Last night with Italian take-out:
2013 Fontanafredda Barolo Serralunga d'Alba Nebbiolo
Popped and poured. Surprisingly supple and ready with classic nebbiolo flavors. Bargain at $36 for a liter bottle.
Tuesday night with beef in green pepper and garlic sauce on grilled Samish baked potato bread:
2016 Soul Growers Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah/Mouvedre El Mejor Barossa Valley
A friend brought this back from a trip to Australia last year, and it was splendid. Cabernet and Syrah valiantly hold up the front end leaving the blood-and-barn Mourvedre to tend the finish. A bold, balanced wine with serious intentions in which nothing is overdone. Big applause for only 13.5% alcohol--in the Barossa!!! (Yeah, I did a double-take, too.)
2016 Black Hills Estate Nota Bene Okanagan Valley VQA Red Bordeaux Blend
Excellent and well balanced for current drinking. Over the course of a slow night, the cab franc and merlot elements showed the strongest with the scales tipping toward red fruit and green bell pepper. I just love this producer.