Cellar Notes
By Condé Cox
CALIFORNIA’S CLIMATE, scientists say, is migrating to the Pacific Northwest. But the wine varietal the Golden State is best known for, cabernet sauvignon, has already made itself at home here, especially in warmer regions like Eastern Washington and Southern Oregon.
While there are some great high-priced Northwest cabs out there, the trick is to find lower-priced bottles that haven’t been overwhelmed with the addition of grape juice concentrate or other color-darkening, fruit-enhancing additives that turn otherwise interesting and complex wines into an adult version of Kool-Aid. Try these two beauties, one made from fruit grown in the Horse Heaven Hills of southern Washington, and the other grown in the Umpqua Valley, near Roseburg.
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Alder Ridge Vineyard 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon $30 Located in the veritable sweet spot for cabernet in Washington, the Alder Ridge vineyard sits high in the dry, east-facing hills between Prosser and the mighty Columbia River. With flavors of black currants and scents of cassis, this great buy will improve in a cool cellar for probably another decade, but it also drinks well right now. |
Heydon Road 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon $18 Hailing from one of Oregon’s oldest vineyards (Hillcrest, planted in 1961), this wine has what I call “that old-vine stuffing.” There’s just something about older vineyard fruit that can’t be duplicated or created in the cellar—this kind of complex and deep flavor comes with time. Enjoy rich, long flavors of black fruit with the complex bouquet found only in top-quality cabs. |
Published: July 2011
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