#Tasteup2 Pedroncelli Wine Paired With "Chicken with Prunes and Chiles"

*Samples Received"

Never miss a chance to join with folks around the states and my friends at Pedroncelli Winery when we taste and pair the wines with great conversation. Unfortunately I was late to the party this go round but still managed a couple interjections and loved seeing how others enjoyed the dish and wines as I did. Can't stress enough how these inexpensive wines over deliver on every bottle. Yes you should order some or stop by the tasting room ( I knew you were going to ask).

We start the tasting festivities off with the 2017 Friends White Wine Blend. A fun little wine I like to call party on the patio or in the sand with Jimmy Buffet playing on the speakers. Tropical goodness both on the nose and in the glass with peach, pineapple, melon, tangerine and a hint fresh honey complimented by a nice splash of mouth watering citrus. Such a fun crisp wine. Every party should start with this little beauty.

Next is the 2017 Dry Rose Of Zinfandel which was additionally paired with tonight's dish. The fruit leaps from the glass to your nose showcasing cherry, strawberry followed by bursts of floral notes, orange peel and a nice pepper spice. The mouth says red fruit with cherry, raspberry and wild strawberry clusters with a dusting of baking spice and white pepper. The fruit is really bright and wine lover appealing. Paired this with the dish and boy does it tame the chiles and lift the chicken flavor. One of my favorite rose wines!

Final wine is the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek Valley Three Vineyards scrumptious red. Clusters of dark berries on the nose with blackberry, dark cherry and rich plum. Earthy and herbal tones with toasted almonds. Very appealing nose. The mouth exhibits the ripe dark fruit from the nose (dark cherry, blackberry, plum and black raspberry) with a perfect balance of dried herbs and a kiss of oak on the finish. Paired with the chicken with prunes and chiles , loved how it was all about the plums in the sauce and tamed the tannins in the wine. Elegant my friends. For a finish a chocolate fudge brownie pairs well with the cabernet too :)

Sorry to see it end but that means you need to be on the lookout for #tasteup3 coming to a computer near you soon. Ed and Julie loved it and thanks for including me. I'm accumulating some wonderful recipes and wine pairings (let's not forget the delicious wines too).

Cheers
Dan

Mercer Wine Sauv Blanc, Sharp Sisters Blend and Malbec Washington

*Samples Received*

Periodically I receive samples and today's come from Mercer Wine in Prosser Wa. The family has been proudly farming the same property for over a century. Horse Heaven Hill AVA is in the southeastern part of Washington State bordering the Yakima Valley north and the Columbia River south. In 2016 Mercer was named 2016 Washington Winery of the Year.

First wine was the 2015 Sauvignon Blanc Horse Heaven Hills. 12.5% alcohol this is 100% sauvignon blanc fermented in stainless steel. The nose and mouth are so crisp and loaded with citrus. "Grapefruit, lychee, passion fruit and boxwood on the nose with gooseberry and mouth watering citrus on every sip". Crisp and refreshing and a very nice start to the evening.

Next the 2015 Sharp Sisters Red Blend. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Grenache and Carignne make this blend special. The grapes are harvested from 4 vineyards Dead Canyon, Eagle & Plow, Spice Cabinet and Milt's. Clocking in at 14.8% alcohol, the wine was aged 18 months in French and American oak all blended together at bottling. "Blackberry preserves and plums with notes of sage and sweet vanilla" treat the nose. The mouth jumped with clusters of red and dark berries even giving a jammy sensation, a hint of herb and toasted vanilla. Soft finish with the berries lingering. Real nice blend.

Final wine was the 2015 Malbec. 78% Malbec with a 22% splash of Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine was aged 18 months in new and old French clocking in at 14.8% alcohol. The fruit here comes from the Spice Cabinet Vineyard. Blackberry, red raspberry, coffee and vanilla bean treat the nose. The mouth was all dark fruit with juicy blackberry hints of expresso and fresh vanilla. Another nice wine.

You can taste wines at the Prosser Tasting Room attached to the winery at 3100 Lee Road. In Seattle stop by the Georgeown Tasting Room 6235 Airport WA S Suite 2 in Seattle.

2013 Synthesis Napa Valley Cabernet Martin Ray Winery

*Sample Received*

Located in the Russian River Valley on the edge of Green Valley you will find Martin Ray Vineyards and Winery. The wine making team crafts these beautiful "wines of place" at one of the oldest continually working wineries in California. They tap the vineyards from their 12 acre estate, the mountain regions of Santa Cruz and Napa and Dry Creek Valley and the Sonoma Coast. It is at these vineyards which they carefully select the grapes that are worthy of the Martin Ray label.

The Synthesis Cabernet features the grapes of Napa. Stags Leap District, Rutherford and Diamond Mountain vineyards each with it's unique character, supplied the fruit for this bold yet elegant wine. 2013 was a great season for grape growing with many saying perfect. Yields were up on fruit along with the quality that enhanced flavor profiles. Hand picked and fermented in 5 ton open top fermentation tanks the 98% Cabernet and 2% Petit Verdot was aged 18 months in French oak barrels.

The nose is rich with cherry, blackberry, plum and blueberry fruit enhanced with a dash of baking spice giving you this warm fruit pie sensation. Allowing the wine to open in the glass this earthy, dusty, herbal kiss with hints of wildflowers. Wonderful pleasing aromatics.

The mouth exhibits juicy layers of fruit with a warm spice and toasty vanilla character. Creamy blueberry with a cherry accent followed by warm plum and blackberry. The spice is warm with a herbal toasty accent on the finish. Big tannins match the big flavor of this beauty. Well done

Swing by for a taste at 2191 Laguna Road Santa Rosa Ca. Well worth the stop, a palate pleaser.

Cheers
Dan