THEY ARE PAYING US TO BUY THIS.....WE DID, SO SHOULD YOU!!
39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and 16% Syrah
"First, let me clear something up. In this case, C.M.S. does not stand for the Centers for Medicare Services as some might have thought. It actually stands for the grapes that make up this Washington red blend – Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah. And what a fantastic blend it is!
Washington wines are finally hitting many enthusiasts’ radars and for good reason. The quality is outstanding and the values are abundant. Furthermore, a perfect wine growing climate means incredible consistency – even more than the very consistent north coast of California.
This wine should really be called M.C.S. this year, because it’s dominated, both in taste and volume by 45% Merlot. 39% Cabernet and 16% Syrah round out a nice blend that stresses round fruit over tannin and oak. The finish is nice and long and the mouthfeel round and broad, likely thanks to the Merlot.
Hedges Family Estate has been making this wine since 1987. It’s a well established value that usually sells at around $12. At LA Wine Company’s $7.99 it’s an outright bargain." (Nickel & Dime)
Winery Notes:
CMS Red, Washington State's original blended red wine, has been produced and bottled by the estate since 1987. Consistently recognized as one of the best values in Washington State, CMS Red combines elegance and historic blending practices with top quality vineyard sources in the Columbia Valley. A style consistent with classic northern latitude wine growing, the CMS Red is known for a more Columbia Valley AVA regionally driven style, giving way to purity and structure over modernity.
Tasting Notes: Dark ruby color. A hint of sweetness, medium plus body with well integrated tannins that linger on the long finish. A nicely balanced wine, with enough acid and tannin to make this an excellent compliment to many foods.
Cellaring: This is a wine meant to be enjoyed in its youth.
Production: Grapes were grown throughout the greater Columbia Valley in the Horse Heaven Hills, Wahluke Slope, Red Mountain, and Columbia Valley AVAs. The wine was on new oak for 5 weeks, 60% French and 40% American.
Harvest Notes: Ideal spring conditions in 2009 allowed for normal fruit set. The summer brought many days between 85 and 90 degrees, optimum temperatures for photosynthesis, and fewer days above 100 degrees, which would normally halt photosynthesis. The end result was early and simultaneous ripening in all varietals. In the third week of September, unusually high temperatures caused some premature raisining and an early and very busy harvest. We worked diligently to harvest at ideal ripeness in order to maximize fruit quality, making for another excellent vintage. |
