2007 Columbia Crest “Two Vines” Cabernet Sauvignon

Mt. Rainier-Sized Washington State Value

I’ll be perfectly honest with all of you, because I think it’s important and I feel, at times, like you’re all just so open with me, that a little quid pro quo is due. I don’t shop for wine at supermarkets. Ever.

Does this make me a snob? I hope not. The majority of my wine purchasing is done at wineries and at wine shops. Part of this is the luxury of my geographic location: surrounded by many of Northern California’s best viticultural regions.

The other part is, admittedly, a kind of conceit. There are a bunch of wine shops near me, and I just don’t like buying wine at supermarkets. I’ll do the BevMo thing, but they don’t sell fresh produce where I buy my wine.

So at my mother-in-law’s for Mother’s Day, I saw this bottle, opened, on the counter. Decided to give it a shot. She’d bought it for cooking only, but the fact of the matter is, I know damn well that some “priced-for-cooking” wine can actually be quite drinkable. While no one is about to be blown away by Columbia Crest’s Two Vines line, it is significantly better than some cheap wine I’ve had recently.

The wine is fairly light-colored in the glass, with a garnet core that lightens just slightly to purple at the edges. On the nose is a little more noticeable heat than I’d like to see from a 13.5% ABV wine, but it’s also fairly common in my experience for “value” wine to show off more of its alcohol than better-balanced, better-structured (i.e. “more expensive”) wines. Hints of black cherry and lightly-toasted vanilla show up on the nose as well.

So, the taste: the wine is light-bodied, surprisingly light for a cabernet, and very fruit-forward. You gotta be down with some fruit to enjoy this wine. Cherries and jam, and the lightest still-noticeable oak I’ve seen in a cabernet in a while.

If this is indicative of how Washington State does value cabs, compared to how California does it, then head to your supermarket’s wine aisle and look for the Washington designation. Wine Searcher lists the wine between $5.50-$9 but I saw the receipt: my in-laws spent $4.99 at their local Safeway. Well worth that price, in my opinion.

Verdict: 83/100

2007 Columbia Crest Two Vines Cabernet Sauvignon

2007 Columbia Crest Two Vines Cabernet Sauvignon

Washington State Claret Scores

2003 Kiona Cabernet Sauvignon

Quite a while ago now, I won this bottle in a contest at Josh Wade’s Drink Nectar wine/coffee blog. Josh is a huge proponent of the burgeoning Washington State wine scene, and he raved pretty good about Kiona and their cabs, especially.

When the bottle arrived, I popped the cork, eager to see what it had to offer. That bottle, however, offered me little more than a bitter, vinegary sensation. It looked like the rigors of travel… and a loose cork (these things happen)… had done the wine no favors whatsoever. It was undrinkable.

I told Josh about the unfortunate result, he told the folks at Kiona, and they happily sent out another bottle. Good thing they did, because this is a wine I’m glad I got to try.

The Kiona Cabernet Sauvignon is a Washington State blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, a very Left Bank Bordeaux-style combination (in the UK, red wines from Bordeaux are sometimes called “Claret,” hence my use of the word in the title. No, I’m not British).

The wine is a ruby red color at its core, and there is a slight orange-brown rusting to the edges. The nose shows off a bit of heat (though its modest 13.8% ABV keeps this from getting Lodi Zinfandel levels), but a plentiful bouquet of raspberry, blackcurrant, and white pepper.

The 2003 Kiona is a medium-bodied wine. The tannins start off a bit sharp, but smooth considerably with just a little time in the glass. There is some good structure, but this is a wine to be enjoyed, not to be cellared. The dominant notes on the palate are smooth black cherry, and toasted oak that comes off a bit smoky.

All in all, very enjoyable. And for $12-$20, a very good value.

Verdict: B+

2003 Kiona Cabernet Sauvignon

2003 Kiona Cabernet Sauvignon