Wine Review: Washington state boasts prime climate

The state of Washington is blessed with a climate and soil that is proving to be an excellent location to grow grapes for fine wines.

Among the wineries in the state is the Columbia Winery, which is rapidly becoming one of the area’s rising stars. Columbia Winery produces all of the familiar varieties, which stand up well in the quality department with their southern brethren in California.

An interesting fact about the Columbia Winery beverages is their release date. Their wines were not just quickly made and rushed on to the market — quite the contrary. They are held and given some extra aging and only released when they pass some serious inspection.

Columbia Valley 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon ($16)
This wine is an excellent expression of the variety that stresses all of the big fruit aromas and expansive fruit flavors that has made it the world’s most popular red wine. Blackberry is the main flavor and aroma followed closely by pomegranate, cranberry and juicy dark summer berries, with a hint of oak in the background. The tannin — that component of a red wine that produces the dry sensation in the cheeks — is held in check and acts in combination with the rest of the elements in the wine to produce a velvety mouth feel. This well-made wine can accompany a broad spectrum of red meats and is a standout with anything barbecued.

Columbia Valley 2015 Merlot ($16)
This is another example of the quality that can be found in the familiar wine styles from Columbia Winery. This example shows the brilliant amethyst color of a classical merlot with a full, almost overpowering varietal flavor and aroma. The wine displays a bold blackberry flavor with a background of black cherries and oak. There also is a fascinating under-flavor that vintners describe as earthy. This component adds another layer of character and complexity to the wine. This wine will cover a broad spectrum of foods. It can accompany any meat dish, from the heaviest cuts to the lightest, as well as full-flavored grilled seafood and cheese of every description.

Columbia Valley 2016 Chardonnay ($14)
This is undoubtedly among the best chardonnay wine values in the affordable price range. That's a pretty broad statement, but the Columbia Valley 2016 Chardonnay fills that bill. This is a comfortable wine that combines all of the elements of a fine chardonnay into a mellow, easy-to-drink beverage. The aroma is alive with the scents of pears, apples and vanilla with a hint of roasted nuts in the background. The flavor is bright, fruity and crisp, accenting green apples and pears. The finish is soft and possesses a toast-like element.

Columbia Valley 2015 Red Blend ($14)
This wine is a blend of the popular red varieties of merlot, syrah, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and a bit of malbec. The color is an intense maroon, and the aroma suggests blackberries and plums that meld with notes of spice and mushrooms. These are then carried over to an intense and vibrant flavor followed by a long and fruit-loaded finish.

Wine columnist Bennet Bodenstein can be reached at frojhe1@att.net.