Last week our local wine shop, Fine Wines of Stockton, decided to have a tasting of Cabernet Sauvignon from the Columbia Valley in the state of Washington. The Columbia Valley covers a good piece of central Washington with a little bit dropping down into Oregon. This area includes 99% of the vineyards in the state and many varietals are grown there. Being a warm area in the summer the wines are much like California wines, fruit forward with a plenty of flavor but the cooler nights help with acidity and balance.
All wines were tasted blind.
We started off with the 2008 Goose Ridge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon – This Estate bottled Cabernet was a dark garnet color and has a nose of ripe fruit and slightly vegetal notes. The flavors tasted of rich, ripe fruit with a bit of vanilla and caramel. There were significant tannins and a light mouth feel. The finish was moderately long. Most of the group felt this is a drink now wine and would be good with food. This was also the favorite wine of the tasting group.
Our second wine was the 2008 Canoe Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon – This was a dark ruby-garnet color, with a nose of dried fruit. The flavors tasted of dark ripe fruit with significant and a little bit bitter tannins on the finish. We also tried this with some crackers and cheese and the bitterness disappeared.
Third was the 2008 Waterbrook Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – This was a very dark ruby color with a complex dark fruit nose. Nice ripe fruit flavors with mint/menthol and vanilla and moderate tannins and with long finish with fruit and tannins, significant acid.
The next three wines are all from Chateau Ste. Michelle but from different vineyards in the Columbia Valley. This was interesting as you could really see what the vineyard and area differences were. The Cold Creek Vineyard was the ripest tasting wine of the group.
2009 Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley – A dark ruby color with a stinky nose initially which blew off to dark fruit. This was followed by flavors of sweet dark fruit, caramel and vanilla with moderate tannins. The finish was sweet fruit and tannins. Tannins were smoother than the previous wines. This wine garnered the number two favorite spot in the tasting.
2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Vineyard – An inky dark ruby color with a minimal nose. There was complex dark fruit flavors with a bit of vanilla. Moderately smooth tannins. Finished with smooth tannins and complex fruit flavors. Easy drinking.
2007 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cold Creek Vineyard – Another wine with a very dark ruby color. It had a big dark fruit and vegetal (hay) nose, very ripe dark fruit flavors with a pop of cedar and some smoke. Moderate tannins with a smooth finish. The pop of cedar was an intriguing flavor that I just wanted more of. The fruit was very ripe, however. This vineyard is north of the Indian Wells vineyard.
