"Focused, refined and appealing for its open-weave texture around a generous core of plum and currant fruit, finishing with hints of coffee and dark chocolate. Drink now through 2014. 69,000 cases made." (WS)
"I just got back from a vacation in St. Thomas where everything, including wine, is obscenely expensive. As I was standing in the aisle of the local supermarket, Food Center, the wine I picked without hesitation was a Columbia Crest Chardonnay. Sure, it was 150% the cost of the same wine here in the U.S. but even at that price it was still absolutely a great value.
Such is the case with nearly all of Columbia Crest’s wines and year after year the Cabernet Sauvignon from Horse Heaven Hills, labeled "H3″ is a standout among standouts. Napa needs to watch its back because a trojan horse (or rabbit), called Washington’s Columbia Valley, is making wines that are every bit as good, though different, and much less expensive.
The 2009 Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet is one of those incredible values and at $9.95 it’s a strong contender for wine value of the year. A compelling nose of blackberry, French oak (40% new), and earth leads to a beautifully structured wine with a notably silky texture and a palate of balanced fruit and acid. The lengthy finish completes a wine that is easily worth 3x its single digit price tag.
LA Wine Co. has managed to keep the price below $10 despite the 90 point Wine Spectator score. At that (or even St. Thomas’) price, it’s a case-worthy value." (Nickel & Dime)
Winery Notes:
"Inviting aromas of cassis, licorice and dark berries mingle with slight earth notes. The voluminous texture is accented by flavors of fruit preserves and leads to a long and silky finish."
The growing season was perfect with dry, warm weather and lots of sunshine. Although bloom was delayed slightly by cool spring weather, warm temperatures soon returned and perfect ripening weather lasted through September.
A freeze in the Columbia Valley on the night of October 10th led to a slightly early end to the harvest season. However most grapes were already picked or had already reached a good level of maturity.
Overall the 2009 vintage produced wines with lots of natural acidity and fruit-forward flavors.
Grapes were crushed at 20% whole-berry to retain fruit quality. Fermentation lasted 6-10 days on the skins to extract optimum fruit and structural components.
Various yeasts were used to maintain fruit flavors and complexity. The wine was racked three times during the 18 month barrel aging period. |
