Showing posts with label Red Wine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Red Wine. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Mark Ryan Water Witch Red Mountain Red Wine 2015

Mark Ryan Water Witch Red Mountain Red Wine 2015

On one of our last nights at home before taking an extended road trip, Linda prepared grilled filets of beef with pasta and a hearty red sauce with homegrown tomatoes and herbs, baked bread and grilled asparagus. I pulled from the cellar this full bore complex aged vintage Washington State Red Mountain Red Blend Cabernet for the occasion.This was a perfect pairing of food and wine enhancing the enjoyment of both for a fabulous meal.



We discovered, tasted and acquired this wine at the producer's Woodinville tasting room during our Seattle/Woodinville Wine Experience in 2018. Mark Ryan Winery was actually recommended to us by one of the other producers that we visited during that tour. We weren't aware of or familiar to the producer previously.

As featured in my producer profile and visit report at that time, Mark Ryan wines are the artwork of Mark Ryan McNeilly a self taught winemaker who learned the craft working with well known producers, acquiring Bordeaux varietal grapes from renowned vineyards in the Columbia Valley Red Mountain appellation.

Established in 1999 in Woodinville, Washington, by Mark Ryan McNeilly, Mark Ryan Winery produces an extensive portfolio of wines from across the region, but is most notably known for several art crafted Bordeaux Blends.

McNeilly crushed and produced his first vintages in garages of friends and family and in the years since its founding, the winery has grown in size, earning respect and acclaim from both wine lovers and critics. 

In 2017, production shifted from Woodinville to Walla Walla, allowing tasting rooms to open in both cities and helping Mark Ryan become the 14th largest winery in Washington. 

Specializing on Red Mountain. Mark Ryan McNeilly produces wine from grapes grown in the high desert, on a very warm site. They are "big-shouldered wines that we coax a great amount of finesse and elegance. We utilize specific vineyard sites to create our style, and have continued adding a portfolio of the most sought-after vineyards in Horse Heaven Hills, Yakima Valley, and Columbia Valley."

We tasted and acquired these wines at the Mark Ryan tasting room in Woodinville, Washington 

 Woodinville is a Seattle suburb that has become a wine mecca with several dozen tasting rooms of producers of wines sourced from vineyards in the Columbia Valley in the center of the State, three hours to the east. The tasting rooms inhabit numerous free standing sites as well as several commercial centers that resemble outlet malls but filled with wine producers. 

We tasted this wine flight as part of the wine flight offered at the Mark Ryan tasting room that included Burgundian varietals, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Oregon, as well as several Bordeaux varietal blends sourced from the Washington State central Columbia Valley. 
 
The scheduled tasting flight on offer for the day was as follows and as pictured. This is a great bargain to taste this range of quality wines for $15, which is refundable with purchase. As usual, we tasted, and acquired several wines beyond the standard flight.  
 
Mark Ryan dutifully lists the vineyard sources for each of its wines accordingly. They represent the notable famous sites from the Central Washington State appellations. Vineyards and their applicable appellations that provide grapes for Mark Ryan Wines include Red Willow from the Yakima Valley AVA, the famous Ciel du Cheval vineyard from Red Mountain AVA, Klipsun, Red Mountain, Quintessence and Obelisco Vineyards from Red Mountain, Olsen Vineyard and Red Willow from Yakima Valley and Phinny Hill Vineyard from the Horse Heaven Hills AVA.

The fact that these famous vineyards source grapes to many producers, the differences in their various labels is the result of their handicraft of winemaking since they all come the same sites, rather than the difference of the vineyard sites themselves. Never-the-less, we were extremely impressed with the quality of wines coming out of the Columbia Valley producers. 

Many of these wines rival the premium wines from California notable regions such as Napa and Sonoma Valleys, some at relative bargain prices of up to half less, since they don't yet have the cache of the more historic areas. 
 
Like many of the Woodinville and region's producers, Mark Ryan sources its fruit from growers of the large established vineyards. Many of these are long established relationships under contracts for specific rows of a vineyard or blocks. While not Estate wines, where the grapes are sourced from producer owned sites, it offers the next best thing. This is important of course to reflect Terroir, the unique essence of climate, soil, site, as it manifests itself in the wine, consistently over time, from vintage to vintage. 

Readers of these pages know we're fans and collectors more based on Bordeaux Varietal wines and have we focused the following wines that were comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Interesting, these wines were based on grapes sourced from the same vineyards, as noted above and were largely differentiated by the composition of the Blend of the grapes in each label.  

Mark Ryan "Water Witch" Washington State Red Mountain Red Wine 2015

Vineyard Source was the Quintessence Vineyards on Red Mountain

Producer's note:

Quintessence Vineyards is a 410-acre parcel of land with a base elevation of 675 feet, rising to 1,025 feet as it reaches Red Mountain AVA's southwest-facing slopes. Quintessence founders Dick Shaw and Paul Kaltinick planted their first vines as partners on Red Mountain in 2010. They launched Quintessence with a planting of 68 acres along Red Mountain's southwestern slope. Positive response was immediate, with customers pointing to "world class vineyard management" and "spectacular fruit" as some outstanding attributes. Additional planting followed, with similar success. Now, with the expansion along the eastern ridge and slop of Red Mountain, Quintessence will encompass some 300 acres in total. Quintessence is made up of premium land, a talent for farming, dedicated management, ideal growing conditions, and a love for what they do.

310 cases produced; aged in 70% new French oak barrels

This is a classic traditional 'left bank' Bordeaux Blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot.

Tonight's tasting was consistent with that previous tasting of this wine back in the fall of 2018 

This was dark garnet and purplish colored, full bodied, rich concentrated bright forward extracted black raspberry fruit accented by layers of exotic spices, sweet mocha chocolate and notes of sweet oak and creme de cassis with silky polished tannins on a full long smooth polished finish.

This was rated 93 points by Jeb Dunnuck and 92-94 Points by The Wine Advocate.

As with my first tasting, tonight I gave this 93 points. 



Wednesday, August 24, 2022

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/


Thursday, September 21, 2017

Forts Latour Quilceda Red Wine

Forts de Latour, Quilceda Creek, Pommery for Outer Banks beachhouse deck beef tenderloin dinner

We're spending the week on the Outer Banks of North Carolina (OBX) at a beach house and brought a case of wine to enjoy with our prepared meals. The featured wine of the mid-week dinner was Les Forts de Latour, a tribute to son-in-law Johnnie Fort and daughter Erin. Les Forts is the second label to the flagship Grand Vin Latour, which we served from a 6 liter Imperial at their wedding, but that wine is over the top price wise for even special occasion serving such as this for most of us.

The Grand Vin Latour 1990 was rated 100 points and was anointed Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator in 1993, which only adds further to its lofty heights and associated prices. We hold a few bottles of the Grand Vin which at prices approaching $1000 each I call 'once in a lifetime' event wines, as opposed to 'once a year', 'once a month/week', and 'everyday' wines.

The 1990 vintage was so highly regarded globally, this was the first of three years and wines from the vintage to receive Wine of the Year acclaim - the Latour from Bordeaux, one from California (Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Special Selection 1990, in 1994). and one from Australia (Penfolds Shiraz South Australia Grange 1990, in 1995).

This bottle was from our collection of birth year wines from the 1990 vintage commemorating son Alec's vintage, a fitting tribute for a special family dinner, to serve such a selection. As the second label of a 'perfect' wine, it lived up to lofty expectations.

Before dinner, Ryan opened a bottle of Pommery Champagne that he brought from his home cellar. An ideal starter for a festive dinner on the deck.

Our second bottle of the evening, to fill out the flight and compare opposite the Latour was an American Meritage (a Bordeaux style blend) from producer Quilceda Creek in Washington State. This was from the 2006 vintage, the wedding anniversary year of Erin and Johnnie.

Our feature dinner preparation for the evening was beef tenderloin with twice baked potatos and brussel sprouts. The Les Forts and Quilceda Red were idea matches for the food and were each extraordinary.

Dining on the beach house deck looking out on the dunes and the roaring ocean surf below provided a spectacular and memorable setting. During dinner we witnessed a fox crossing the property and an overflight of military helicopter and formation of fighter jets.

Chateau Les Forts de Latour 1990

As stated, this is the second label wine from the prestigious First Growth Chateau Latour which dates back to the 16th century. The Latour vineyards cover 80 hectares (2.2 acres per hectare), 48 of which are adjacent to the chateau, known as the "Enclos." The Enclos consists of a ridge that peaks at 16 meters above the level of the Gironde River which makes up the Bordeaux valley region. The grape varietals planted on the estate, typical of the Medoc (The Right Bank of the Bordeaux region),  are comprised of  75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The first vintage of Forts de Latour was in 1966 and constant work in the vineyard and in the cellars has resulted in achieving the level of a top Medoc classified growth.

An extraordinary wine from an extraordinary vintage, the Forts de Latour was a perfect accompaniment to the superb preparation of the beef tenderloin that one could cut with a fork.

Opaque, ruby colored, medium bodied, a full bouquet of violets floral perfume and forest floor that holds on the breath in the mouth long after sipping, silky smooth, sinewy, polished notes of black currant fruit seamlessly integrated with notes of tobacco, leather, hints of cassis and touch of cedar and spice on the almost delicate tannin finish.

At 27 years, this resembles a mature Bordeaux that seems to be at the latter stage of its drinking window, not likely to improve further with aging, but not to be rushed to consumption either. Indeed, we still hold a half case of this wine acquired en premier (as futures prior to release) to commemorate son Alec's birth year, holding and anticipating for more special occasions or family events.

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4397

http://www.chateau-latour.com/en/a-time-for-sharing/les-forts-de-latour
 
Quilceda Creek Red Wine 2006
Like the Forts de Latour, this is also a second label wine of a prestigious producer, from the Washington State Columbia Valley producer Quilceda Creek, known for Cabernets and other Bordeaux varietal wines, including this proprietary Red Wine blend of Bordeaux varietals. The blend of this vintage is similar to that of the blend in Forts de Latour, in the Right Bank style - 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% each Cabernet Franc and Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. 

Even at 11 years, this was half the age of the Forts de Latour. While similar in the blend of Bordeaux varietals, this was more in the American style at a walloping 15.2% alcohol as compared to more subdued 12.5% of the Bordeaux.  

This was dark inky garnet colored, medium-full bodied, concentrated structured forward black berry and black raspberry fruits with notes of kirsch, almost cherry cola like with dark mocha chocolate, hints of cedar, tones of tobacco and leather on the structured tannin lingering finish. 

RM 92 points. 


After dinner dessert included chocolate cake, red velvet cake and ice cream - chocolate, strawberry and vanilla (below). 





 

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Pahlmeyer Jason Napa Valley Red Wine 2004

Pahlmeyer Jason Napa Valley Red Wine 2004

Dear friends Bob and Gloria are moving to Florida so we took them to dinner at Angeli's Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria. To commemorate the occasion I took a bottle I have been holding for a special dinner with them, Pahlmayer Jason, a namesake bottle of their eldest son. We have several bottles of this vintage label in our cellar that we have been holding and it appears we have been rewarded for being patient as this is drinking splendidly at a dozen years of age. Reading comments on Cellartracker that this needed more time when tasted young, this could be at the apex of its drinking window now, not likely to improve further, but really nice right now.

Upon opening, sweet floral and berry aromas burst forth and filled the room. Dark garnet purple colored, medium full bodied, bright vibrant full forward flavors of black raspberry with tones of blueberry, sweet currants, tangy spice and hints of sweet caramel and whisper of tobacco leaf with nicely integrated sweet tangy oak on the lingering finish.

RM 93 points.

This is Pahlmeyer's Bordeaux Blend -  60% Merlot, 
38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc, 
1% Petit Verdot.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=296642

https://www.pahlmeyer.com/wines/jayson/jayson-red/2004/