Having a Ball in Walla Walla!
Recently, I had the pleasure to explore the exciting wine region of Walla Walla, Washington. This is an area that is literally exploding with new wineries and delivering great wine to please all. In just three days, we visited and sampled the wines of 11 different wineries.
Walla Walla is located in the southeastern corner of Washington, east of the Cascades about 200 miles. The region is literally “high desert” (elevation about 1000 feet) as the Cascades form a rain shadow for the area. Rivers are the main source of water. Walla Walla has long been known as one of the most fertile agricultural areas in the nation, producing such crops as wheat, asparagus, strawberries and the famous Walla Walla Sweet Onions. The growing, shining star today though is the wine business.
Horse Heaven Hills Red Blend: A $15 Winner
This is an easy drinking, crowd-pleasing wine. I initially looked for the 2016 Cabernet, yet found this lovely bottle at my local grocery store. This wine is ready now with plush fruit flavors and soft tannins. This is the 2014 Horse Heaven Hills Red Blend Les Chevaux from Columbia Crest.
Horse Heaven Hills is the AVA (American Viticultural Area) where the grapes come from that go into this wine. This is the 3rd largest AVA (based on the acreage planted with vines) in Washington State, and many of the highly rated wines of Washington come from this area.
Great Value: Columbia Crest Grand Reserve Cabernet, 2014
The tree is put away, the lights have been taken down (hopefully), and the bills from the holidays need to be addressed. Where is that value wine when you need one most? Well, for those experiencing the need for a good drinking, modest priced Cabernet – I have one for you.
I recently read a review in Wine Spectator regarding the Columbia Crest Grand Reserve Cabernet, 2014. It was tasted and awarded 91 points. Interesting start… Then, they listed the price for $12. This gets more of my attention. For me, that’s an invitation to see if I can find it and taste it myself.
Washington Wines: A Real Value
A few years ago, I tasted a red blend from Washington State called Ursa. It was produced by a small winery named Baer Winery in Woodinville, WA. Interestingly, Ursa is Latin for the animal bear. The wine itself was a blend and a pure pleasure to drink. In fact, that year this wine was Wine Spectator’s #6 wine of the year. The price, at that time, was a mere $35 a bottle for an outstanding wine.
More recently, I purchased their 2010 Ursa for about the same price, and it scored 91 points. When Wine Spectator released their top 100 list again this year, Baer’s 2012 Ursa ranked at the #28 spot. I suspect there is a trend here. This is a consistently well-crafted wine that delivers year after year. Here is the best part – it is still available from the winery for shipment to most states. (Sorry, to my friends in PA!) I just searched their website to confirm, and they still have wine to sell and ship. Now is a great time as the weather is cool, and there is no concern regarding temperature.
Party Time: Excellent Red for $12!
This 2013 Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon hails from Columbia Crest in Washington state. Several months ago, I posted about their ’12 Red Blend, and the ’13 is again a noteworthy buy. This is Cabernet that is approachable when young with deep fruit flavors, round dusty tannins and a smooth finish that lasts. In fact, it was surprising how long the finish was given the price per bottle.
This is the wine’s description from the winery’s website: “This bold Cabernet opens with flavors of black cherries and blackberries with a touch of currants and vanilla, complemented by earth and mineral notes. Deep berry flavors lead to a soft tannin cocoa finish.”
Value Buy for Under $9.00!
I did my quarterly shopping at Costco yesterday. As always, I browse the wine aisles. Costco is the number one retailer of wine in the U.S. You should also know that wherever I go — grocery stores, drug stores, it doesn’t matter — if they have wine, I am there reading the labels.
While at Costco, I picked up an old favorite – they still had some 2012 Tres Picos! I also found this little ‘potential’ gem. First, you should know I have adopted a philosophy that I will taste any value wines before I recommend them. While I appreciate the critics and the reviews, I want to make sure I can support the wine before sharing it with you.
So today’s little gem is from Columbia Crest. It is a red blend from the Horse Heaven AVA out of Washington State. The price at Costco is $8.99! This is a true value when one looks at the price. Also, Horse Heaven is an excellent AVA (American Viticulture Area).
Good Cabernet for $15??
Most people say that it is easy to buy a good bottle of cabernet for $50. The real challenge is finding the good bottle for much less. Well, given the challenge, I had to post this for your palate and pocket experience. This comes from Wine Spectator Advance; and, after reading about it, I had to share it with you.
Columbia Crest
Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills H3 2012
92 points | $15 | 162,000 cases made | Red
“Dark and spicy, billowing with plum, currant and white chocolate flavors, picking up pear and white tea notes as the finish lingers with refinement. The tannins are submerged. Drink now through 2018.” —H.S.
A Great Value out of Washington State
I wanted to do a quick post to tell you about a wine that I can readily recommend based on past purchases and drinking enjoyment. It’s the Baer Winery Star from 2011, which comes from Columbia Valley, Washington. This winery has a history of having its wines make Wine Spectator’s Top 100 List.
Trust me, I do not go by scores alone, since there are many times I feel very differently about wines that are highly rated by Robert Parker or Wine Spectator. I really appreciate, though, that I can feel relatively confident that a wine with a good score is a good direction to venture in and explore for myself.
Leonetti Cellar: A Washington State Great!
Last night, we had dinner at our favorite restaurant with new friends. One of the aspects of wine that I truly love is sharing it with others. I most certainly enjoy bringing new or special bottles to those who appreciate the experience. On this night, I brought a white and a red. The red was a 2005 Leonetti Cabernet Sauvignon from the Walla Walla region in the state of Washington. This is a wine that I received as a gift and let rest for a while to have the flavors evolve. It was a wonderful bottle. It presented rich, dark fruit with a dusty finish that went on and on. Silly as it seems, I timed it once, and the finish lingered for 45 seconds.