Tom and Melody's wine blog » Washington wines

Washington Hills Cabernet Sauvignon (2007)

Tom & Melody — Sun, 23 May 2010 23:28:22 +0000

I was out of town all last week so didn’t get a chance to update the blog. But I am home now and back in the groove. It is a hot May night in Michigan! We are supposed to be in the high 80′s all week, which must be some kind of record. I am glad I have my tomatoes planted.

So, tonight, we are enjoying this Washington State’s Columbia Valley Cabernet. I am roasting a whole, stuffed chicken with potatoes and sauteing fresh carrots and cauliflower (from my food co-op). It’s a little warm to have the oven on, but this will probably the last time I roast chicken for awhile.

This wine is more apt to be served with red meats, but I like a good Cabernet with whatever we are eating! The nose is leathery while the palate presents cherries and green pepper. The finish is berry and smoke, through and through. This is excellent. I purchased this for $7.99 (on sale) from the A & L Wine Castle in Ann Arbor. This will go well with the dark chocolate brownies that I baked (I figured I should take advantage of having the oven on). Cheers!

Two Vines Cabernet Sauvignon (2006)

Tom & Melody — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 23:55:31 +0000

Well, it had to happen; we go back to work tomorrow after an extended vacation. We feel like we have been to Hawaii (although we have not) because we had such fun! Nonetheless, I am thankful that we both have jobs to return to and we both feel refreshed and invigorated from our time off.

So, tonight I am making baked chicken, brown rice, steamed fresh spinach and a salad. We are having this Washington State Cabernet, which Tom purchased at our local grocery store for $6 a bottle. I like it. It’s not a wine in which I am swooning over, but it is really good and there isn’t anything unpleasant about it. I would describe it as very fruity. The nose is woody — pine, actually — while the palate is lush, juicy fruit. As my brother-in-law so aptly sums up: It drinks good.

Avery Lane Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Tom & Melody — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:57:31 +0000

This Avery Lane Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 is quite pleasant: medium body, medium tannins, almost more like a merlot than a cab.

Nice dark-fruit taste, with maybe just a hint of caramel/sugar.

I think we had this with chicken last week, and the lighter merlot-ishness of it complemented the chicken well.

We’re having chicken again tonight, and this will be good.

Bridgman Cabernet Sauvignon (2005)

Tom & Melody — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:17:06 +0000

Here we are, another Friday night. We opened a bottle of this Washington State Cabernet. I looked back to see when we had this the last time, and wouldn’t you know, we had it on a Friday night just like tonight?

We liked it then and we like it now. Rich aromas of fruit and wood. The palate is spicy with a pepper finish.

For dinner, I am grilling brats (from Trader Joe’s), I am making a salad and also a vermicelli dish tossed with olive oil and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

Cheers!

Bridgman Cabernet (2005)

Tom & Melody — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:38:39 +0000

We are having a glass of this Cabernet from Washington State and I already know we’re going to finish this bottle for two reasons : 1) Because it is delicious and I can’t get enough and 2) it’s Friday!!

Yummy, this is good. Plenty of spices on the nose and palate along with complex layers of fruit and a touch of cedar.

For dinner, we are having spaghetti with my homemade sauce, sauteed asparagus, baked squash and a salad. We still have pumpkin pie leftover from Thanksgiving but we never seem to have room for any dessert so I’m hoping Tommy will stop by one of these nights and finish it!

Randall Harris Merlot (2006)

Tom & Melody — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:01:42 +0000

I recently ordered and received a 12-bottle case of red wine from a company that was advertising by email recently. The case of wine included 2 bottles of this Merlot. Now, I am not a huge fan of Merlot because I generally find it to be too soft; I prefer the bigger taste in a Cabernet, Malbec or Carmenere. However, this Merlot is not bad. The nose is nice with cherries and pepper. There is a strong raspberry on the palate — a bit too overwhelming for my personal taste — but I can imagine that many wine drinkers would find this very appealing and luscious. The finish is pleasant with spice and fruit.

For dinner, I have made (what else?) turkey soup! The highlight of this soup will be the very rich and savory broth, which came from yesterday’s all-day-simmering of the turkey carcass and vegetables. I added a small bag of cubed potatoes (which I got from our organic food co-op and needed to use) along with some corn and other vegetables. It is a very simple soup but I think it will be nourishing and delicious.

Red Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon (2007)

Tom & Melody — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:31:18 +0000

It is Sunday night and our clocks are moved back for Daylight Savings Time. It is 7:30 and very, very dark. But, we had that wonderful extra-long day; what a difference an hour makes. It’s really quite amazing. It was a special day with the sun shining, the air crisp, the leaves probably past their colorful peak. We worked in the yard, put our patio furniture away, pulled out the geraniums from their pots. Trigger got a lot of walks, too.

This Washington wine is just the ticket. Lush and fruity; am I imagining it or can I detect some Washington apple orchards (not orchards, actually, but fruit acid in the finish? Tom bought this at our local grocery store. . . on sale for $7.95. What a good value and delicious wine.

I have chicken in the oven (legs & skinless thighs that I soaked in a saltwater brine and then tossed with bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan cheese, olive oil). I have brown rice simmering in broth. . .and I have Swiss Chard ready to saute. I also have a fresh cole slaw chilling and I made oatmeal chocolate cookies for dessert. Time to get up and saute the Swiss Chard. Cheers!

Columbia Crest Two Vines Merlot-Cabernet (2006)

Tom & Melody — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 23:22:07 +0000

Tom purchased this Columbia Crest Two Vines Merlot-Cabernet 2006, a Washington State blend, at our local grocery store. We selected it tonight because we are having roast chicken for dinner. This wine is quite a value — it was $7.95 but on sale for $5.50. The nose is blackberries and raspberries. A fruit-forward quaff, it feels malleable in the mouth with a gentle, yet fruity, finish. This is certainly a great bottle of wine at a very low price.

It is a beautiful July Sunday evening and we go back to work tomorrow. Having spent the last three days/evenings teaching, I wanted a good home-cooked meal so I went to our local butcher and bought a fresh whole chicken. I am roasting that along with potatoes and carrots. I will make a salad, too.

Kíona Washington State Proprietary Blend (2002)

Tom & Melody — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:19:45 +0000

It is a Wednesday evening and I had to work late and drive to a school downriver in Detroit to give a presentation. Driving home was dark with rain mixed with snow. I am so happy to be home. Tom poured me this glass of Kiona Proprietary Blend red wine, which we opened last night. It’s made from 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc.

I have had to get accustomed to the Washington State wines and this one is no different. This wine does not make me swoon, but that is probably because of me, not the wine. I have grown accustomed to a certain kind of wine and I have discovered that Washington State wines are different from what i am used to. I find Washington wines sharp and woody. This is not a fruit forward wine but the finish is bursting with cherries. For me, this wine requires a bit of concentration to appreciate. The work is worth it. As it breathes, and as I savor the complexities, I find I like it very much.

Weekend — hurry and get here!! Cheers. . .

Kíona Washington State Proprietary Blend (2002)

Tom & Melody — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 23:45:06 +0000

I ordered this Kíona Washington State Proprietary Blend 2002 as part of a case of reds. This one was on sale for R9.99. It’s made from 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc.

It’s an interesting tasting wine and it is growing more complex as it breathes. The nose is reminiscent of tree sap with spice. The taste is very fruity with cherries and raspberries. The tannins are firm and the finish is very long. We are very much enjoying this Washington State wine.

It is a Saturday evening and we have had an active day. I started my day with an 8-mile run and I also worked in the yard, did laundry, and took Trigger for a couple of long walks. (It was a gorgeous autumn day in Michigan.) I am roasting a fresh chicken that I purchased from a local farmer. I also made a fresh apple cobbler from an old recipe that I have had for years (the crunchy part is made with oatmeal). So dinner is smelling pretty yummy and I think this wine was a good choice for roasted chicken.

Our son Tommy is working tonight so it is just the three of us (if you include Trigger). I’m looking forward to Tuesday. I want to watch TV all night!!