Columbia Valley

At a recent tasting of United Ink Wines, this was the runaway crowd favorite.  It is a blend of 60% Merlot, 20% Syrah, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington state.  Garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, chocolate and slight black raspberry.  Mice mouthfeel.  Light to medium tannins.  On the palate, nice black raspberry and black cherries fruit with some chocolate.  Firm tannins on the finish.  This is delicious.  It drinks (easy).  Great on its own, this would be great with a burger or other foods off the grill.  Drink over the next five year

This was a very enjoyable Riesling from Washington state.  The back label talked about dry wine, but this is semi-dry.  Screw capped.  Silvery/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is more about minerality than fruit.  Tight but opens with some air to show some tropical fruits.  On the palate, there is a nice pineapple streak with minerality and yes a bit of sweetness.  Enough acidity to balance this nicely.

Peter Rosback releases his wines early, so it is nice to get a taste.  These are from a vineyard that is about one hundred years old and was reclaimed around 20 years ago.  It is an interesting take on a grape not often found in those parts.  This years version seems a bit lighter on the fruit with a nice spicy quality to it.  Purple/ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, cinnamon, baking spices and slight sour cherry note.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, this is a bit softer in texture.  Light tannins.  Cherry fruit with underlying spice.  This is bottled under screwcap.  Of course

This has held up quite well.  It is mature and drinking very well right now.  Deep ruby in color with purple swirls.  The nose has black cherries, slight mint, spice and slight char.  On the palate, this is medium bodied.  Black cherries with underlying char.  Some complexity.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  This should probably be consumed in the next five to seven years.  It will work well with roasted meats or veggies.  

This is the entry level Cab from the producer of Washington and Oregon wines.  It is a solid wine for the price.  It utilized a glass closure ("Cork") which probably has kept it a bit fresher over the years.  Deep ruby/purple in color.  The nose has black cherries, slight spice and a hint of fennel.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, the black cherries come thru.  Tannins are resolved.  It tastes fresh but lacks depth or complexity.  Moderate finish.  At $30, this is a solid wine, but for my money, it is worth the extra money for the better Cabs.  drink this sooner than later, it won't get bet

Wow.  What a showing.  The grapes for this come from a "young" block in the Champoux vineyard.  Of course, they were not really that young in 2008.  And the best few barrels of this were bottles separately as a "Reserve".  This may be the best Washington Cabernet I have had.  Period.  OK, let's get this part out of the way.  I know the producer - Peter Rosback.  We have been friends for over 40 years since our college days, but I don't believe that influenced this review.  I literally had to go back and check the bottle after taking a few sip.  Purple in color.  The nose has cassis, black c

It's not often that Petite Verdot is bottled on its own.  More typically, it is found in small amounts in Bordeaux blends, so this was an interesting treat.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  On the nose there are plums, slight blueberries, slight lilac, spice and char.  Full bodied.  On the palate, the plums come thru strong with slight blueberries and underlying gravel.  It is tasty but not complex.  More mono-dimensional.  Still, it is quite enjoyable to drink and unique.  Light tannins.  Moderate finish.  This probably will go another five to eight years.  A nice match with grilled f

Always one of my favorite Zin's, in part for its uniqueness, it was wonderful concentration.  Made from vines that getting close to 100 years old.  This vineyard had been abandoned and then resurrected in the 1980's.  Style wise it is middle of the road for Zin.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, black cherries, baking spices and just a bit of char.  On the palate, this is full bodied.  At 14.8% Alc, this is not super high for a Zin.  Lots of cherry and some charred cherry fruit.  Very concentrated.  Lighter tannins.  Nice finish.  This drinks well young but does age nice with goo

This is a great value in Washington Cabs.  When it was first being made, this was from younger vines in the Champoux Vineyard, hence the name.  Now the vines have a bit of age to them and the resultant wine shows more depth and complexity.  Purple in color.  The nose has cassis, boysenberries, spice, slight char and coffee.  On the palate, this has nice layers of cassis, char and earth.  Wonderful texture.  Light tannins.  Good finish.  This may still improve a bit but either way, it should drink well for another ten to fifteen years.  It will go well with a steak or roast.  

This is an excellent value in red wine.  It is a blend of 80% Merlot with the remainder Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has black cherries, black raspberries, dark chocolate and a hint of spice.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this has nice black cherry fruit with some depth.  Light tannins.  Underlying earthiness.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This drinks well on its own and should be great with poultry dishes or even a burger.  It should be consumed over the next five to seven years.  While wine prices vary at the time of this writing, this wi