I can't wait for Spring Release....

It was an incredible weekend with friends. It all started when rather spontaneously we decided to open up the wine cellar and indulge in some of better wines that we have been saving for a special occasion. The problem is that we always save it for a special occasion and our purchases have far out weighed our consumpution, so consequently we are stocked (not stacked, but rather stocked). And what better time of year than a nasty rainy cold evening to open the cellar up. THE CELLAR IS STOCKED, THE WINES ARE RIPE, AND WE ARE RE-DEFINING "SPECIAL OCCASION". Life is good.....

The result was a very long and relaxing evening in the living room with Randi & Kat where the 4 of us savored 5 very different bottles of some excellent vino.


A little detour: If you know Tom and me very well, you know how much we love Walla Walla and we go every spring. So it should be no surprise that about 90% of our wine inventory is from there. And in case you wonder why we love Walla Walla (besides their premium wines and many boutique wineries) - here is a photo that I think captures why it is so special to us. So each and every bottle that we drink from Walla Walla also represents a memory of someone special we met, an interesting conversation with the wine maker, and/or flashbacks of a beautiful day. Most often, it is all of the above.

Back to wine tasting. Here is what we tasted (our selections were random, but we tasted them in this order):

• 2005 Walla Walla Vitners Sangiovese
  
• 2003 K Vitners "Lucky No. 7" Syrah
  
• 2006 Five Star Cellars Merlot
  
• 2004 Four Vines Anarchy (the only non-Walla Walla wine) - this is a yummy Red Rhone Blend from the Central Coast of California in the Paso Robles Appleation.
  
• 2004 SYZYGY Cabernet Sauvignon

While we didn't take detailed notes and all of us have different palates, it seemed as though we were all crazy over the Five Star Merlot.
As much as I love wine, I am no sommelier, so I plagerized the winery's website to describe this incredible Merlot:
Intense cedar and spicy clove fill the senses. A lush mouth full of black cherry and pepper is offset with the balanced acidity. The carmel notes on the extended finish are framed with the fine oak tannins.
Ymmmm....
Then, another great evening spent at Jack and Anne's along with Anne's parents. And of course, sipping wine. It just doesn't get any better than this!