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By Chuck Hill
CHUCK'S CURRENT PREVIOUSLY ARCHIVED SERIES
Oyster-Friendly Wines EARLIER COLUMNS
Meat Merlot
Summer Zinfandels
The Mystery of Viognier
Versatile Pinot Noir
Wines of the Week REVIEWS BY VARIETAL
Chuck's Wine Reviews
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Cabernet Sauvignon & Blends
Below, you will find my final recommendations for Cabernet Sauvignon and
Bordeaux-style blends. I’ve included some bargain bottlings that will
help conserve your holiday entertaining budget as well as some higher
end wines to linger over or put away in the cellar for next year.
Alexandria Nicole Destiny Ridge Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills has become a benchmark for quality in this AVA. Winegrower and winemaker Jarrod Boyle crafted this muscular Bordeaux blend from 66% Cabernet Sauvignon and smaller amounts of the other Bordeaux varietals plus Carmenère. Both nose and palate offer cassis, black cherry, smoky toasty, and earthy spice along with vanilla and cedar on the finish. Butterflied leg of lamb from the grill would make a nice holiday pairing.
Murphy Goode Terra A Lago, Block 4 vineyard is in California’s southern Alexander Valley and is the source for much of Murphy Goode’s finest Cabernet fruit. This reserve-level Cabernet Sauvignon bursts with boysenberry aroma wrapped in toasty oak and layers of complex earthy, plumy, smoky goodness. The palate is rich with black cherry and blueberry flavors tightly held by firm tannins and notes of vanilla and bacon on the finish. Calling all meats from the grill!
Airfield Estates Winemaker Marcus Miller exclaims that the 2007 is his favorite of recent vintages. Grapes came from the estate’s 20-year-old E-5 Cabernet vineyard block, rarely yielding over 4 tons per acre. Ripe aromas of cassis, black cherry, baking spice and cedar lead to a rich palate of black fruits, dark chocolate and toasty oak with notes of vanilla. Excellent with lamb and beef.
Jordan Winery Winemaker Rob Davis has been with the Jordan Winery for 32 vintages and worked with the legendary Andre Tchelistcheff, the winery’s consultant through 1994. This blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot shows aromas of black currant, cherry, vanilla, plum and cedar. The flavors are echoed on the palate with a medium mouthfeel that pairs beautifully with steak.
Mercer Estate Winemaker David Forsyth sources fruit from the Horse Heaven Hills and Wahluke Slope to craft this zippy food wine comprised of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Scents of blackberry and cherry are followed by notes of toasty, spicy oak and a hint of vanilla. The palate is bright with flavors of blackberry and cassis, finishing with toasty oak and silky tannins.
Milbrandt Vineyards
This wine expresses the terroir of one of Milbrandt’s most highly prized vineyards. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Petite Sirah, the wine offers ripe blackberry and cassis on the nose and a rich palate of lush black fruits with notes of spicy French oak and a finish of vanilla and maple. A very elegant companion to steaks from the grill.
Stephenson Cellars The bright fruit of this wine offers spicy cherry and berry on the nose and a complex berry bowl on the palate complemented by notes of baking spice, earth and dark chocolate. You can serve this wine with meaty appetizers and flavorful cheeses to start your dinner party in style.
Planted in 1991 by vineyard manager Mimi Nye, Chateau Ste. Michelle’s
Canoe Ridge Estate Vineyard is now producing superb fruit for some of
the winery’s best wines. This bottling ranked 38th in a
popular wine magazine’s top 100 wines of the world list for 2009. Look
for ripe blackberry and cassis on the nose with notes of cocoa and spicy
tobacco. The palate is medium bodied with rich boysenberry and
chocolate flavors and a toasty finish with medium tannins.
Three Rivers Winery Winemaker Holly Turner blended 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot – both from the famed Champoux Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills – to craft this delicious wine. Barreled in 70% new French oak, the wine offers ample toasty notes to complement aromas and flavors of black cherries, cassis, dark chocolate, coffee and earthy baking spice. Lay this one down for future enjoyment, or serve with a rich standing rib roast.
Thurston Wolfe Winery
This wine is dedicated to Stan Clarke, renowned viticulturist, teacher and mentor to students of all ages. Cabernet was Stan’s favorite wine and this beauty would make him smile and smack his lips. Aromas and flavors of black cherry, cassis, mocha and spicy oak will bring a smile to your face as well. Enjoy some lamb with The Teacher and raise a glass to Stan.
Clos Pegase Look for the name Andre Tchelistcheff elsewhere in this column and you will find the man who made the first Clos Pegase wines in 1985. The winery and its famous art collection have come a long way in 24 years, and they have done it by producing wines like this 2005 Cabernet. A blend of fruit from the Calistoga and Carneros areas, the wine offers cherry, cassis, cedar and floral notes on the nose. The palate is refined with red fruit and vanilla flavors wrapped in spicy oak. Lamb chops with herbs make a great accompaniment.
Snoqualmie Vineyards This tasty blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot offers juicy aromas of blackberry and red currant mingling with notes of vanilla and spicy oak. The palate is medium bodied with flavors of black fruits and toasty barrel. Soft tannins make this a great sipping wine with appetizers and a tasty pairing with meaty meals.
Eliseo Silva Eliseo “Lee” Silva is the vineyard manager for Tagaris Winery’s Alice and Arete Vineyards. The winery honors him with this brand for his dedication and hard work over many years. Aromas of spicy plum and toasty oak lead to a jammy palate of blackberry and black currant with notes of vanilla and oak. This fruit-filled bargain is just the thing to serve when having a fun-loving crowd in for the holidays. # # #
One-year
Archive of previous
Wines of the Week reviews
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