheeses before dinner. Several guests found it enjoyable and suitable for casual easy sipping.

Wine Enthusiast gave this 82 points. I didn't find it resembled their profile - "Overripe and bitter .... dry, with raisin and grapeskin flavors that have a Porty, tannic edge."

Ruby colored, medium bodied, dark berry fruit, notes of tobacco, smoke and black tea with an abrupt finish. RM 82

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=649869

 

With the dinner we opened this Rhone varietal red blend. 

 

Force Majeure "Parvata" Red Mountain GSM - Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre 2017

 

We've opened this wine and featured it several times in these pages. We first featured this label in our Force Majeure Vineyards Site Visit and Tasting report as shown here:

October 2018

Force Majeure Vineyards Site Visit and Tasting

Force Majeure Vineyards Site Visit and Tasting

One of the inspirations for and objectives of our Walla Walla Wine Experience 2018 was to visit Force Majeure vineyards. We first met Force Majeure winemaker Todd Alexander and marketing, distribution and branding exec Carrie Alexander during the Chicago stop of their promotion tour in 2016 when we hosted them at Italian Village in Chicago. Since then we've acquired a respectable collection of Force Majeure wines, hence, they were one of our shortlist priority visits when we planned our Washington State, Columbia Valley wine trip.

Force Majeure Parvata Red Blend 2017 

We originally discovered and acquired this label during our visit to Force Majeure in Walla Walla back in 2018. We hold three vintages of a mixed case from our wine club allocation orders.   

This is from their Force Majeaure Red Mountain Vineyard site in the central Columbia Valley. The Red Mountain site was the very first vineyard on the steep, rocky upper slopes of Red Mountain. Developing the Red Mountain estate vineyards involved carefully matching varietal and clonal selections and vineyard trellising and irrigation to the eight distinct soil types in the vineyard.

Parvata means “mountain” in sanskrit, and hence is the name for Force Majeure's southern Rhône style blend, grown in the sandy, loamy soils of the lower section of the Red Mountain vineyard.

Parvata is a a classic Rhone River Blend that the French, and in the new World, the Australians, call GSM, for the blend of the three Rhone varietals, (25%) Grenache, (23%) Syrah, and (42%) Mourvedre. 

But this 2017 Parvata is a blend of Rhone varietals, somewhere between a GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre) and a CDP (Chateauneuf-du-Pape of which 70% is typicall GSM, the total can be from a possible thirteen sanctioned varietals). This release is 42% Mourvedre, 25% Grenache, 23% Syrah, and 'lesser' varietals, 4% Cinsault and 5% Counoie - 100% sourced from the Force Majeure Red Mountain Estate vineyard.

We've posted blogspots of the 2015 and 2016 releases but this is our first tasting of the 2017 release. It seems to be less fruit forward than the earlier releases.  

This was consistent with those earlier tastings. Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, this is black fruits accented by white pepper, dried herbs, leather and tobacco notes with bright lively acidity.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3519567

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/10/force-majeure-vineyards-site-visit-and.html

https://forcemajeurevineyards.com/ 

@ForceMVineyards 

We then served artisan cupcakes brought by neighbor Jan, and cupcakes brought by Debra. With the sweets, we opened several dessert wines from different regions with different profiles.

Alois Kracher Nouvelle Vague TBA - Trockenbeerenauslese Chardonnay No. 7 2001

We brought this from our home cellar and were holding it for a special occasion such as this. We hold a vast collection of labels and vintages from Kracher who offer a broad portfolio of dessert wines from Austria. This is from Seewinkel, an area in the Burgenland region of Austria, along the eastern shore of Lake Neusiedl,

Kracher is internationally regarded as one of the finest dessert wine makers. After Alois Kracher passed away in December 2007, his 27 year-old son Gerhard took over responsibility of winemaking and managing the winery. He carried on the tradition with the same veracity and dedication that his famous father once did with the same outcomes of extraordinary notable award winning wines.

Weinlaubenhof Alois Kracher estate vineyards possess a microclimate uniquely suited to the production of Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese wines. They have nearly 70 acres of vineyards planted with Welschriesling, Chardonnay, Traminer, Muskat Ottonel and Scheurebe.

This release was awarded 95 points by Wine Spectator, 94 points by Wine Enthusiast. and 18/20 points by Jancis Robinson.

Winemaker Notes - "Attractive aromas of ripe stone fruit, apricot jam, nuts and fresh herbs characterize this Welschriesling TBA, along with a silky texture and highly balanced acidity with pleasant floral notes on the elegant, salty finish."

In the fall of 2020 I wrote: "As I have written in the past, at their most desirable (to my taste preference) these wines are rich, thick, unctuous, and voluptuous with apricot marmalade, mango, toffee/brown sugar, and caramel notes. This may have been there at some point and perhaps passed that stage of its aging profile. If so, then it is time to drink although it will no doubt continue to age gracefully for several more years. But the rich, sweet apricot fruits nectar was diminished somewhat and has turned more to a smokey charcoal layer over the fruits which were more subdued. Delightful never-the-less

Copper and tea colored, full bodied, thick structured, rich concentrated notes of sweet orange marmelade, apple and apricot fruit nectar with of pain grille, honey and nutmeg spice on a long unctuous textured finish. 

 

RM 92 points.

From an earlier posting: https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/08/kracher-trockenbeeren-auslese-tba-7.html

In winter of 2018 - I gave this 91 Points.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/11/thanksgiving-feast-features-rhone-wine.html

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=19086

Ca' della Vignalta Colli Euganei Fior d'Arancio Fiore del Deserto Moscato (Muscat) Passito 2015

From Veneto, and area formerly part of the Colli Euganei DOC, it was established as a separate DOCG in 2010. The Veneto DOCG appellation specifies some significant production rules: 

• Grapes for Passito must be dried on or off the vine to achieve a minimum potential alcohol level of 15.5%
• Minimum alcohol level: 4.5% for Bianco dolce (10.5% potential); 6.0% for Spumante (10.5% potential); 9.0% for Passito (15.5% potential); 10.5% for Bianco secco
• Residual sugar: Minimum 100 g/l (10.0%) for Bianco dolce, Spumante, and Passito
• Aging: For Passito, minimum 1 year (ERD = November 1, V+1)

Az. Agricola Vignalta Fior d ' Arancio Colli Euganei have 346 acres of vineyards on the side of the highest of the Euganean hills outside the village of Arquà Petrarca southwest of Paduea, Italy, seventy kilometers southwest of Venice. They are planted primarily to Moscato as the principal White Grape Variety, with an average age of vines of 16 years.  The grape is particularly suitable for the production of complex and intensely aromatic Passito wines that perfectly pair with desserts and biscuits. They produce 76,700 cases per year of which 5.000 – 7.000 bottles are this Orange Muscat based Passito, produced in 375 ml bottles.

Az. Agricola Vignalta produce a wide portfolio of red, white, dessert and sparkling wines. This sweet muscat wine is predominantly based on Moscato Giallo grapes, which produce sweet and fresh wines, with distinguishing citrus notes. The label includes three different styles: dry white wine, sweet Passito, and bubbly spumante.

Fior d ' Arancio Colli Euganei Passito DOCG : it is a complex wine, with a bright golden yellow color that reaches light amber with time. It reveals aromas of yellow fruit in syrup, apricot and acacia honey. It manages to maintain a good balance between flavor and sweetness.

Winemaker notes -  "With its amber yellow colour and golden reflections, our Fior d’Arancio Passito captures at first sight thanks to the bright shades that it shows in the glass. The perfume is complex and elegant: balsamic notes of canned fruit, dry dates, candied figs, jams, honey, eucalyptus and vanilla stand out from the bouquet. Each sip is warm, embracing but not cloying and has a delicate almond husk final taste. Rich and balanced. Vinification: drying grapes in “fruttaio” for 4 months, crushing and squeezing rasin to obtain a very sweet must, fermenting in French oak barrel for 18 months."

Descriptions of the color of these wines vary based on the age and stage of their aging profile. These dessert wines start out golden or pale straw colored, and darken over time, turning deep golden, then light brownish, darker to orange rust, then a copper color, and finally even to a blackish weak coffee color. High quality versions from top vintages can age for fifty years or more.  

Tea copper colored, full bodied, complex  sweet notes of figs, hints of honey, raisins almonds and sweet tea on a smooth pleasant finish.

RM 91.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2734338

https://www.vignalta.it/en/

Diverse Reds for Duck Dogs and Ground Sirloin Burgers

Diverse Reds for Duck Inn Hot Dogs and Ground Sirloin Burgers

Returning from a overnight trip to Indiana, a day in Lafayette and a day in Indy, we stopped in St John to visit fellow Pour Boy Dr Dan and Linda for a impromptu dinner. Dan grilled 'Duck Dogs', produced by Duck Inn in Chicago as a tribute to the classic Chicago Hot Dog, all beef hot dogs with a small amount of duck fat, and grilled sirloin beef burgers. Both were delicious.

The Duck Inn Dog has received numerous local and national accolades, including being named Top Dog by Food Network and Best Hot Dogs in Chicago by Food & Wine magazine.

We dined at Duck Inn with the Pour Boys together back in 2021 as presented in this blogpost - Duck Inn Chicago Unique Dining Experience.

With dinner, Dan pulled from his cellar a medley of diverse reds. Putting a call out for requests, I asked if we could start with a California Pinot Noir, following our recent tastings of a flight of such wines. 

Dan served an ultra-premium Seasmoke Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir, followed by an ultra-premium Aussie Shiraz.

SeaSmoke 'Ten'  Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2015

This is from Sea Smoke's estate vineyard in the Santa Barbara's Santa Rita Hills AVA.

Dan is a member of their wine club and gets access to these highly allocated very popular wines.

Owner/producer Bob Davids acquired the property in 1999. They produce Pinot Noir grown exclusively on the south-facing hillsides of the estate vineyards. 

The Sta. Rita Hills AVA is the coolest, westernmost sub-region of the larger Santa Ynez Valley appellation within Santa Barbara County. It is known to have the perfect microclimate for growing world-class Pinot Noir, with crisp ocean breezes and well-drained, limestone-rich calcareous soils. The Santa Ynez River canyon funnels the cool maritime fog layer (sea "smoke") across the hillsides, slowing the ripening process and providing the extended maturation period essential to the development of top-quality Pinot Noir. The shallow clay soils are planted to French clones on vigor-reducing rootstocks, resulting in fewer grape clusters of intense flavor, ripening optimally while retaining brisk acidity and harmonious balance. 

Sea Smoke's "Ten" is named for the ten different Pinot Noir clones planted in their estate vineyard which all find their way into this bottling. 

Sea Smoke notes is "the most masculine wine of their multiple labels, brooding and intense, with firm, mature tannins and a long, velvety finish. Ten is not for the faint-of-heart and has been known, on occasion, to convert even the most fanatic Cabernet lover."

Winemaker Don Schroeder explains, “The wealth of clones at our vineyard is one of the keys to the complexity of our wines.” This bottling is made from all ten clones farmed directly from the organic- and Biodynamic-certified estate vineyard: Aged 16 months in French oak, it shows scents of chocolate syrup and baked plum pudding. A solemn Pinot, it remains extravagant with flavors of black cherry washed with rose petals and rhubarb. Tilled soil, beet root, and firm tannins prove its profundity."

 

Winemaker Notes - A brooding and intense wine. The dark fruit dominant aromas begin with notes of cola, Black Cherry and Blueberry, then some Asian spice, chocolate and a hint of Rose petals. Firm, mature tannins—evidence of Ten’s ageability—are followed by a long, velvety finish. 

The wine was aged for 16 months in 60% new French oak before bottling. 

This was rated  95 points by the Tasting Panel and 94 points by Wine Enthusiast and a Cellar Selection.

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, bright concentrated black cherry and black plum fruits with notes of clove spice, vanilla bean, pepper and earth.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2612871

https://www.seasmoke.com/

Next Dan pulled one of our favorite labels, a big hearty Aussie Shiraz.

Clarendon Hills "Piggott Range Vineyard" Syrah McLaren Vale South Australia 2011

I wrote about this label in an earlier blogpost. "This vintage release of this label was not as big or fruit filled as the other releases I have tasted, taking on a little bit more menthol and acidity than the more complex concentrated fruit flavors of the 2004 that we paired and compared. One Cellartracker reviewer MMack gave it 92 points and compared it to a CDP (Chateauneuf du Pape). Vivino reviewer DcLaxFan also likened it to a Rhone, he wrote "From a winery founded by a biochemist, the Syrah opens with a nose of smoked meat, mulberry, tapenade, and plum. Savory mouth of prunes, brisket, cassis, and earth. A wild, smoky, meaty feel like a Rhône Vacqueyras."'

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1953014

Dan then pulled from his cellar this surprise label. We both acquired this label as part of our wine club allocation from the producer. Linda and I actually took this label to Florida on our recent trip to enjoy but never got the chance to drink it and brought it back to have at a future occasion. Tonight, we got to try this new label bottling we've been eager to try! 

Force Majeure Walla Walla Estate Syrah 2020

This is from Force Majeure, an ultra-premium producer winery located in the Walla Walla Valley, specializing in estate-grown, single-vineyard Bordeaux and Rhône-inspired wines. Force Majeure wines are the handicraft of Todd Alexander, former winemaker for Bryant Family Vineyards and a couple of other notable Napa producers. He and his wife Carrie relocated their family to Walla Walla to take on the Force Majeure estate and brand. I featured Todd in these pages when he took on that role back in 2016 - Todd Alexander joins Force Majeure Winery.

We visited the Force Majeure Walla Walla Estate back in 2018 and wrote about that visit in this blogpost at the time - Force Majeure Vineyards Site Visit and Tasting, as part of our Walla Walla AVA Visit that provided the opportunity to visit this vibrant emerging wine region, meet some legendary winemakers on the Washington wine scene, and experience the best of Red Mountain and Walla Walla appellation wines. We walked the estate vineyards, source for this wine with the rocky soil, and thus were excited to eventually receive this release of this wine as part of our club allocation.

Force Majeure had recently acquired two new vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley. The site is within the boundaries of the The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA, just across the Oregon side of state line border. The portion of the vineyard outside The Rocks District is within the borders of the Walla Walla Valley AVA.

The Rocks District is named for the rocky deposits left by the Walla Walla River where the river exits the foothills of the Blue Mountains and enters the Walla Walla Valley. It resembles the gravelly soil of the Southern Rhone River Valley in Chateauneuf du Pape. The Rocks District of Milton Freewater is the country’s newest AVA. Wine Spectator calls this AVA “perhaps America’s most distinctive example of terroir."

The unique riverbed of cobblestones and pebbles is as much as two hundred feet deep, formed 12,000 years ago from massive floods that swept through the region caused by ruptures in the ice dam that held Montana's glacial Lake Missoula. The Rocks District is a 12-square mile alluvial fan of 3,770 acres. 

Force Majeure Walla Walla Estate Syrah 2020

The property is partially within the boundaries of the The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA, on the Oregon side of the border, and is located adjacent to the site of our new winery. The portion of the vineyard outside The Rocks District is within the borders of the Walla Walla Valley AVA. The Rocks District is an alluvial fan, and the cobbles that define the area are a result of deposits left by the Walla Walla River. 

This vineyard was planted between 1992 and 1994, and has a diverse soil profile covering the cobble stones, highest at the north end of the property and most shallow at the southern end. This gives us a lot of diversity within a small area, and the grapes will have different characteristics depending on the soil composition where they are grown. This vineyard is in an area proven to have very distinct terroir.

The unique topography and geological variants in these vineyards provide fruit characterized by stunning intensity, depth, concentration and complex flavors.

This wine was rated 20/20 points, Rand Sealey, Report on Washington Wines 

All Syrah that saw 30% stems and roughly 30% new barrels,

Inky dark purple garnet colored, medium to full bodied, bright vibrant complex black cherry with some blue fruit tones, with notes of earth, violet, pepper and herbs, with chalky minerality and tannins on the lingering finish. 

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4624205

https://forcemajeurevineyards.com/ 

@ForceMVineyards

Force Majeure Syrah 2015 w/ BBQ ribs

Force Majeure Syrah is a perfect pairing w/ BBQ ribs

We received our club allocation shipment today of Force Majeure Vineyards & Winery so we were eager to try the new releases of our favorite labels. As such though, as part of proper cellar inventory management, we pulled from the cellar the oldest vintage release and replaced it with the just received new arrival. 

Linda prepared baby back ribs which were a perfect accompaniment to the Force Majeure Syrah. 

Force Majeure Syrah 2015

We discovered and started collecting Force Majeure wines when we met and hosted winemaker and his wife, Marketing and Operations director during their release tour back in 2016. We posted this blog about that visit:

Todd Alexander joins Force Majeure Winery

 We visited the Force Majeure Vineyards Site and did a Tasting during our Walla Walla Wine Experience back in 2018. 

This is 100% Syrah sourced from the steep rocky sections of the top of the Red Mountain hillside vineyard. 

As this was the last bottle of our mixed case shipment of this wine, it was only logical that we showed three earlier tastings and tasting note postings for this label. There were posts from 2018, 2020, 2021, and here, the last bottle in early 2023

Each subsequent follow-on tasting began with or summarily stated, "Consistent with earlier tasting experiences." And as such, as to be expected, all were rated the same. 

Tonight, I might break that trend stating that at seven years, this wine is probably at its peak and finally showing its true profile, character and potential.Tonight this wine show more harmony, integration, and fullness and richness than earlier. As such I raised my rating for this final bottle.

Like before it was "Consistent with earlier tasting experience. Dark garnet colored, full-bodied, rich concentrated black berry fruits, hints of blue fruits, accented with layers of smokiness, minerality and tones of anise, black tea, black olive tapenade and hints of smokey meats, with bright lively acidity and cloying but approachable tannins on the tangy lingering finish." But, I gave it a 93-94 rating, improved from earlier, showing benefits and rewards for several years of aging. 

I've done enough tastings in these pages and beyond, that I trust my pallet and consistency of assessments over time.

My earlier reviews of this label, as posted on Cellartracker -

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/04/dual-syrahs-for-bbq-rib-dinner.html

Consistent with earlier tasting notes.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/12/force-majeure-red-mountain-syrah-2015.html

Dark garnet colored, full-bodied, rich concentrated black berry fruits, hints of blue fruits, accented with layers of smokiness, minerality and tones of anise, black tea, black olive tapenade and hints of smokey meats, with bright lively acidity and cloying but approachable tannins on the tangy lingering finish.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/10/force-majeure-vineyards-site-visit-and.html

 Watch for our next review of this label, which will be a subsequent later vintage release. I wish we had more of this 2015 but expect newer releases to be a fun adventure with hopefully equally pleasant memories!  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2659540

https://forcemajeurevineyards.com/

 

Force Majeure Parvata Red Blend with Beef Bourgogne

Force Majeure Parvata Red Blend with Beef Bourgogne

Linda prepared a delicious hearty beef bourgogne stew and I wanted a proper wine to pair for the occasion - something big and bold, but not overpowering, and complex to meld with the breadth and depth of flavors. I chose this Parvata Rhone varietal red blend from Force Majeure for its complexity of the blend.

We first featured this label in our Force Majeure Vineyards Site Visit and Tasting report.

Force Majeure Parvata Red Blend 2017

We originally discovered and acquired this label during our visit to Force Majeure in Walla Walla back in 2018. We hold three vintages of a mixed case from our wine club allocation orders.   

This is from their Force Majeaure Red Mountain Vineyard site in the central Columbia Valley. The Red Mountain site was the very first vineyard on the steep, rocky upper slopes of Red Mountain. Developing the Red Mountain estate vineyards involved carefully matching varietal and clonal selections and vineyard trellising and irrigation to the eight distinct soil types in the vineyard.

Parvata means “mountain” in sanskrit, and hence is the name for Force Majeure's southern Rhône style blend, grown in the sandy, loamy soils of the lower section of the Red Mountain vineyard.

Parvata is a a classic Rhone River Blend that the French, and in the new World, the Australians, call GSM, for the blend of the three Rhone varietals, (25%) Grenache, (23%) Syrah, and (42%) Mourvedre. 

But this 2017 Parvata is a blend of Rhone varietals, somewhere between a GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre) and a CDP (Chateauneuf-du-Pape of which 70% is typicall GSM, the total can be from a possible thirteen sanctioned varietals). This release is 42% Mourvedre, 25% Grenache, 23% Syrah, and 'lesser' varietals, 4% Cinsault and 5% Counoie - 100% sourced from the Force Majeure Red Mountain Estate vineyard.

We've posted blogspots of the 2015 and 2016 releases but this is our first tasting of the 2017 release. It seems to be less fruit forward than the earlier releases. 

Dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, this is black fruits accented by white pepper, dried herbs, leather and tobacco notes with bright lively acidity.

RM 92 points.

The 2015 seemed to more fruit forward, more the style we love, with its dark blackish garnet purple colored, full bodied, rich unctuous concentrated black and blue fruits accented by white pepper and tones of dried herbs with bright lively acidity.

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3519567

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/10/force-majeure-vineyards-site-visit-and.html

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2659538

https://forcemajeurevineyards.com/ 

@ForceMVineyards 

https://forcemajeurevineyards.com/wp/

Force Majeure Red Wine BYOB Fried Green Tomatoes Galena

Force Majeure Red Wine BYOB Fried Green Tomatoes Restaurant in historic Galena, IL

The first stop of our cross country roadtrip getaway was the historic town of Galena (IL) where we stayed in a farmhouse amidst the vineyards of Galena Cellars Vineyards and Winery. This was one of the first nights out on our cross country road trip on which we took several of our favorite label wines from our home cellar to enjoy BYOB or with carry-out dinners at our hotel or other special venues.

We dined the first night downtown Galena at Fried Green Tomatoes Restaurant, purveyor of Italian and American Cuisine. I ordered a New York Strip steak with their port wine reduction sauce and mashed potatoes. To accompany our dinner, we brought BYOB from our home cellar a Big Red Blend from Washington State Columbia Valley.  

Fried Green Tomatoes Restaurant is in the historic Galena, IL, home to former US Civil War General and US President Ulysses S. Grant. From the restaurant website ...

"In 1854, Jesse R. Grant (General Grant’s Father) owned the Leather and Finding Store located in this building, Grant dealt in all kinds of leather, coach trimmings, saddlery hardware, shoemaker's kits, and findings. Ulysses S. Grant, a West Point graduate and experienced military officer, moved to Galena in 1860 to help his father and brothers with the leather business.

In 1900, Frank Owen, who was a mayor of Galena, ran a saloon in the upper part of the building. For nearly three-quarters of the 20th century, the Dowling Building was a monument shop. Most recently, the building housed a drug store, a sports outfitter, and an antique store.

Restaurant owner, Fred Bonnet, wanted a building with history and vintage character to support the distinctive dining. “I left the brickwork exposed. I left the patterns on the wall and reproduced them elsewhere in the restaurant. The history of the building Mr. Dowling built is part of the experience for our guests,” explains Bonnet."

Force Majeure Washington State Columbia Valley Red Mountain Ptera Red Wine 2012

We visited the Force Majeure Vineyards Site Visit and Tasting in Walla Walla Washington back in 2018. We met winemaker Todd Alexander and marketing director and wife Carrie when they visited us in Chicago during a release tour stop in Chicago in 2016. As a member of their wine club we've collected a selection of their red wines every since, as well as older vintages dating back a decade such as this Force Majeure 2012 vintage release. 

his vintage release is a unique blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. This label, Ptera, was only made in a few vintages and quickly become a mailing list favorite. This was from the Force Majeure Collaboration Series, begun in 2004 with a partnership between viticulturist Ryan Johnson, owners Paul and Susan McBride and seven specially selected winemakers, each chosen for their proficiency with various grape varietals and styles.

The “Collaboration Series” was produced in small quantities of Bordeaux- and Rhone-inspired wines, sourced from the notable Ciel du Cheval Vineyard from 2004 to 2013, and including in later years the Force Majeure Vineyard.  This and the follow on 2013 release were the final vintage for the “Collaboration Series” wines, as Force Majeure estate production increased to allow them to be a completely estate-focused winery sourcing fruit from their own vineyards.

This label was a unique blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. It was awarded 95 points by The Wine Advocate and 91 points by Wine Spectator. 

Completely consistent with earlier tasting notes of this label release, at nearing a decade old, this was likely at its prime, at the apex of its drinking window and profile. The cork was in perfect condition as shown.

Dark inky purple garnet colored, full bodied, firmly structured but nicely balanced and approachable full black raspberry and black berry fruits are accented by notes of cola, coffee, spices with lead pencil graphite and floral turning to fine grained tannins on the long lingering finish.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2236027

https://forcemajeurevineyards.com/wp/

https://www.friedgreen.com/

Force Majeure Parabellum Coulée Rhone Blend 2018

Force Majeure Parabellum Coulée Columbia Valley Rhone Blend 2018 

For pairing with BBQ rib dinner we opened this big Syrah based Rhone blend from our wine club allocation shipments from producer Force Majeure.

We discovered, tasted and acquired this wine during our Force Majeure Vineyards Site Visit and Tasting as part of our Walla Walla Wine Experience 2018. We first met Force Majeure winemaker Todd Alexander and marketing, distribution and branding exec Carrie Alexander during the Chicago stop of their promotion tour in 2016 when we hosted them at Italian Village in Chicago. Since then we've acquired a respectable collection of Force Majeure wines, hence, they were one of our shortlist priority visits when we planned our Washington State, Columbia Valley wine trip.

Our visit to the Force Majeure estate vineyard in the Walla Walla Rocks AVA, was a highlight of our visit to the region, hosed by Todd's wife, Carrie Alexander who manages marketing and operations. Since then, they have purchased property at and planted vineyards at the North Fork of the Walla Walla river and have released their own Paxsa Brand and labels. Both Force Majeure and Paxsa brands focus on Rhone as well as Bordeaux varietals. 

Linda loved the sister label to this bottle, Force Majeure Parvata Red Blend 2015, that we took to Duck Inn Chicago unique dining experience BYOB which was a standout that evening. That bottle was another label that discovered and acquired during our Walla Walla appellation and estate visit. 

We tasted the next most recent vintage of this label, the Force Majeure Parabellum Coulée Red Blend 2019 for a special dinner last fall with son Alec. 

Tonight we opened the Force Majeure Parabellum Coulée Rhone Blend 2018.

This is from the Parabellum brand, the second-tier of Force Majeure wines, yet still produced with care to reflect the varieties and terroir and be approachable for early consumption and gratification, without constraints on blending. Parabellum and the rest of the brand are intended to "provide an opportunity to savor an authentic wine of distinction at a great value." To that end, Parabellum wines are unrestrained imaginative blends of both Bordeaux and Rhone varietals and offer good QPR.

While many of these blends are called GSM, a reference to common blend of Rhone varietals Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, the blend of this release, contains northern and southern Rhone varietals, but is 90% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre, a blend much to our liking since we're lovers of Syrah, one of our favored varietals. 

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/10/force-majeure-vineyards-site-visit-and.html

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2659538

https://forcemajeurevineyards.com/wp/wines/parabellum/

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3979164 

Force Majeure Parabellum Coulée Columbia Valley Rhone Blend 2018

This is sourced from Force Majeure Estate Vineyards from both the Rocks region of Walla Walla and the estate vineyard on Red Mountain, from the Red Mountain AVA, in the Columbia River valley in central Washington State.

As its name suggests, it is actually neither a mountain nor is it composed of red earth. The area’s springtime proliferation of cheatgrass, which has a reddish color, actually gives the area the name, "Red" Mountain. 

The appellation is an anticline of the Yakima fold belt, a series of geologic folds that define a number of viticultural regions in the surrounding area on the eastern edge of Yakima Valley with slopes facing southwest towards the Yakima River. The terroir of soils, sunlit slopes exposure, and climate are ideal for the ripening of grapes. 

The steep upper slopes of Red Mountain, sit at 960 to 1,230 feet elevation and produce some of the most mineral-driven, tannic and age-worthy red wines of Washington. It is just about the hottest appellation with normal growing season temperatures commonly reaching above 90F. The soil is particularly poor in nutrients and has a high pH, which results in significantly smaller berry sizes compared to varietal norms. The low juice to skin ratio in smaller berries combined with the strong, dry summer winds, leads to higher tannin levels in Red Mountain grapes.

Red Mountain is relatively new to the fine wine scene. Force Majeure were pioneers in planting some of the very first vineyards on the steep, upper slopes of Red Mountain. The first wine pioneers to the region initially walked the land in the summer of 1972. They found a gently sloping sagebrush covered hillside that had been largely overlooked by both early settlers and local indigenous peoples. There were no roads, wells, power- lines or any other signs of civilization. 

Planted in those early days focused on carefully matching the optimal varietal and clonal selections, trellising and irrigation to the nine distinct soil types formed by the ancient Missoula floods, winds and volcanic activity. The result was a vineyard articulated into many small "micro-blocks," to meet the management demands of this unique and dynamic site. Due to the rough, rocky nature of the acreage and elevations ranging from 960 to 1,230 feet, mechanization is virtually impossible in the upper portion of Force Majeure, requiring true "farming by hand," while the lower blocks of the vineyard are comprised of deep, well-drained Warden soils. 

The Red Mountain AVA is the smallest appellation in the state. AVA status was achieved in 2001. Red Mountain now hosts approximately fifty-four vineyards covering more than 2300 acres, making Red Mountain one of the most densely planted AVA's with 57% of the 4,040 acres of the AVA currently planted. 

The climate and terroir boasts approximately 3,200 degree days but with significantly higher total acids than are typically found in this warm a region. It has 2 hours more sunlight per day during the growing season than Napa Valley and receives only five to six inches of annual rainfall a year.

The terroir coupled with the diversity of the vineyards results in versatility to grow a variety of fruit characterized by intensity, depth and concentration, complex flavors and fine tannins. The reds of the area tend to express dark black and blue fruit, deep concentration, complex textures, high levels of tannins and as previously noted, have good aging capabilities.

The producer website says this is a blend of 86% Syrah 14% Mourvèdre, wine reviewer Jeb Dunnuck writes its is a blend of 93% Syrah and 7% Mourvèdre. As shown above, the rear label of our bottle says 90% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre.

Dark inky purple plum colored, full bodied, round, textured, black berry, black raspberry and hints of blueberry fruits with cassis, spice, hints of pepper and black tea with notes of floral violets, Red Mountain minerality, and a firm full tangy tannin laced lingering finish. 

RM 93 points.  

 

This label release was awarded 93-95 points by Jeb Dunnuck. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3612601

https://twitter.com/ForceMVineyards 

https://forcemajeurevineyards.com/ 

@ForceMVineyards

 

Force Majeure Parabellum Coulée Red Blend 2019

Force Majeure Parabellum Coulée Columbia Valley GSM Red Blend 2019

With D-in-law Vivianna out of town visiting a bereaving friend, son Alec came over for dinner and we selected a special bottle to accompany Linda's dinner of grilled steaks, baked potatoes, haricot verts and asparagus.

We recently received our annual vintage release case assortment shipment of Force Majeure Columbia Valley wines and we were eager to try this hearty GSM - Syrah blend, one of Linda's favorite labels. After the Force Majeure Parvata Syrah was such a blockbuster hit at our Pour Boys wine dinner last month, Linda is especially fond of this producer and label.

Our visit to Force Majeure estate vineyards in Walla Walla was a highlight of our Walla Walla Wine Experience trip to the region back in 2017 and we were hosted and our estate visits were orchestrated by Force Majeure Carrie Alexander. Once Covid subsides, our Pour Boys wine group is looking forward to visiting the region for some select estate visits and wine dinners. 

Force Majeure Parabellum Coulée Columbia Valley Rhone Blend GSM 2019

Force Majeure is a collaborative project of emerging superstar winemaker Todd Alexander in partnership with proprietors Paul and Susan McBride when they acquired the winery in 2014. Todd earned his stripes and gained notoriety as winemaker for Bryant Family Vineyard in the Napa Valley, one of the top producers of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. He was drawn to Washington and Columbia Valley by the opportunity to develop his own brands and labels based on underappreciated viticulture there. 

We first met Todd and Carrie Alexander when they visited us here in Chicago while they were traveling on their promotion and release tour back in 2016. 

Our visit to the Force Majeure estate vineyard in the Walla Walla Rocks AVA, was a highlight of our visit to the region, hosed by Todd's wife, Carrie Alexander who manages marketing and operations. Since then, they have purchased property at and planted vineyards at the North Fork of the Walla Walla river and have released their own Paxsa Brand and labels. Both Force Majeure and Paxsa brands focus on Rhone as well as Bordeaux varietals. Recent releases have also featured Pinot Noir from the region. 

This label is sourced from the estate vineyard located on the steep upper slopes of Red Mountain, sitting at 960 to 1,230 feet elevation in the Columbia River valley in central Washington State. This is from the Parabellum brand, the second-tier of Force Majeure wines, yet still produced with care to reflect the varieties and terroir and be approachable for early consumption and gratification, without constraints on blending. Parabellum and the rest of the brand are intended to "provide an opportunity to savor an authentic wine of distinction at a great value." To that end, Parabellum wines are unrestrained imaginative blends of both Bordeaux and Rhone varietals.

I called this a GSM above, a reference to common blend of Rhone varietals Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. This is a blend of northern and southern Rhone varietals, almost akin to a Syrah heavy Chateauneuf-du-Pape, consisting of 76% Syrah, 11% Grenache, 7% Mourvedre, 4% Cinsault and 2% Counoise.  

Garnet purple colored, medium-full bodied, complex concentrated vibrant black fruits with notes of olive tapenade, black pepper and tea with hints of bitter dark mocha chocolate with dusty tannins on a lingering finish. 

RM 92 points. 

https://forcemajeurevineyards.com/wp/wines/parabellum/

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3979164

https://twitter.com/ForceMVineyards