2007 Sparkman Wilderness Columbia Valley Red Wine

Hello everyone!! We had this lovely wine last night with coffee rubbed rib eye steaks and asparagus salad. I was actually looking for a bigger wine for these steaks and I thought this was a cabernet sauvignon blend. So while this was a really good wine, I believe it would have been even more enjoyable with a chicken or pork dish. This wine is a blend of merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, petite syrah, and petite vedrot. It was made in the style of the French Rhone blends. The color was a deep inky garnet. The nose was of dark berries and vanilla (not a big nose, but present). On the palate there was blackberry, dark cherry, a little vanilla and a touch of blueberry. It had a nice cherry finish with a hint of chocolate and coffee. The tannins were soft and well integrated and there was enough acid to make it vibrant but not harsh. It had a beautiful silky, smooth mouth feel. I can't remember where I got this wine, but I found it listed for $26 to $30 a bottle. Part of the proceeds go to a wildlife fund for the Northwest United States.

2008 Chateau Ste Michelle Indian Wells Merlot

Hello all!! We had a very nice merlot this evening, with breaded, oven baked pork chops (a nice pairing). It had a deep garnet color, and aromas of blackberry and vanilla. It started out a little rough around the edges (it is a 2008). But it opened up nicely into a lovely velvety fruit forward Merlot. This is exactly what people like about Merlot. It was a beautifully balanced fruit forward velvety pleasure to drink. As Gary would say, it had a high delicious factor. It's not particularly complex, but it was yummy! I got this for $20 at Ashes last night. I'm not generally a big Merlot fan, but I may have to keep a bottle around.