2007 Columbia Valley "H3" Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon

So this is yet another bottle we sampled at Beth's house while having dinner on Sunday. Beth and Brent brought this bottle out. After loving the Cellar No. 8, I was excited to try another!

The smell of this wine was like leather and chocolate! I guess that should have tipped me off. It was way too strong of a finish for me. This has the most kick of a Cabernet Sauvignon I've tried so far. After one taste, I passed my glass on to Noah. It just wasn't for me. It tasted like leather, chocolate, currants, and had a burning aftertaste.

Upon my research today, it scored decent too (90 points). It's described as, "Polished and silky in texture, with ripe blackberry, currant and mint flavors that keep sailing through the long, expressive finish. The tannins are beautifully integrated."

I also found it interesting it was noted as being best if drank between 2011 and 2017. I wonder in a few years, if I'd like the flavor better? I also saw on some private ratings that people didn't like it when they first opened the bottle, but after decanting it and letting it air out for few hours, they tried it again and liked it better. Hmmm. I might need to try this in the future with wines I find too bold. Maybe they just need to release some of the flavors!

2003 HRM Rex-Goliath Cabernet Sauvignon

We opened this a few days ago, and had it with dinner. we just recently finished the bottle when we went to dinner at Beth's house on Sunday night. I honestly don't remember what it was paired with the first night we drank it. Sorry!

It is a medium-bodied Cab, with a smokey, dark flavor and long, dry finish. It was bit bold for my taste, but still drinkable. Noah loved it. He seems to prefer the heavier flavors.

When I did my research on this wine, I found it has won lots of awards!! It scored 94 points, and was awarded Best of Region! It continuously is awarded Gold Medals in the tasting competitions, and was named the "Ultimate Hamburger Wine." Ha!

I guess Noah has the same taste as the professionals!

2007 Chateau St. Michelle Nellie's Garden Dry Rose

This one we also opened while at Beth's house for dinner. I bought it at Albertson's, mostly because it was Chateau St. Michelle, and because it was a kind of their wine I had yet to tast. It says on the bottle its good with any meal. I assumed it was similar to a white zinfindel based on its description and color. It was pink, but darker than your average white zinfindel or blush. It was very sweet, and fruity.

I am always intrigued by how flavors develop in wine, so I did my research on this bottle. Here's what I found:

• This Dry Rose is actually 98% Syrah, and 2% Grenache. This actually amazes me. I usually consider Syrah to be more dry, and less sweet. It just goes to show how versitile a grape can be.

• 2007 was a good year for the grapes in eastern washington. It was warm early, and carried average temperatures throughout the summer. In May, 2 weeks before bloom, there was a whole week of 100+ temperatures. "This heat spike lead to smaller canopy which allowed for more light penetration and contributed to overall good fl avor development in the fruit. The hot
  temperatures also contributed to smaller berries with concentrated flavors."

• The Syrah grapes for the Rose were harvested slightly earlier than the grapes were for the reds, to allow for a more pure, fruit flavor. The fruit was left on the skins for only a matter of hours to allow for just the right amount of coloring to create the coloring for the wine.

• 82% of the wine was fermented in steel barrells (like a sweet wine would), and the remaining 18% of the wine was aged in neutral oak barrels for 2 months to add the "rich mouthfeel."

Perhaps all that information is a bore to you. But it is exciting and new to me. I love to near about each vintage, each winery, each vineyard, and each bottle of wine. It is amazing to me how there are so many types of grapes, and then beyond that...how they can create such different flavors. I mean, this is the perfect example. Syrah grapes can be pressed and aged in smokey oak barrels and create a spicy, full bodied Red wine...or they can be harvested early, fermented in mostly steel barrels, and turn out light and fruity. That gets a WOW from me. :)

2008 Cellar No. 8 Cabernet Sauvignon

Last night we had our weekly dinner at Beth's house. Beth made wonderful lasagna, and cheddar biscuits. I brought along a couple of bottles of wine, as usual. However, Brent and Beth had opened a bottle of Cellar No. 8 Cabernet Sauvignon. I had not heard of the winery, and I'm all about trying new wines. And OH, I'm so glad I did! This by far is my favorite Sauvignon so far! It was medium bodied, with hints of spice and chocolate. It had hardly any finish. I think that is why I liked it. Sadly, with some research online, it only scored an 83 because of its "lack of finish." Oh well. I loved it! It went with the lasagna great, although I honestly would have drank it with anything...or nothing to eat!