Listen to and watch this video of Watsons Riddle’s “Days Ahead” at your own risk. You just may need to pour yourself a glass of Trio Vintners’ 2009 Watsons Riddle Mourvedre and let your senses explode! Allow the rhythm and smooth sound of jazz complement the earthy, smoky taste of the Mourvedre and then…..Oops – I’m getting ahead of myself~
The first (and hopefully, not the last) time I met Steve Watson was at the wedding of his beautiful daughter who married the handsome son of my roommate from college. The wedding and reception were perfect and having been a Mother of the Bride several months prior, I relished at being a guest and enjoying the fruits of their labor…and then…Steve Watson walked on the stage, talked to the band members, took his guitar and rocked the house! Outstanding talent, jaw droppping jazz sound, and what the heck, a free concert from a key member of Watsons Riddle were right in front of me!
Watsons Riddle is composed of band members Steve Watson (veteran guitarist who has played with the Bruce Hornsby Band, been a guitarist on network television shows, motion pictures, and believe me, much much more), Paul T. Riddle (original Marshall Tucker Band drummer), pianist Chuck Leavell (with the Allman Brothers and Rolling Stones) and Tim Lawter (bassist with the Marshall Tucker Band). Pretty cool, right? Just reading their bio and links on their website makes me want to pour a glass of wine, call an airline to book a ticket, and go to their next concert. But you need to check their site out for yourself! (www.watsonsriddle.com)
So, what did I think of “Days Ahead” while sipping 2009 Watsons Riddle Mourvedre?
- I loved the balanced sound of the band which allowed each member to have an opportunity to express themselves without one overpowering the other. (And no wonder their name is on a wine label…ahhh, balance.)
- With my eyes closed (and no I didn’t spill any wine at this point), I felt calm yet energized (really!) and after I opened my eyes and had another sip of the Mourvedre, I just had to stand up and move!!
- The smooth blend of the piano, drums, and guitars created music with a lingering finish with notes of promise for fantastic days ahead in 2012.
Thanks to social stalking networking, Steve Watson and I became friends (honestly, we do have some mutual Facebook friends including the Mother of the Groom) and I realized that he and the band members worked with Karen LaBonte, winemaker and jazz afficianado, at Trio Vintners in Walla Walla, Washington, to label the 2009 Mourvedre as Watsons Riddle Mourvedre. Fantastic! Wine and jazz – a perfect blend! Since I am unable at this time to purchase the wine in the Chicago area, I called Karen who graciously sent me a sample to profile. For more information regarding Karen’s wine journey with Watson’s Riddle, go the Press Release section of the site, www.triovintners.com.
***In the event you are interested, the Mourvedre grape came from Europe to the New World in the 1800s. This purple grape is a hardy, late ripening varietal and flourishes with hot summer temperatures. The 2009 Watsons Riddle Mourvedre was grown on land in Washington which has never been farmed. The Far Away Vineyard, aptly named, sits 1400 feet above Washington State’s Yakima Valley AVA floor, on the south slope of the Rattlesnake Hills Mountains with a climate that gives the Mourvedre grapes just what they need to flourish. A typical Mourvedre presents aromas and tastes which are gamey, earthy, smoky, with hints of dark dried fruit, a medium body, and subtle tannins with lingering finish. And if you have never had the opportunity to taste a Mourvedre, now may be the time.***
So, what did I think of the 2009 Watsons Riddle Mourvedre (while I was listening to “Days Ahead”)?
- Its color was a clear medium purple and on the nose, there were smoke, earth, some oak, black cherry, blackberry jam, and more dark fruit. These aromas were more pronounced as I swirled and I couldn’t wait to take that first sip.
- Oh ,yeah. With medium acid, medium tannin, medium body, and 13.9% alcohol, this was a well balanced wine of 100% Mourvedre grapes with flavors of cherries, white pepper, earth, smoke, oak, and wood. No one element overpowered the other…sound familiar? Balance is the word ~
- This is not a girly, sit on the patio wearing a sundress and talk about the latest romcom you just watched, sipping kind of wine. This Mourvedre pairs well with game, stews, and grilled meats along with a conversation about the talent of Steve Watson and the other members of Watsons Riddle!
And if you do have that conversation, you’ll need more than one bottle of the 2009 Watsons Riddle Mourvedre from Trio Vintners because you’ll be planning your trip to the next Watsons Riddle concert!!
Keep listening to the sound! And cheers to more grape experiences in the “Days Ahead”! ~ Cindy
Jessica Entingh
Mark Peterson