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Happy Pi Day, readers! It’s hard to believe it’s been one month already since Valentine’s Day. I don’t have any pie recipes for you today (see my Valentine’s Day post on grape galette), but with St. Patrick’s Day looming, I thought I would pull out a cherished bottle from my wine cellar with an utterly fitting name: Irish Eyes. Cue the Bing Crosby song.

This lovely bottle came home with me after a Saturday out tasting solo in Woodinville (a city in Washington state with a bajillion wineries). This wine was not part of the tasting flight that day but I am sure glad my server poured it because it stole my heart and I had to go home with it. As a matter of fact, both wines I purchased that day from two different wineries were not on the flight menu, including a ridiculous Cab Franc that I need to write about soon.

For those of you who don’t know, GSM stands for the three red grape varieties of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. These three varieties comprise a famous red wine blend you’ll find traditionally in France’s Rhône Valley and also Spain’s Catalonia region. There is a reason these three grapes are frequent bottle-fellows. Here is a quick snapshot of what each grape variety is like and what each typically contributes to a blend:
Grenache: raspberry, cherry flavors. Medium body, low/medium tannin and acid, high alcohol.
Syrah: blueberry, plum, smoke, pepper, meat flavors. Full body, medium tannin, alcohol, acidity.
Mourvèdre: dark fruits, chocolate, velvety texture. Deep, dark, inky color. Full body, high tannin, medium high alcohol, medium acidity.

Together, they make some of the world’s greatest wine blends. 🍷

Irish Eyes is made by Tinte Cellars, and named in honor of the owners’ Irish parents. Tinte Cellars crafts premium Washington state wine, as evidenced by this exceptional bottle. But not only are they making award-winning delicious wine, they are engaged in a wide range of charitable activities. The family-owned business operates to give back generously to the community through a robust philanthropic program. Check out all the cool things they are doing here. All the more reason to visit them for a tasting, take home a bottle (or a few), and maybe even join their wine club. It sounds like they have a lot of fun doing good. ❤

Here’s their take on a GSM blend:

You’ll be smiling once you sip this wine.

Tinte Cellars 2018 Irish Eyes Red Wine Columbia Valley

• $48/bottle
• Composition: 41% Grenache, 39% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre
• Alcohol: 14.8%
• Color: Deep ruby
• Aromas: Raspberry, Blackberry, Plum, Pepper, lavender/rosemary, smoky, touch of leather, orange peel
• Flavors: cherry jam, orange pekoe tea
• Tannins: Very soft, gentle, velvety, in the background
• Body: medium
• Acidity: Moderate. It’s there to play enough of a role but it’s super even-keel.
• Finish: Not super long. But not super short, either.
• Winemaker’s Notes: “Aromas of mixed berries and black tea give way to cherry jam and orange zest on the palate. The finish treats you to berry punch and a hint of butterscotch.”

This wine is delicious on its own so it does not need any food to go with it. I happened to drink some of this along with my dinner of Smoky Lentil Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, and it was very tasty.

I don’t think you can go wrong pairing this with corned beef and cabbage. It certainly has the structure to handle juicy beef and other typical St. Paddy’s Day fare. We are having our Irish feast on Sunday, and my mouth is watering just thinking about the menu. I’ll even be whipping up my Bailey’s Irish Cream cheesecake for dessert. 😋

Have you tried this wine? What did you think? Let me know in the comments.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, and Happy Almost Spring! 🍀

Spring is springing! My daughter’s “salad” made from weeds and grasses pulled from our yard – I love all the shades and textures of green.