Uriah Spring Valley Red Blend 2015

 Uriah Spring Valley Vineyard Red Blend

Wife Linda's friends took her out to lunch for her birthday at local popular trattoria Gia Mia in Naperville. She brought back for me, take-out, one of my favorite dishes from there, their Meatballs al Forno, Veal Meatballs with Creamy Polenta and Roasted Tomato Sauce.

I picked up some artisan cheeses including Raclette cheese which was featured in our spectacular dinner the other night at 3-Michelin Star Alinea restaurant, that we were eager to try. 

For this favored meal combination, for a nice relaxed evening dinner together, I pulled from the cellar one of my favorite drinking Right Bank Bordeaux varietal blends from one of our favorite producers, Spring Valley Vineyards. 

We visited Spring Valley during our appellation visit to the Walla Walla (Washington) wine region in the fall of 2018. We visited the Spring Valley Vineyard tasting room in downtown Walla Walla, then ventured out to the vineyards and winery northeast of town. There, we met Dean Derby patriarch, and husband to Shari Corkrum Derby, grand-daughter of Uriah Corkrum, namesake for this label. Meeting Mr. Derby was one of the highlights of our Walla Walla Wine Experience, especially since he has since passed on. We posted a Tribute to Dean Derby and memorium of that visit - Spring Valley Vineyard toward the end of 2021. 

All of the Spring Valley wines are named for one of the ancestral or current family members. Spring Valley Vineyard wines are all produced from 100% estate-grown fruit, a relative rarity in Washington.

Washington State and regional powerhouse Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates purchased the winery and the brand from the Derby family recently, but they continue to own and operate the vineyards.

The complete lineup of Spring Valley wines featuring the family member labels is featured in a boxed set. Shown is our set commemorating the 2013 vintage releases.

Spring Valley Vineyards Uriah Red Blend 2015

The Spring Valley Vineyards adjacent to the
farmstead site

This label, Uriah, is named for the Spring Valley Vineyards founder Uriah Corkrum, grandfather of matriarch Shari Corkrum Derby. Born in Walla Walla on June 1, 1866, he began successfully farming on his own during the 1880s. Unusual summer rain kept him from getting his harvested wheat to the warehouse so he lost everything in the depression of 1893. He persevered and, in 1897, acquired land in the area known as Spring Valley that is the site of the vineyards today. Uriah is featured on the flagship label Uriah Spring Valley Red Blend. This is our favorite label from the Spring Valley portfolio. 

This is 100% sourced from Spring Valley Vineyards in the wind-shaped Palouse Hills 12 miles northeast of Walla Walla, amid the picturesque wheat fields of southeastern Washington and the Blue Mountains in the distance. The initial block of Merlot was planted in 1993 on a southern hillside facing southwest. The vines follow the north-south slope of the hills in vertical rows, an orientation that when combined with the declination of the slope, allows the vines to take optimal advantage of air drainage, sunshine, and the reflective nature of the surrounding wheat fields.

The 2015 vintage was one of the warmest growing seasons on record in Washington. Warm temperatures continued through the spring and summer, moderating slightly into fall and extending an early harvest. Overall, 2015 saw very favorable growing conditions, producing optimal ripening across varieties and yielding outstanding wines throughout the region.

This label, Uriah, is a Right Bank Bordeaux Blend, meaning it is predominantly Merlot based rather than Cabernet, complemented by Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. This release has a high percentage of Cabernet Franc which provides spiciness and bright flavor sprites.

This 2015 release is a blend or Bordeaux varietals, 43% Cabernet Franc, 38% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec. It was aged 18 months in 100% French oak, 40% new.

Winemaker Tasting Notes: “Our most terroir driven blend, mostly Cabernet Franc and Merlot. A rich wine coming from one of the warmest harvests. The tannins are velvety and the finish is long and soft.”
~ Serge Laville, Winemaker.

This was rated 93 Points by Wine & Spirits, 92 Points by James Suckling, 91 Points by Wine Spectator, and 90 points by Sean Sullivan of Wine Advocate. 

We hold half dozen vintages of this label and pulled the oldest vintage as part of effective cellar management rotation. 

At eight years this is probably at its peak, the apex of its drinking profile, not likely to improve further with aging, but certainly to age gracefully for another decade if you're patient enough to keep it that long. 

Bright garnet colored, medium bodied, elegant polished, rich but approachable for pleasant but sophisticated drinking, its right-bank style blend shows vibrant black berry and dark plum fruits with notes of cassis, spice, floral and hints of balsamic and herbs with dusty minerality with polished soft tannins on the lingering finish.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2648699

Linked referenced in this blog:

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/10/spring-valley-vineyards-tasting-and.html

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/11/spring-valley-vineyards-nina-syrah-2017.html

https://www.springvalleyvineyard.com/

Couly-Dutheil Chinon Rosé René

Couly-Dutheil Chinon Rosé René Couly Cabernet Franc 2021

We very rarely do Rose' wines but opened this one with some hearty artisan cheeses we picked up that were said to favor such wines. I was intrigued by this label that is 100% Cabernet Franc, a Bordeaux varietal normally produced as a bold spicy red wine or in the blend to add color, structure and spicy flavors.  We served an aged Gouda, a Havarti and a Raclette cheese which we discovered when it was featured in our spectacular dinner the other night at 3-Michelin Star Alinea Restaurant.

Domaine Couly Dutheil is managed by Arnaud Couly Dutheil, great-grandson of Baptiste Dutheil who founded the Domaine in 1921. Established by Baptiste Dutheil, then developed by René Couly who married Madeleine Dutheil, the House of Couly-Dutheil has become over the years one of the great name for Chinon wines. Today, Couly-Dutheil remains a family house owned by the third and fourth generation. 

 

The Chinon appellation surrounds the historic town of Chinon, and encompasses 26 communes on both sides of the Vienne River, a tributary of the Loire, up to the point where it joins the Loire. The terroir consists of alluvial terraces of sand and gravel that were deposited by the Vienne . The region enjoys a temperate climate of semi-oceanic type favorable to the cultivation of wine.

 

The Chinon region terroir has all the qualities of the greatest soils, semi-oceanic climate that is exceptionally mild and benefits of long sunny periods. The variety of soils and their particular qualities allows the Cabernet Franc (98% of the vineyard plantings) to express all its fineness and its celebrated “taffetas” within a range of strong personalities. 

 

The Couly Dutheil Estate owns 235 aeres of vineyards in Chinon and 17 acres in Turquant, in the Saumur and Saumur Champigny appellations. The best plots of the Domaine are a showcase of the different terroirs of the Chinon appellation.  

The Domaine contains the famous “Clos de l'Olive” and “Clos de L’Echo” vineyards. Monopole Couly Dutheil Clos de l'Echo and Clos de l'Olive located opposite the fortress of Chinon, on clay-limestone soils, with the presence of blue clays, the same ones that made the reputation of the legendary Pétrus.  

 

Domaine Couly Dutheil is best known for three powerful and complex cuvées, from plots planted with vines aged 50 years and over: Clos de L'Echo, Clos de L'Olive and Clos de l'Echo Crescendo. These three cuvées have achieved a worldwide reputation. 

 

While Couly Dutheil is most known for its Chinon rosé, they also produce white wines, a rarity for the Chinon appellation. Chinon blanc Les Chanteaux: exclusively from Chenin, a cuvée that requires 3 to 4 sortings produces a “tender dry” wine with aromas of white fruits and citrus fruits. 

 

Couly-Dutheil Chinon Rosé René Couly Cabernet Franc 2021 

 

Chinon Rosé René Couly is produced by pressing the grapes, selected from a parcel  exclusively in Chinon. It produces a wine described by the winemaker: "lovely pink color, with a fresh and fruity nose showing floral notes. A fruited palate with persistent and refreshing flavors, this wine is well-balanced, easy to drink and elegant. Delightfully aromatic and showcasing the classic structure associated with the Chinon terroir, this rosé wine is perfectly suited to enjoy as an aperitif and to accompany a meal. Can be kept for two or three years."

Wine pundit Roger Voss of Wine Enthusiast says, "Pure Cabernet Franc gives this wine both its smooth texture and perfumed character. Vanilla and ripe strawberry fruits make a comfortable mélange of flavors. Drink the wine now". Roger Voss WE 87 points. 

Pink colored, light medium bodied, aromatic with floral and stone fruit notes, nicely balanced for pleasant easy drinking although it is firmly structured such that it could be an aperitif or stand up to food or hearty cheese. Such was the case tonight and it proved to be a wise choice for pairing.

 

RM 88 points 

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4325603
 

https://www.coulydutheil-chinon.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/

Pavillon de Léoville Poyferré

Pavillon de Léoville Poyferré

Still basking in the high of our spectacular dinner at 3-Michelin Star Alinea Restaurant, I wanted a special wine to enjoy with left over grilled ribeye beefsteak from our wine dinner the other evening, sliced and served as charcuterie with some artisan cheeses and a wedge salad, I pulled from the cellar this perennial favorite producer label from Château Léoville Poyferré.

Our visit and tour of Château Leoville Poyferré in St Julien Bordeaux was one of the highlights of our our trip to the region back in 2019, hence I was eager to taste this moderately aged release of this label.  And having just met owner/producer Anne Cuvelier from the storied family at the recent UGCB 2020 Vintage Release Tour tasting Chicago 2023, this was a perfect label to revisit those special memories. 

This is the second wine of the famous Cru Classé Château Léoville Poyferré, Pavillon is produced from the youngest vines of the famous estate. Bordering some of the most prestigious Bordeaux estates such as Pichon Baron and Léoville Las Cases, Chateau Leoville Poyferre has a long history dating back to the early 17th century. The company, located in the Saint-Julien appellation, is owned by the Cuvelier family and is widely famous for the elegance of its wines. The vineyards benefit from a terroir renowned for its gravel soils of the Garonne, which guarantees ideal conditions for growing grapes. The practices in the cellar are followed by the famous winemaker Michel Rolland as consultant advisor. 

The origin of Léoville goes back to 1638. Following various divisions and successions, Léoville Poyferré was born in 1840. In the 1855 classification of Médoc wines, it was endowed with the rank of Second Grand Cru Classé. 

The Cuvelier family acquired second growth Château Léoville Poyferré in 1920, which covers 143 acres, as well as Château Moulin Riche  comprising 43 acres. Located in the prestigious Saint-Julien appellation, the vineyards covers the different types of gravelly soils, which contribute to the amplitude and complexity of the wines. 

Pavillon de Léoville Poyferré St Julien Bordeaux 2015

Pavillon de Léoville Poyferré is the second wine of both châteaux, sourced from the younger vines. It is a classic Left Bank Bordeaux blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot, which is aged in third-passage barrels for nine months. The result is a more accessible, fruity, and easy-drinking wine, that is approachable at a young age for early gratification. 

This release was awarded 93 points by James Suckling, and 90 points by Lisa Perotti-Brown of Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.

Bright garnet-purple  colored, medium body, complex, concentrated intensity yet elegant and nicely balanced, aromatic flavors of ripe black currant and blackberry with notes of black tea, olive, earth and tobacco with soft and ripe tannins on a lingering tangy finish. 

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2877098

http://www.leoville-poyferre.fr/en/

 

Super Bowl party wine - Long Shadows Feather

 Super Bowl party big red sipping - Long Shadows Feather 2018

Wine buddy, fellow Pour Boy, Dr Dan hosted a Super Bowl party and opened a selection of champagne and wines for the occasion. I zero'd in on this favored sipper from the Long Shadows Vintners Collection, Feather by Randy Dunn. 

We've written often in these pages about the Long Shadows Vintners Collection featuring a cadre of world class winemakers, chosen for their expertise in a particular varietal, then challenged to produce the optimal wine sourced from Washington State fruit. 

This was the vision of Allen Shoup, former CEO of Chateau St Michelle, champion and evangelist for Washington State wines. He formed the brand and recruited a world famous winemaker for each varietal based label to craft wines that showcase Washington State vinifera. For Cabernet Sauvignon he chose and partnered with iconic Napa Valley winemaker Randy Dunn. 

We've long known about the brand and joined their club while visiting their tasting room hospitality center in Woodinville WA during our Seattle Wine / Dine Experience in 2018. We remain Vault Club Members of the allocated portfolio and get a case each quarter of two of the varietal based selections including this Feather label, which we often share with Dr Dan and his cellar.

And, we've written often about our affinity for Randy Dunn and his handicraft with Cabernet Sauvignon. While this label might not normally be considered a casual sipper, it was enjoyable with the broad buffet of artisan cheeses, Italian Beef and BBQ pulled pork, and medley of chocolate, cherry and cheesecake desserts.

Long Shadows "Feather", Columbia Valley, Washington, 2018

This is a label from a producer we know well from our broader cellar collection that span more than two decades, and vertical collection of this label. Our meeting with winemaker Randy Dunn during a visit to Dunn Vineyards estate high atop Howell Mountain was a highlight of our Napa Valley Howell Mountain Wine Experience back in 2008.

 

One note about winemaker Randy Dunn's wines is that they tend to be long-lived. Pundits say in their reviews, "Best after 2025, with a long life beyond that"; "This wine will be even more delicious with another several years of bottle age. Cellar this and enjoy it for the next 15 years or longer."

That said, this showed better than when we last tasted this label last summer when I wrote "this may have been consumed too young and need several more years of aging to develop, integrate, and settle to reveal its true profile, character and potential". A risk of drinking young wines from a restaurant wine list at that time. They might likely be better served perhaps holding this back a few years, or, more likely, featuring some of the other Long Shadows Vintners Series labels that might provide earlier younger drinking gratification.

I gave this an additional point over that earlier tasting last summer of this label. 

This label also got blockbuster reviews and ratings - 96 points from International Wine Report, 95 points from Jeb Dunnuck and Vinous, Owen Bargreen, and 93 points from Wine Enthusiast who awarded it Cellar Selection, Best of the Year 2021.

This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon Feather comes from the Horse Heaven Hills and Wahluke Slope Weinbau and Wallula Vineyards in Columbia Valley, Washington, and spent 22 months in 90% new French oak. 

Classic Randy Dunn style Cabernet with dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, tight, structured dense and concentrated yet somewhat subdued blackberry and black plum fruits accented by cassis, dust, tar, graphite, leather, tobacco leaf, with hints of dark chocolate and expresso coffee. 

RM 92 points. As noted, an additional point over earlier tasting last summer.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3729486

https://longshadows.com/

@LongShadowsWine

Magnificent Dinner at Alinea Kitchen Table

Magnificent Dinner at Michelin 3-Star Alinea Kitchen Table in Chicago

When we closed the business transaction, selling the company and bringing to an end my tenure as CEO, and the next to latest chapter of my storied career in enterprise software, I reserved the Kitchen Table at legendary 3 Michelin Star Alinea Restaurant in Chicago for a celebration dinner. 

Linda and I were joined by son Ryan and d-in-law Michelle, daughter Erin, while husband, son-in-law Johnny was traveling with their two sons to pick up a new car out of state, and son Alec, while d-in-law Viviana was in Connecticut for another special family event. 

Alinea is the only Michelin 3-Star restaurant in the midwest and founder, luminary chef Grant Achatz actually has four (stars) taking into account another star for his second restaurant, Next. 

Achatz, recognized for his contributions to 'molecular gastronomy' or progressive cuisine was featured on a Netflix episode of The Chef's Table.

Achatz' culinary career started working in his parents' diner restaurant in St. Clair, Michigan as a teenager before studying at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Following graduation in 1994, Achatz landed a position at iconic Charlie Trotter's in Chicago, then moved on to Thomas Keller's highly acclaimed The French Laundry, in Yountville, Napa Valley, California. There he eventually rose to the position of sous chef. 

Achatz moved to Chicago in 2001 to become Executive Chef at Mobile four-star Trio in suburban Evanston, earning a coveted fifth star from Mobil, becoming one of just 13 restaurants so honored at the time.

Achatz opened Alinea in 2005, which has become universally recognized for its innovative approach to modern cuisine, having been named the Best Restaurant in the World by Elite Traveler, the Best Restaurant in North America by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, and the Best Restaurant in the U.S. by Gourmet and Business Insider. 

Alinea is one of only 14 restaurants in the U.S. to earn the coveted Michelin 3-Star rating. It has also won James Beard Awards for Outstanding Restaurant in the U.S., Outstanding Service in the U.S., and Outstanding Chef in the U.S.

The Kitchen Table is Alinea's premier dining experience, so named as it is adjacent the working kitchen, seating just six, and with its proximity, actually provides incredible entertainment, dinner and a show, watching the choreography of the bee-hive of activity of the chef culinary crew.

The Kitchen Table View

Tonight's Kitchen Table Menu

The other Alinea dining experiences are The Gallery, which combines "fine dining with experimental moments," and The Salon, which offers "a multi-course tasting menu," and the most intimate offering. The three distinct experiences each offer rotating menus that are preset, and mix art, pop-culture and food. 

Its impossible to capture and describe the magnificent experience that is Alinea. Each of the ten dinner courses is an extravaganza of sensory overload, with the presentation, the service, the accompanying music, the accompanying wine pairing, and of course, the food, with its distinctive presentation and sensational explosion of tastes.

For our special dinner, we ordered the Alinea Wine Pairing, their top tier selection of wines matched to each dinner course. I've written often in these pages about the amplifying impact of properly pairing the right food and wine thereby accentuating the enjoyment and experience of each. There was no debate that to optimize the Alinea experience warranted opting for their premier wine pairing as well. 

It was tempting to select wines from their winelist, its thirty-seven pages featuring many of our favorite wines as well as bucket list wines that we've been wanting to try. In the end, experiencing the chef's selection of wine paired to each course was as much a part of the experience as either the wine or the food - not to be missed! 

Everything was spectacular - service, food, wine, presentation, ambiance, the pairing, the Alinea experience. A memorable experience not to be missed!

 The dinner courses and their associated wines:

Krug "Grande"
170Eme Edition
Champagne

Golden Osetra
Caviar, Caper, Lemon, Onion,
Egg, Brioche

Domaines Ott Chateau Romassan
Mourvedre Blend
Bandol Provence Rose'
2021

Trampoline Papillote
Rouille Turbot Bouillabaisse
Scallop Nicoise

Heads & Tails -
Shrimp w/ White Peppercorn
White Sesame & White Miso w/Coriander
Chili Bun

Chateau Musar
Bekaa Valley Lebanon
Obaidah & Merwah Blend 2014

 

Hot Potato - Cold Potato
Black Truffle & Parmesan

Potinet-Ampieu "Charmes"
Mersault 1Er Cru Burgundy
Chardonnay 2014

COLLAR
Cobia Collar with Mango, Pine,
Uni and Candy Cap Tofu -
Chateau d'YQuem Sauterne Bordeaux 2019

We then were lead into the kitchen to experience the intricate preparation and consumption of the next course, "Spiral", featuring Caramel Apple Pie with Pecan and melted Raclette cheese accompanied with a specially prepared smoked Texas Rye Whiskey Michigan Apple Cider Liquor Sour. 

 

And, when we returned to our table, the Alinea Kitchen Table has been transformed into an elegant dining setting, where upon we were served the remaining courses. 

Squab
Potpourri, Pear, Foie Gras, Angre-Doux

Sine Qua Non
"Esto No Es Una Salida"
Santa Rita Hills
Grenache

2009

Explosion
Black Truffle, Romaine, Parmesan

Somellier presenting
Chateau Pichon Baron
Pauillac Bordeaux
2009

"Chipped"
Waygu, Bechamel, Bresaola

 

Then, once again, the Alinea Kitchen Table was transformed for the final course. We adjusted our seating to the two sides of the table while the linens and table centerpieces were replaced with an large acrylic sheet that became the platform to showcase the preparation and presentation of the dessert course. 

Dessert Wine
D'Oliveiras
Boal Frasqueira Madera Port
1977
(Bottled 2022)

And finally - the famous Alinea helium filled taffy green apple sugar balloons ... 

https://www.alinearestaurant.com/

Steady State & Walls Curiositas

Josh Phelps Grounded Steady State & Walls Curiositas Big Reds with grilled tomahawk ribeye beefsteak dinner

Dearest friends Eric and Cathy stayed with us passing through the area and we prepared a gala dinner with grilled tomahawk ribeye beefsteaks with mushroom sauce, baked potatoes and sweet potatoes, wedge salads and desserts. 

For a wine accompaniment pairing, we pulled from the cellar two hearty big red wines from the same 2015 vintage, one from Napa Valley, and one from Washington State Columbia Valley, for a mini-horizontal tasting; Walls Curiositas, and Grounded Wine Company Steady State Red Blend.

Ground Wine Company Steady State Napa Valley Red Wine 2015

Winemaker Chris Phelps and his son Josh work from their Napa Valley work space adjacent to a coffee store in the town of St. Helena.  They meld contrasting styles and approaches to synergistically punctuate their emerging, growing presence in the California and West Coast wine scene.

Chris Phelps is a well known winemaker, terroir-driven producer of super premium Cabernet Sauvignon wines from specific and illustrious plot of grapes across Napa Valley. Son Josh Phelps, a native of Napa Valley, is a millennial winemaker with a launched his own new brand called Grounded Wine Co. in 2015. Josh has developed the ability to produce high QPR - (quality price ratio) affordable every day drinking wines ($15 to $20) from grapes sourced from distinctive growers and locations across California and the northwest states. Both father and son each own their own companies; both work to enhance their mutual capabilities.

As a relatively new name among the category's leading wines Winemaker Josh Phelps and his Grounded Wine Co. produce a diversified portfolio of whimsically named wines from across the western states, "Grounded in heritage, grounded in soil, grounded in simplicity". Josh Phelps' Grounded wines are a testament to Josh’s connections with growers throughout his home state and the broader west coast. Phelps new releases from growing regions in Washington State, Oregon, Napa and Paso Robles. 

While he strives to produce wines priced to be accessible to younger wine drinkers, don’t discount low priced wines from a young winemaker. If he continues to release wines as good as Phelps’ early releases, this is a winemaker and label you’ll want to follow. 

The Grounded collection consists of:

• "Grounded" California Cabernet Sauvignon and a California Sauvignon Blanc, "Grounded in heritage, grounded in soil, grounded in simplicity." Grounded wines by Josh Phelps are a testament to Josh’s connections with growers throughout his home state and the broader west coast.
• "Land Form", a Pinot Noir from Oregon Willamette Valley, Landform is a reaffirmation of Josh's commitment to creating wines that evoke a sense of place.
• "Collusion" Washington State Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, his Washington-based project, focused on prohibition and the rich history of West Cost vintners; a tribute to those who kept the wine industry alive by any means.
• "Space Age" California Central Coast Rosé
• "Public Radio" a Grenache based Red Blend, a tribute to the call sign on the front label was that of Josh’s late grandfather who was an avid amateur radio enthusiast.
  
• and this, his 'premium' label,"Steady State".

Grounded Wine Company Steady State Red Wine 2015  

This is the initial inaugural release of this Bordeaux blend, from Grounded Wine Co. an extraordinary Red Blend that might be considered his flagship label. Josh explains the name of this wine this way: "If a system is in a steady state, then the recently observed behavior of the system will continue into the future. The concept for this Cabernet Sauvignon pays homage to growing up in the Napa Valley and learning from its traditions." Phelps fermented this Cabernet in steel, and left the juice on the skin for three weeks before aging it in French oak barrels, 40 percent of which were new. The result is a lively Cabernet with red and dark fruit flavors underscored by a bramble note.

This is sourced from several of Napa Valley’s well known growers and vineyard sites. 

I found this at a local merchant with its simple label but expensive ultra-premium packaging with extra heavy glass, deep bung, and quality capsule, and grabbed every bottle available. I wish I could go back and get more. Watch for it and get some if you can. This shows much higher than its pricepoint and provides significant QPR - quality price ratio. 

This is a blend Bordeaux varietals, 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Malbec, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, and 6% Petit Verdot. It is sourced from vineyards in Rutherford, Oakville, Saint Helena, and Yountville.

This was rated 93 points by Wine Spectrum, and 91 points by Wine Enthusiast.

Deep ruby garnet colored, medium-full bodied, full, round, forward bright expressive but nicely balanced and integrated aromatic black and red fruits highlighted by notes of cola, dark mocha chocolate, tobacco and hints of graphite and expresso with bright acidity and lush gripping but approachable tannins on a long finish. 

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2871211

https://www.groundedwineco.com/

Walls Curiositas Red Mountain Cabernet

Walls Winery Curiositas Columbia Valley Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

With Mike Martin, Owner Walls Vineyards

For this special dinner,, we open this special label to pair with the grilled tomahawk dinner Linda prepared for the occasion. 

We discovered and acquired this wine during our visit to the producer during our recent Walla Walla Wine Experience. It was our favorite of the portfolio of wines tasted with Mike Martin, owner/producer Walls Vineyards and Winery.

This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Red Mountain AVA in central Washington but it tastes more like an old World Bordeaux than a fruit forward fruit bomb from Napa - with its refined, polished and elegant style.

As I wrote in an earlier blogpost almost four years ago to the day, this was my favorite of the flight that we tasted at the winery. Of course I tend to favor Bordeaux varietals  but I found this especially appealing.

The fruit for this is sourced from the Obelisco Vineyard on the higher slopes of the Red Mountain AVA. The vines get increased exposure to the sun and are planted in higher density to further stress the grapes. The result is a wine of great complexity but one that is elegant and lush, yet subtle with tones the winemaker describes as possessing 'freshness that evokes a Margaux-styled fragrant' Cabernet'.

While  I grabbed a case of this to serve with grilled steak, it is so approachable, this is suited for  elegant but casual sipping. It was great leading up to dinner and with the salad course, yet it stood up well and was an ideal accompaniment to the beef tenderloin. 

From my Walls Winery producer visit report:

The Walls Curiositas Red Mountain Cabernet 2015

2015 Curiositas is an elegant, complex and lush, yet subtle, wine. Its tone of freshness evokes a Margaux-styled fragrant Cabernet Sauvignon.

Sourced from the Obelisco Vineyard, high in the Red Mountain AVA where the vines get full exposure to all the elements.

“It is beautifully situated, with more vines doing less work, and planted with higher density,” says winemaker Ali. “It lends itself to complexity so how could we not take advantage of that?”

Bright garnet ruby colored, it was medium bodied and did not have a firm gripping backbone structure expected watching the glycerine legs cling to the glass, the polished elegant tannins were so smooth and silky that it made for enticing casual sipping - bright red and black fruits accented by notes of creme de cassis, spice, tobacco leaf and subtle vanilla and oak. Jeb Dunnuck of Robert Parker's Wine Advocate talks about its 'well-integrated tannins, solid grip, coupled with a swath of fresh acidity that delivers muscular structure' but then talks about it being 'light footed through the long finish'.

RM 92 points.

Jeb Dunnuck, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate gave this  “Editor’s Choice" and rated it "Extraordinary (95-100 pts.) "

331 Cases were produced.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2965947

https://www.thewallsvineyards.com/

Paring California Red Bordeaux Blend 2016

The Paring California Red Bordeaux Blend 2016

This wine is from Jonata Winery in Santa Barbara County by Winemaker Matt Dees. He says this wine is made from the vineyard blocks that are "either too young or don't fit into the vintage style of the highly acclaimed JONATA and The Hilt wines from Santa Barbara County".

I seem to recall I first tasted this wine with Jared Gelband, wine director at Italian Village in Chicago, but admit I don't have it in my records. 

I wrote in more detail by Matt Dees Winemaker and Jonata Winery in a recent blogpost back in December, 2022 - Jonata Winery "Todos Everyone" Syrah.

 https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2022/12/jonata-winery-todos-everyone-syrah.html

The Paring portfolio consists of six wines, three reds, this Red Blend, a Syrah and a Pinot Noir, and two whites, a Sauvignon Blanc and a Chardonnay, and one in-between, a pale pink Rosé of Pinot Noir, that is actually 100% Pinot Noir, salmon colored rosé.

When he's not working with The Paring, Matt can be found making the wines for its big sister wineries- JONATA and The Hilt. Interesting branding features a simple paring knife on the otherwise plain label.

They write about this venture, "Matt comes to wine with an untethered philosophy, a mindset embodied in The Paring. At the core of these wines one finds a wide-ranging exploration of style, vineyards and blending." 

The Paring California Red Bordeaux Blend 2016

Winemaker notes for this release: "This Cabernet-inspired blend displays classic notes of cassis, tobacco and chocolate. Focused fruit and shapely tannins shine as hallmarks of what we've come to expect from the sandy soils and slightly cooler climate of our outstanding vineyard sites." 

It is a Bordeaux blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20%, Merlot, 20%, Cabernet Franc and 10%, Petit Verdot, attributed to the California AVA. It was aged in French oak, 55% new and 45% neutral, for 22 months. Coopers include Taransaud, Sylvain, Bel Air and Dejarnac.

This was awarded 93 Points by Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com, and 90 Points by Antonio Galloni Vinous.

Jeb Dunnuck wrote in his review, "concentrated, remarkably pure, elegant Bordeaux blend that has building tannins and a great, great finish. It tastes like it costs three times the price.”

Winemaker's Notes: "Utterly fascinating nose mixing lifted black fruit, savory green herbs and dark notes of grilled bread, espresso and anise. Fills the palate with bright red fruit and black plum. A constant play between sweet and savory. Gentle and dusty tannins lead the way into an incredibly long and precise finish. Mulberry sweetness and a wonderful tension between tannic structure and bright acidity. Balanced and refined, a study in elegance."

This was Ruby colored, medium bodied, bright vibrant expressive fruits of dark berry, plum and cherry fruits with  notes of leather, spice, cassis, earth, herbs and cedar with moderate tannins on the lingering finish. This was suitable for a pizza and some artisan cheeses for casual weekend sipping.

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3412921

https://www.theparing.com/

Stag's Leap Napa Chardonnay at McCormick & Schmicks

Stag's Leap Napa Valley Chardonnay at McCormick & Schmicks

Friday night dinner out, we dined at McCormick & Schmick in nearby Oak Brook Terrace (IL). 

Seeking seafood for a healthy dinner, we selected a classic Napa Chardonnay as an accompaniment. 

I was hoping for a Sole or similar delicate white fish, preferably in a Meunière or Beurre Blanc sauce, but the entree on offer had a pretzel crust and a mustard sauce. Hence, I opted for the Whiskey Glazed Salmon with Colcannon Potato Cake and Irish Whiskey Hollandaise on a bed of spinach. 

Linda chose the 10 Greens Chopped Salad with Bacon, Blue Cheese Crumbles, Olives and Tomatoes with baked Salmon. 

This classic Napa Valley Chardonny is from Stags’ Leap Winery, within the acclaimed Stags Leap District of Napa Valley, one of the oldest wine estates in the region, established in 1893. Stag's Leap sources grapes from their 80-acres of estate vineyards and from quality-focused growers.

Christophe Paubert is Winemaker and General Manager at Stags’ Leap Winery. His career has spanned the industry from sales to winemaking, and his impressive background includes positions at legendary Chateau d’Yquem and Grand Cru Classe' producer Gruaud-Larose in Bordeaux, as well as projects in Chile, Spain and Washington State. Eventually, the terroir of Stags’ Leap drew him to California and his current position.

The 2020 season was far from the typical harvest season. With a warm, dry winter, then rain and cooler weather that didn’t arrive until the end of March turning to a mild spring. Workers in the vineyards and winery were subjected to extensive safety protocols due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Summer brought cool mornings and warm days, but then harvest was interrupted by wildfires across California, which came as the harvest began. Stag's Leap were fortunate that none of their vineyards were impacted by the active fires.

Stag's Leap Napa Valley Chardonnay 2020

The grapes for this Napa Valley Chardonnay were sourced from the cooler southern appellations within Napa Valley, where fog from the San Pablo Bay helps cool the vineyards throughout the growing season, allowing for ideal preservation of freshness and acidity. 

The majority of the fruit came from the Carneros AVA which provides citrus, mineral, and crisp apple notes, with a smaller percentage coming from the Oak Knoll AVA, which contributes more tropical and stone fruit characteristics. These vineyards consistently produce Chardonnay ideal for the Stag's Leap style of winemaking with fresh fruit flavors and bright acidity and vibrancy.

The white wine showed a fine vintage year, while the red wine harvest proved to be one of the most challenging in history. The resulting 2020 wines were of high quality with concentrated flavors and excellent acidity, especially for varieties like Chardonnay.

This is 100% Chardonnay fermented and aged in 25% stainless steel, 25% new oak and 50% neutral oak barrels for 7 months.

This label was awarded 94points by Rebecca Murphy of WineReviewOnline.com.

Light straw colored, medium bodied, crisp, bright, clean, dried herbs with mineral and floral accents predominant over the subtle citrus and pear fruits. 

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4177139

https://www.mccormickandschmicks.com/

https://twitter.com/McandSchmicks  

@McandSchmicks

Santo Ciello Naperville - unique wine dine experience

 Santo Ciello Restaurant in Naperville - a unique imaginative wine dine experience

We dined at Santo Ciello in Naperville (IL), atop the Indigo Hotel overlooking downtown Naperville and the DuPage River. Several friends and all our kids have been there and gave it a thumbs up. 

The menu and cuisine is a bit eclectic and funky, and the ambiance and atmosphere has a jive to it.

As their website proclaims: "The inspiration for our food lies within the idea of a “globally inspired kitchen.” This means staying true to our midwest roots while extending our vision to other countries & cultures. We source our ingredients responsibly by seeking out local purveyors, aiming to be sustainable and seasonal whenever mother nature allows. We also strive to provide the highest quality of freshness in all aspects of our creations."

The highlight of Santo Ciello may be its setting with riverfront window seating offering views overlooking the river and downtown Naperville and its RiverWalk that are spectacular. 

Santo Ciello interior dining room
seating

I have to say, the experience exceeded my expectations with a delicious dinner and wonderful wine and food pairing. 

Once again, as earlier in the week, we took advantage of Restaurant Week Chicago and their special menu dinner offering. The special feature provided one of two starters, to share, one each of three entree choices, and one of two desserts to share. 

We chose for our selections the Roasted curried cauliflower with cucumber-cilantro raita, spiced honey and mint, and the Chicken Bao, teriyaki chicken, kimchi aioli, pickled carrot, fresno chili, sesame and cilantro.

For entree selections amongst us we chose all three of the entree selections on offer:

• Gnocchi & Short Rib,  chicken stock beurre monté, pickled fennel & fresno chili
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Atlantic Corvina, carrot ginger puree, bok choy, edamame, seasonal pickles, togarashi vinaigrette, rice chicharron
  
  
  
• Roasted 1/2 Chicken, free-range chicken, creamed collard green, charred okra, chimichurri, sweet potatoes
  
  
  
  

For dessert both couples ordered the Seasonal Sorbet which was an imaginative Guava and Blackberry.

On first view, the wine-list is limited, sparse and eclectic, with a couple offerings in each wine category delineated by wine style. In each category there is from one to nearly a dozen offerings. 

The wine categories are, such as for the whites: 

• Light + Crisp/ Mineral-Driven
• Aromatic + Expressive
• Round + Textured

And for the reds: 

• Elegant + Floral for a selection of Pinot Noirs
• Structured + Earthy for a broad diverse selection of varietals including Tempranillo, Malbec, GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre), Gamay, Grenache, Garnacha, Cabernet Franc, Nebbiolo, Syrah, Sangiovese and Red Blends, and,
  
• Bold + Spicy for Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Blends, a Syrah, a Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc-Merlot, and assorted Red Blends.

There are also awine category selections

• Bubbles + Skin Contact + Pink Matter for Sparkling wines, and,
• Before + After Dinner for after or before dinner wine selections.

While initially perhaps confusing, once you get the approach its imaginative, helpful and useful. In the end, its challenging in that if you're offering but one or a few selections for a category, picking the right labels need be done with care. For example, I was initially put off when as is so often the case, my first wine choice was not available, from a selection of but two Bordeaux labels. But in the end we had a delightful wine that paired perfectly with our food that was a great selection for the category.

For our wine selections I was wanting from the winelist Chateau Lassegue '12, Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc-Merlot, especially since it was available by the glass or by the bottle, which allowed us to try multiple wines. Unfortunately, it was not available. This seems to happen to me very often, where from a broad selection of choices, I will pick the one, or the two or even three choices that are not available. 

Beyond that label, I was interested in these interesting, imaginative labels:

• Mocali '15 / Brunello di Montalcino / Sangiovese
• Chateau La Peyre '15 / Bordeaux / Cabernet Blend, and the
• Domaine Corbis '19 / Cornas / Syrah 

I was also very intrigued with and hoping to try the Matthiasson, “Linda Vista Vineyard”, '21 / Napa Valley / Chardonnay. Our group opted for a Red, but I'll look forward to coming back and trying this label sometime in the future! 

 In the end, we selected the 2019 Domaine Courbis "Champelrose" Cornas Syrah which proved to be delightful. 

Domaine Courbis "Champelrose" Cornas Northern Rhone Syrah 2019

This is 100% Syrah from the Cornas appellation in the Northern Rhone river valley. Established in 1938, Cornas designated wines are only reds made solely from the Syrah grape. A contributing factor to their style is the distinctive terroir with its granitic soil and that the Syrah based wines are made traditionally and often spend two years in oak. The result is strong and powerful wines, a style we like a lot. Other Northern Rhone wine appellations that feature Syrah are St Joseph, Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie, with Cornas being a cross between them, but typically with slightly less finesse.

The Cornas appellation is small comprising a mere 370 acres. It is located south of St Joseph on the west side of the Rhone river. The name “Cornas” comes from an old Celtic dialect term, meaning “burnt land”, reflecting the fact that the steep terraces there, facing south, have temperatures that are significantly higher than those in Hermitage, which is just five miles away.

The soils of Cornas are a combination of limestone and granite, which are ideally suited to the Syrah grape, producing reds that result in a style somewhere between those of Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie which are strong and powerful wines, with forward acidity and a robust, rustic style with prominent tannins. 

Domaine Courbis has been in existence in the Courbis family with the estate dating back to the 16th century. Recently, the brothers Dominique and Laurent Courbis succeeded their father, Maurice, in the early 1990s. Since then they have established themselves as leaders of the modern school of winemaking in St Joseph and Cornas. The Courbis brothers produce some of the most compelling examples of St. Joseph and Cornas being made today. The Courbis style might be summarized as offering wines filled with intense aromas and concentrated fruit with great purity and length.

The Domaine Courbis estate covers 80 acres divided as follows: 20 in Cornas; twelve in St Joseph Blanc; 45 acres are of St Joseph Red, and 2 1/2 acres are Syrah Vin de Pays de l’Ardèche. The vineyards all face south and east on the slopes in the communes of Châteaubourg, Glun and Cornas. 

The wines are aged in barriques, some new and the rest up to three years old and they are bottled between 18 months and two years after harvest. 

This Cornas Champelrose cuvée label is 100% Syrah sourced from various vineyard parcels across the Courbis domaine, mostly from vines near the base of Cornas slope. They are blended to produce a wine ready for near term drinking upon release. It is subjected to 3 weeks of vatting to extract as much color and flavor as possible, then aged entirely in casks that are a mix of 25% new; 20% one year; and 55% 2-3 years of age for a barrel-aging for a period is 12 months. The wine is assembled in tank and aged for four more months before bottling, 

Dark purple garnet colored, medium-full bodied, with vibrant expressive intense concentrated sweet dark blackberry and black raspberry fruits accented by spice, black pepper, notes of violet floral, smoky minerals with bold acidity on a big long moderate tannin laced finish. 

RM 92 points.

This was awarded 93-95 points by Josh Raynolds, Vinous.com

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3735604

https://www.vins-courbis-rhone.com/ 

https://www.stcielo.com/