Cabernet Franc is generally thought of as the quiet little brother of Cabernet Sauvignon. Some people even refer to it as the “other” Cabernet. However, Cabernet Franc is actually one of the genealogical parents of Cabernet Sauvignon. Originating in Bordeaux, France, Cabernet Sauvignon is a cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc.

Well-known as a blending grape and often used in Bordeaux and Bordeaux-style blends, Cabernet Franc also has attracted a cult-like following for its single varietal wines. It has a similar flavor profile to Cabernet Sauvignon but has less tannins, is lighter in color, and tends to be more peppery. The Loire Valley of France is known for its Cabernet Franc based wines including those of Chinon and Bourgueil. In recent years, more wineries in the United States are producing single varietal Cabernet Franc. The weather in the state of Washington seems to be perfectly suited to do Cabernet Franc well. In fact, last year Seattle Magazine selected Cabernet Franc as the Best Emerging Varietal in their 2008 Best of Washington Wine Awards.

“Traditionally known as a blending grape, Cabernet Franc, when grown in Washington—where long warm days allow it to ripen fully—approaches perfection when made into single varietal wines.” –Seattle Magazine

Recently, we had the pleasure of attending a blind tasting at our friends’ house that featured 19 Cabernet Francs from Washington. That’s right, 19! When we mentioned this to a winemaker the other day who makes a Cab Franc himself, he said, “Wow! I didn’t know there were that many being made in Washington. You must have tried them all.” While in reality there are more than 19 wineries making a single varietal Cabernet Franc these days, this was a very comprehensive sampling of what the state can do with this grape.

The overwhelming consensus favorite was the 2005 Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc. What can I say other than Mike Wade of Fielding Hills has done it again. It continues to amaze me the quality that he is able to achieve across varietals and across vintages. If you have not yet tried any Fielding Hills wines, you definitely need to seek them out.

The wine that received the second-most first place votes was the 2005 Willow Crest Cabernet Franc. With its $16 price tag, it was the only wine in this tasting to have a QPR of 5 bangs for your buck. Willow Crest Winery, located in Prosser, Washington, was founded in 1995 by David Minick. Minick oversees the Willow Crest Estate Vineyard where his family has grown wine grapes since 1982. Much of their fruit is sold to other wineries but Minick retains a small amount of his harvest to produce his own wines under the Willow Crest label, approximately 3,000 cases per year.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that we tasted. Under each Quality heading, the wine name and region will be listed along with price and QPR rating. Wines in bold type received a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5).

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2005 Willow Crest Cabernet Franc, Yakima Valley, $16, QPR: 5
2005 Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc, Wahluke Slope, $30, QPR: 4
2005 Cougar Crest Cabernet Franc, Walla Walla Valley, $36, QPR: 3

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2005 Cadence Coda, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 3
2005 Barrister Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $27, QPR: 3
2006 Nefarious Cellars Cabernet Franc, Wahluke Slope, $28, QPR: 3
2005 O*S Winery Champoux Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Horse Heaven Hills, $30, QPR: 3
2004 JLC Perpetuation “The Hamilton” Cabernet Franc, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2005 Bonair Cabernet Franc, Rattlesnake Hills, $15, QPR: 4
2004 Chinook Cabernet Franc, Yakima Valley, $20, QPR: 3
2006 Cuillin Hills Weinbau Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Wahluke Slope, $28, QPR: 2
2005 Camaraderie Cellars Cabernet Franc, Washington State, $28, QPR: 2
2005 Beresan Cabernet Franc, Walla Walla Valley, $29, QPR: 2
2004 Di Stefano Sogno Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $32, QPR: 1
2005 Columbia Crest Beverly Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 1

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2006 Isenhower Road Less Traveled Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: NR
2005 Owen Roe Rosa Mystica Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $42, QPR: NR

Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
2003 Maryhill Proprietor’s Reserve Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: NR
2003 Matthews Conner Lee Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $110, QPR: NR

Recently, I read Wine: The 8,000-Year-Old Story of the Wine Trade by Thomas Pellechia. While this book gives a good history of wine, it is primarily a story of the evolution of the wine merchant from early civilization to the present. Pellechia, a wine merchant himself, tells how the wine trade has been important throughout the ages, influencing not only sea trade but also glassblowing, cork production, cooperage and a variety of other economic activities.

I found it interesting that the wine trade has financed wars and may even have caused a few. And, wine has appeased troops and even pacified marauders on occasion. The reputation of the wine merchant has ranged all over the board—esteemed in some circles at times and justifiably vilified at other times and in other places. In fact, Pellechia says that the success of one major wine critic (no doubt, Robert Parker) was built on the belief that some wine merchants cannot be trusted to recommend the best wines because they have a vested interest in making the sale.

Reading his story about the wine business of the early Romans, I couldn’t help think about today’s economy.

“With small growers unable to lower their prices, wealthy financiers and large companies stepped in to appropriate vineyards and then change the way things were to be done.”

In the period after the fall of Rome, the so-called Dark Ages, we learn in this book that Christian monks were the main keepers of cultural activities as well as winemaking.

In his history of wine in America, Pellechia talks about how he believes that Prohibition set back America’s wine industry about one hundred years. Since the repeal of Prohibition, one of the conditions for penetrating the American market is to play by the (in my opinion, ridiculous) rules of the three-tier system whereby a producer must sell to a distributor who must sell to a retailer who then sells to the consumer.

Despite the three-tier system and the patchwork quilt of shipping restrictions, Pellechia believes that “wine will one day be sold in America extensively on the Internet, just like everything else.”

All in all, this book is an excellent historical reference on wine and the wine trade throughout the ages, but it’s not for those looking for information on selecting and buying wine.

Have you already read Wine: The 8,000-Year-Old Story of the Wine Trade? If so, what did you think of it?

Cheers!

This week’s Wine Word of the Week is appellation.

Official definition from Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine:
Controlled appellations are a method of labeling wine and designating quality that is modeled on France’s appellation controlee system. It embraces geographical delimitation and is the principle on which quality wine schemes such as the DOC of Italy and Portugal, the DO of Spain, and the AVA system of the United States are based.

Layman’s terms from Kori:
Appellation refers to a wine’s region of origin. Different countries use different systems but they all basically serve to identify the geographical area from which the wine came (i.e. where the grapes were grown).

Our host for the April edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday, the blogosphere’s monthly virtual wine tasting event, is John of The Corkdork. He selected Fine Kosher Wine as this month’s theme in which he asked us to taste something reputed to be Fine Kosher Wine and then write about it. In the past, kosher wines have been stigmatized, but according to The Corkdork, there are a host of good ones out there, many you may be surprised to learn are kosher.

Kosher wine must be produced and handled only by Jews, from the moment the grapes enter the barrels until it is poured into the wineglass. Wine that is to be handled by non-Jews, such as distributors, waiters and salespeople, must go through a process to make it mevushal. In Hebrew the word mevushal means cooked or boiled. While not literally boiled, mevushal wines are flash pasteurized to a temperature that meets the requirements of an overseeing rabbinical authority. Anyone, Jewish or not, may open a mevushal wine and it will remain kosher. However, non-mevushal wines should be opened and poured by Jews only.

I was a bit skeptical of this theme at first but was game to try something new and different. Unfortunately, as you’ll see from my tasting notes below, the two wines we tasted were disappointing.

Let me say that our choices were limited. I can only imagine how difficult these wines are to find in rural areas when we had trouble locating them in Seattle. After a few calls to the larger wine shops in town that we learned do not carry any kosher wines, we found a small selection at a local Jewish shop called Tree of Life Judaica. They sell many Jewish items and books and offer a small kosher wine selection. According to the salesperson, the 2006 Galil Mountain Shiraz and the 2007 Teal Lake Shiraz that we purchased are two of the best wines they carry.

We chose these two so that we could blind taste two wines of the same varietal from two different parts of the world. Also, the Teal Lake is mevushal while the Galil Mountain in non-mevushal. We thought these two wines would provide us with an interesting comparison. Interesting? Yes. Good? No.

2006 Galil Mountain Shiraz (Galilee, Israel): Non-mevushal. Ruby red and very aromatic, perfumy. Red fruits prevalent up front. Then an earthiness appears on the mid-palate and sticks with you through the finish. Medium-bodied with medium tannins and a long finish. Gets better with food but is still not very good.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: Tree of Life Judaica (Seattle), $18.99

2007 Teal Lake Shiraz (South Eastern Australia): Mevushal. Purple with slight browning around the edges (unusual for such a young wine). Stinky with aromas of manure and burnt rubber. Tastes like burnt grape juice. Medium-bodied and low tannins. A very simple wine with a long, bitter finish.
Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: Tree of Life Judaica (Seattle), $13.99

Many people think of wine as an uppity beverage. They think beer is for the common folk while wine is for high society. Oh, how I wish we could break down these stereotypes once and for all.

What those people fail to realize (or remember) is that wine is an agricultural product. Wine grapes are grown in vineyards just like corn, wheat, and cotton are grown on farms. Growing up on a farm in Texas, I have always felt a special kinship with the land so I guess it is no surprise that I am fascinated by vineyards. After all, great wine starts in the vineyard. Over the course of the past year, I have had the opportunity to visit a number of vineyards around the state of Washington and I am always anxious to learn more about them and meet the people behind them.

This is a big reason why I was so excited that the Washington Wine Commission decided to feature vineyards at Taste Washington for the first time. Through the Common Ground seminars on Education Day and the Common Ground booths at the Grand Tasting, wine lovers like me were able to taste wines from the same vineyards but different wineries and get a sense for the terroir of that particular vineyard.

In addition, I had the great pleasure of interviewing five growers from the Yakima Valley: Kathy Shiels of DuBrul Vineyard, Todd Newhouse of Upland Vineyards, Dick Boushey of Boushey Vineyards, Patricia Gelles of Klipsun Vineyard, and Joe Hattrup of Elephant Mountain Vineyards. The thing that stood out to me the most after speaking with these five growers and thinking back to my visit with Mike and Jonathan Sauer of Red Willow Vineyard last year is how nice, genuine, and down to earth they all are. None of them exhibited one ounce of pretension, and it is abundantly clear that they all love what they do.

The Yakima Valley AVA was established in 1983 and last year celebrated its 25th birthday. It is the oldest and largest growing region in Washington State. Located in central Washington, it runs from Yakima to the Tri-Cities. There are three sub-appellations within the larger Yakima Valley AVA: Red Mountain, Rattlesnake Hills, and the newly established Snipes Mountain.

Yakima Valley vineyards, boasting over 12,000 acres total, produce more than one‐third of Washington State’s grapes, and its fruit is a key ingredient in more than half of all Washington wines. In fact, one‐third of the vineyards in Washington are located in the Yakima Valley AVA.

The most widely planted varieties in the Yakima Valley include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Syrah, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Gewürztraminer, and Sauvignon Blanc. The Yakima Valley has a rich diversity of microclimates, rugged hillsides, and wetlands. These factors contribute to the many wine grape varieties and wine styles achieved from Yakima Valley grapes.

Here are a few highlights from my grower interviews at Taste Washington:

DuBrul Vineyard
In 1992, Kathy Shiels and her husband Hugh expanded their vineyard operations into wine grapes. DuBrul boasts some of the oldest Riesling vines in Washington. They currently grow six grape varieties. They started their own winery, Cote Bonneville, in 2001 after their last child left home. They wanted to take DuBrul Vineyard to the next level and have complete control over their fruit and the wine made from it. DuBrul was named Vineyard of the Year by Seattle Magazine for the second year in a row.

“We are always trying to improve, and I think that’s the attitude of the Yakima Valley growers. It is an exciting place right now.” –Kathy Shiels

Upland Vineyards
Upland Vineyards was probably the first formal vineyard to get started in Washington. William B. Bridgman planted the first vinifera vines in 1917 on Snipes Mountain which are still in cultivation today. In 1972, the Newhouse family bought all of Upland Vineyards and currently farm 700 acres of wine grapes. Owner Todd Newhouse was instrumental in getting the new Snipes Mountain AVA established. One of the unique things about Upland Vineyards is that they have slopes that face in all four cardinal directions which allow them to grow over 35 different grape varieties.

“The Yakima Valley is established. It’s been there longer than anyone else and proven it can grow just about any variety.” –Todd Newhouse

Boushey Vineyards
Dick Boushey, owner of Boushey Vineyards, planted his first experimental block of ten different varieties in 1977. In 1980, he planted his first commercial block. Currently, he has over 110 acres with more expected to be planted next year. Boushey Vineyards is known for its red varieties, and the Syrah gets the most recognition. The area is well-suited to Syrah because the site has a cooler climate, leaner soils, higher elevation, is rocky, and you can control the vigor.

“A wine can make itself in good years, in good vintages like 1992, 1998, and 2003. You don’t have to adjust anything. It’s the other years when you have to be a good winemaker to adjust acids, use a different fermentation routine, or adjust when you pick, and that’s what good winemakers do.” –Dick Boushey

Klipsun Vineyard
Owned and operated by Patricia Gelles and her husband David, Klipsun Vineyard is located on Red Mountain and was started in 1984. Klipsun means “sunset” in Chinook Indian jargon and is an appropriate name because the vineyard faces west. According to Patricia, everything grows well there except for Chardonnay. Currently, they have approximately 120 acres planted to Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Malbec, Nebbiolo, Sauvignon Blanc, and Semillon. About 25 to 30 producers buy Klipsun grapes including Quilceda Creek which is generally considered the premiere winery in Washington State. Gelles is particular about who she will work with in order to maintain a good reputation for the vineyard.

“If they [winemakers interested in purchasing Klipsun grapes] haven’t made wine before, I want to know what their background is. Have they been to school and/or who will their consultants be? If they don’t have a decent consultant or any consultant, the answer is probably no.” –Patricia Gelles

Elephant Mountain Vineyards
Joe Hattrup, a third generation farmer in the Yakima Valley, bought Elephant Mountain Vineyards in 1995. It is located in the middle of the Rattlesnake Hills AVA. Elephant Mountain is at a higher elevation than just about any vineyard in the AVA and higher than most in the state. Because of their higher elevation, Elephant Mountain focuses on red varieties. Their goal is to get balance and consistency year to year in order to turn out a high quality product.

“There are some great advantages in the Yakima Valley. Often referred to as a cool site, but I prefer to think of the Yakima Valley as a long season site. With its elevations, it has a longer frost-free season. The biggest thing that separates us from all other sites is that we can all pick at the same ripeness or heat accumulation, but it tends to be two to three weeks later in the year which allows for phenolic ripeness, not just heat driven brix runs that cause you to have to pick to shut down that rapid maturation. You get to have nice, slow, and even maturation. That’s the key to Yakima. We can finish the grapes on the years and in the weather patterns that may be a challenge to others.” –Joe Hattrup

Red Willow Vineyard
While I did not interview the Sauers at this year’s Taste Washington, I did have the pleasure to meet both Mike Sauer and his son Jonathan and tour Red Willow Vineyard last summer. I would be remiss in discussing the vineyards of the Yakima Valley if I did not mention Red Willow Vineyard. The first Syrah grapes in Washington were planted in the Yakima Valley at Red Willow Vineyard in 1986. Here are links to my previous posts about Red Willow:
Red Willow Vineyard: The Mother of Washington Syrah
Red Willow Vineyard: Wines We Tasted
Red Willow Vineyard: A Look Ahead

On Friday evening, we hosted our 70th wine tasting dinner. Once again we had a fabulous evening of good wines, the company of wonderful friends, and Mom’s excellent food.

This month’s dinner featured Washington Merlot. Don’t be misled by what one idiot said in a Hollywood movie, Merlot is a wonderful varietal. And Washington State makes outstanding Merlot. Washington Merlot is known for its sweet cherry flavors and complex aromas and is generally higher in acidity than California Merlot.

“Merlot actually shows some muscle and flavor in Washington, two things sadly lacking in merlots from most other places.” –Paul Gregutt, Washington Wines & Wineries

While all six wines were good, the top four were excellent and paired well with Mom’s dinner of tomato basil soup, mixed green salad, beef tenderloin served with a sour cream sauce, sautéed green beans with red onions and roasted peppers, chipotle lime mashed sweet potatoes, and a scrumptious chocolate cake topped with raspberries and whipped cream.

The 2005 Fielding Hills Merlot was hands down the best wine in this tasting from the first sip right on through dessert. It received first place votes from 7 out of 8 people. Mike Wade, owner/winemaker of Fielding Hills, continues to produce amazing wines across varietals. You may remember that we were “wow-ed” by his 2005 Syrah last summer and were also taken with his 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon at Taste Washington.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2005 Fielding Hills Merlot (Wahluke Slope, Washington): My favorite from the first sip right on through dessert. Very distinctive bouquet with aromas of burnt toast, caramel, and crème brulee. Medium to full-bodied with medium tannins. Red fruits, especially plums, come through on the palate. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish. Just a beautiful wine.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $36; The Cellar on 10th (Oregon), $43

2005 Dunham Lewis Vineyard Merlot (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep red with buttered popcorn aromas and sweet cherry flavors. Big and full-bodied with dry tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Pete’s Wine Shop – Eastside (Washington), $60.69; Available elsewhere, $60 to $77

2005 Columbia Crest Reserve Merlot (Columbia Valley, Washington): Ruby red with sweet, ripe aromas. Medium-bodied and crisp with soft tannins. Flavorful with sweet red fruits and cake frosting coming through on the palate. Smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $22; Available elsewhere, $20 to $30

2003 Leonetti Merlot (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep red but slightly hazy. Nose a bit closed at first. Aromas and flavors of red fruits and vanilla. Medium to full-bodied with medium tannins. Long but slightly bitter finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: J.J. Buckley Fine Wines (California), $69.99; Available elsewhere, $70 to $90

2006 Stephenson Cellars Merlot (Washington State): Very aromatic but aromas changed throughout the meal, starting out with vanilla and cherry and then turning perfumy with citrus notes. Bright red fruits, chocolate, and a vegetal component come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with drying tannins. Very acidic with a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $28

2006 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Merlot (Columbia Valley, Washington): Aromas of soap and root beer barrels candy. Cherry cola flavors. Medium to full-bodied with soft tannins. Long but bitter finish. A bit boring.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer, $9; Available elsewhere, $8 to $16

A few months ago, I saw a list of America’s most popular restaurant wines that was published in a post on the popular wine blog, Vinography:

1. Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay
2. Beringer Vineyards White Zinfandel
3. Cavit Pinot Grigio Italy
4. Sutter Home White Zinfandel
5. Inglenook Chablis
6. Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio Italy
7. Yellow Tail Chardonnay Australia
8. Copperidge Chardonnay
9. Yellow Tail Shiraz Australia
10. Franzia Winetaps Vintner Select White Zinfandel

Are you as shocked as I was when you read this list? Three White Zins. Only one red wine. I have a hard time envisioning any of our readers rushing out to buy these and especially not at restaurant prices. While the average retail price of these wines is only $6.50, restaurant customers buying these wines are paying two to three times that amount and buying these wines by the truckload. Unbelievable!

If you have been buying these wines, I won’t tell anyone; but let me make a couple of suggestions:

1. If you have to buy them, don’t buy them at a restaurant.
2. Broaden your horizons. Try more different varietals, both red and white.
3. Try some of the wines I’ve listed below. They are excellent wines that retail for $10 or less:

In these tough economic times, more and more of us are buying less and less wine at restaurants, and instead buying a bottle at a wine shop and taking it home to drink with our meal and/or sip by a fire. But if you still plan to have wine when dining out, you might want to refer back to our Ordering wine at a restaurant post for some helpful tips.

This week’s Wine Word of the Week is veraison.

Official definition from Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine:
Veraison is the word used by English speakers for that intermediate stage of grape berry development which marks the beginning of ripening, when the grapes change from the hard, green state to their softened and coloured form.

Layman’s terms from Kori:
Veraison is one step in the annual growth cycle of the vine. It is the point at which the grapes begin to change color and soften as sugars are transferred from leaf to berry.

The tagline used by the Washington Wine Commission to describe Taste Washington is “the ultimate wine experience.” That phrase definitely sums up this past weekend. Taste Washington is a wine and food lover’s paradise.

The festivities kicked off on Friday with the Washington Wine Restaurant Awards, picked up steam on Saturday with Education Day, and launched into overdrive on Sunday when the doors opened at 2pm for the Grand Tasting.

The Grand Tasting is the showcase event of Taste Washington. This year was the biggest and best one yet with over 200 wineries pouring their wines and over 60 restaurants serving small bites. With 602 wineries now open in the state of Washington, this event offers attendees the opportunity to try a large number of them in one place at one time. Considering the time and gas money you save not having to crisscross the state visiting tasting rooms and making appointments, the $125 for VIP tickets or $85 for general admission tickets is money well spent. Now, don’t get me wrong, once you attend an event like this and discover some favorite new wines and wineries, you will definitely want to make plans to travel to the wineries to visit and taste again. There is nothing like spending a long weekend in Washington wine country.

With 200+ wineries pouring over 900 wines, it is impossible to taste all of them in a six hour period. Therefore, we always try to put together a “plan of attack” before the event. This year we decided to focus on new wineries or wineries that were new to us as well as taste the new releases of some of our favorites. As I mentioned yesterday, we had the opportunity to get a head start and taste some wines during the trade tasting at the Restaurant Awards on Friday and a few more during the seminars on Saturday. Those wines along with the ones we tasted at the Grand Tasting on Sunday totaled 115 different wines. As you’ll see from the complete breakdown of wines below, of those 115 wines, we rated 33 of them as 4-star quality or higher and 18 of them have a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck. Once again, this weekend proved what we’ve been saying for some time: Washington State is producing outstanding wines that deliver the most bang for your buck.

Of the wineries whose wines I had not tasted prior to this weekend, the most exciting discoveries were Cote Bonneville, which is the estate winery for DuBrul Vineyard, and Chateau Rollat, a relatively new winery located in Walla Walla. One of the best aspects of Taste Washington is that often you will find either the winemaker and/or winery owner pouring that winery’s wines. We enjoyed the opportunity to visit with some of the winemakers/winery owners whose wines we have enjoyed in the past including Mike Wade of Fielding Hills, Rob Newsom of Boudreaux Cellars, Tim and Erica Blue of Adams Bench, and Chad Johnson of Dusted Valley as well as meet a few who we had not had the chance to meet previously including Kathy Shiels of Cote Bonneville, Greg Lipsker and Michael White of Barrister Winery, and Annette Bergevin of Bergevin Lane.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that we tasted during the Taste Washington weekend. Under each Quality heading, the wine name and region will be listed along with price and QPR rating. Wines in bold type received a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5).

Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 Mark Ryan The Dissident, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 5
2006 Fielding Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope, $38, QPR: 5
2005 Boudreaux Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State, $50, QPR: 5
2006 Sequel Syrah [Long Shadows], Columbia Valley, $55, QPR: 5
2006 Januik Winery Klipsun Vineyard Merlot, Red Mountain, $40, QPR: 4

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2005 Kana Dark Star (Rhone Blend), Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 5
2006 Darby Winery The Dark Side Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $25, QPR: 5
2006 Barrister Winery Merlot, Walla Walla Valley, $25, QPR: 5
2006 William Church Winery Syrah, Yakima Valley, $25, QPR: 5
2007 Elegante Sangiovese Blue Mountain Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, $26, QPR: 5
2005 Columbia Red Willow Cabernet Sauvignon, Yakima Valley, $30, QPR: 5
2005 Chateau Rollat “Rollat” Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $38, QPR: 5
2006 Walla Walla Vintners Sagemoor Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $40, QPR: 5
2006 Adams Bench Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon “V”, Columbia Valley, $42, QPR: 5
2006 Gorman “The Bully” Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $42, QPR: 5
2006 Woodward Canyon “Artist Series” Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $50, QPR: 5
2006 Rock Meadow Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $19, QPR: 4
2007 Dusted Valley Grenache, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 4
2007 Barrister Winery Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $27, QPR: 4
2006 Pomum Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $34, QPR: 4
2006 Doyenne Aix, Red Mountain, $34, QPR: 4
2005 Chateau Rollat “Edouard” Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $62, QPR: 4
2005 Woodward Canyon “Old Vines” Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $80, QPR: 4
2006 aMaurice Cellars Malbec, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2006 Fielding Hills Syrah, Wahluke Slope, $40, QPR: 3
2005 Cote Bonneville Carriage House DuBrul Vineyard, Yakima Valley, $50, QPR: 2
2005 Bergevin Lane Intuition Reserve, Columbia Valley, $55, QPR: 2
2006 Andrew Will Sorella, Horse Heaven Hills, $75, QPR: 1
2006 DeLille Chaleur Estate Rouge, Yakima Valley, $75, QPR: 1
2004 Cote Bonneville DuBrul Vineyard, Yakima Valley, $120, QPR: 1
2006 JM Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $NA, QPR: NA
1999 Woodward Canyon “Artist Series” Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
1999 Hedges Family Estate Red Mountain Reserve, Red Mountain, $NA, QPR: NA

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2006 Columbia Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 5
NV Knipprath Cellars Au Chocolat!, Washington State, $25, QPR: 5
2005 Kana Tempranillo, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 4
2006 William Church Winery Bishop’s Blend Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 4
2006 Patterson Cellars Recession Red, Yakima Valley, $22, QPR: 4
2007 Dusted Valley Stained Tooth Syrah, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 4
2007 Nefarious Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $27, QPR: 4
2005 Robert Karl Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills, $30, QPR: 4
2006 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cold Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $30, QPR: 4
2004 Donedei Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 4
2006 Trust Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $36, QPR: 4
2005 Page Cellars Preface Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $37, QPR: 4
2006 Hestia Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Dineen Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $38, QPR: 4
2005 Cedergreen Cellars Thuja Red Blend, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 3
2006 Trust Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2006 Sparkman Cellars WILDERNESS Red Blend, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2006 Animale Petit Verdot, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2006 Efeste Ceidleigh Syrah, Red Mountain, $29, QPR: 3
2006 Patterson Cellars BDX (Bordeaux Style), Columbia Valley $30, QPR: 3
2006 SYZYGY Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $33, QPR: 3
2006 Efeste Jolie Bouche Syrah, Yakima Valley, $34, QPR: 3
2004 Donedei Merlot, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2006 Cadaretta Merlot, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2006 Baer Winery Ursa Red Blend, Columbia Valley, $39, QPR: 3
2006 Tamarack Dubrul Vineyard Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Yakima Valley, $45, QPR: 3
2006 Januik Winery Champoux Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills, $50, QPR: 3
2006 Sparkman Cellars “Kingpin” Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $56, QPR: 3
2008 Nefarious Cellars Viognier, Columbia Valley, $19, QPR: 2
2006 Adams Bench “Reckoning”, Columbia Valley, $34, QPR: 2
2006 DeLille Cellars D2, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 2
2006 Pomum Cellars Shya Red, Yakima Valley, $36, QPR: 2
2006 Betz “Pere de Famille” Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $59, QPR: 2
2006 Soos Creek Ciel du Cheval Red Wine, Red Mountain, $40, QPR: 1
2006 Doyenne Syrah, Yakima Valley, $49, QPR: 1
2006 Nicholas Cole Cellars Dauphine Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $50, QPR: 1
2006 Hedges Family Estate “Single Vineyard” Limited Reserve, Red Mountain, $NA, QPR: NA
1999 Betz “Pere de Famille” Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $NA, QPR: NA

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
NV Knipprath Cellars Positron Tawny Port, Columbia Valley, $22, QPR: 5
2005 Okanogan Estate and Vineyards Syrah, Washington State, $17, QPR: 4
2006 Robert Karl Cellars Claret, Horse Heaven Hills, $20, QPR: 4
2006 Mercer Estates Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills, $24, QPR: 4
2006 Rock Meadow Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 4
2006 Elegante Cabernet Sauvignon Les Collines Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, $30, QPR: 4
2006 Northwest Totem Cabernet Sauvignon Elerding Vineyard, Yakima Valley, $30, QPR: 4
2008 Barnard Griffin Rose of Sangiovese, Columbia Valley, $12, QPR: 3
2007 Challenger Ridge Syrah, Yakima Valley, $20, QPR: 3
2006 Animale Zinfandel, Columbia Valley, $22, QPR: 3
2006 SYZYGY Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 3
2004 H/H Estate Reserve Sangiovese, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 3
2004 Cedergreen Cellars Thuja Red Blend, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 3
2006 Barrage Cellars Double Barrel, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2006 Esther Bricques Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Washington State, $35, QPR: 3
2006 Gamache Vintners Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 2
2005 Bergevin Lane Syrah, Columbia Valley, $26, QPR: 2
2006 Page Cellars Lick My Lips Syrah, Columbia Valley, $27, QPR: 2
2006 H/H Estate Reserve Robert Andrews Red, Horse Heaven Hills, $28, QPR: 2
2006 Ward Johnson Winery Merlot, Red Mountain, $30, QPR: 2
2006 Ward Johnson Winery Syrah, Red Mountain, $30, QPR: 2
2006 Northwest Totem Cabernet Franc Sagemoor Vineyard, Yakima Valley, $30, QPR: 2
2006 Hestia Cellars Syrah Dineen Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $32, QPR: 2
2006 aMaurice Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $34, QPR: 1
2006 Lodmell Syrah Alder Ridge Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $37, QPR: 1
2006 Cave B Estate Winery Cuvee du Soleil, Columbia Valley, $45, QPR: 1
1999 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cold Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $ NA, QPR: NA
1999 Columbia Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $NA, QPR: NA

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 Challenger Ridge Viognier, Yakima Valley, $13, QPR: NR
2006 Challenger Ridge Gordon Red Blend, Yakima Valley, $20, QPR: NR
2005 Gordon Brothers Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: NR
2007 Knipprath Cellars Matrix Ruby Port, Columbia Valley, $22, QPR: NR
2006 Animale Petite Sirah, Yakima Valley, $24, QPR: NR
2003 Willis Hall Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: NR
2007 Cascade Cliffs Barbera, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: NR
2006 Powers Syrah Cougar Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, $25, QPR: NR
2005 Gamache Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: NR
2005 Willis Hall Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: NR
2006 Cadaretta Syrah, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: NR
2005 Nicholas Cole Cellars Michelle Bordeaux Blend, Walla Walla Valley, $55, QPR: NR

Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
2006 Tiger Mountain Columbia Valley Cuvee, Columbia Valley, $15, QPR: NR
NV Knipprath Cellars Pink Port, Columbia Valley, $22, QPR: NR
2007 Cave B Estate Winery Sangiovese, Columbia Valley, $22, QPR: NR
2006 Esther Bricques Syrah, Washington State, $25, QPR: NR
2006 Challenger Ridge Pinot Noir Reserve, Puget Sound, $36, QPR: NR