What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD)

I am becoming a big fan of Walla Walla Valley fruit. Red or white, I enjoy the flavors, the acidity, and many times the lower alcohol in wines sourced from this valley. I have become especially fond of cabernet sauvignon from Walla Walla Valley, with Pepper Bridge and Amavi being two of my favorite Washington cabs.

While shopping at Esquin Wine Merchants a few weeks back, I picked up a bottle of Seven Hills 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Seven Hills Vineyard for $31.95. Last Saturday night, we grilled a couple of fillets along with waffle fries, grilled broccolini and bread. The beef was seasoned with salt and fresh ground pepper and then topped with a chipotle butter concoction Kari whipped up.

The Seven Hills Vineyard is located in Oregon, just west of Milton-Freewater. Casey McClellan, the winemaker, and his family planted the vineyard in the eighties making these some fairly old vines in the valley. Andy Perdue of The Wine Knows recently ranked this vineyard as the third best in Oregon, which is can be confusing since Seven Hills Vineyard appears on the labels of Washington state wineries.

Kari and I really enjoyed the '05 Seven Hills cab, which at 13.5% alcohol, made for a food friendly wine. Besides some deep fruit notes on the nose, I picked up hints of dried herbs. On the palate, the wine had good acid with balanced fruit and tannins. With our steaks, fries, and veggies, it was a delicious wine - one we have again at our table.