Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? Many of our readers have said this is something they would like, so here is this week’s selection, the 2009 Saviah Cellars The Jack Cabernet Sauvignon from the Columbia Valley of Washington State.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$15
• Must be widely available

Saviah Cellars is a family-owned winery located south of downtown Walla Walla, Washington, near the Oregon state line in the Walla Walla Valley AVA. Owner/winemaker Richard Funk and his wife Anita, both natives of Montana, moved to Walla Walla in 1991. Rich became acquainted with a number of the area wineries while working as an Environmental Health Specialist with the Walla Walla County Health Department. Through his work at the Health Department on water quality and wastewater issues, he got a firsthand look at the vineyards in the area and developed a relationship with a number of local winemakers who helped him get his start in the industry. Saviah Cellars was founded in 2000 and currently produces about 9,500 cases per year. The name Saviah is a family name from Anita’s great-grandmother. Saviah Cellars consistently produces high-quality wines. The Jack is a value line in the Saviah portfolio produced with declassified fruit.

“Another great wine in The Jack lineup. This is a rich cab with loads of black cherry fruit and a hint of dark chocolate on the finish. A smooth wine with nice structure and balance.” –Owner/winemaker Rich Funk

2009 Saviah Cellars The Jack Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Merlot. Dark purplish red in color. Very aromatic with black cherry, smoke, and oak on the nose. Black cherry, blackberry, and dark chocolate come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, smooth tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $13.49; Available elsewhere, $14

A few weeks ago, Kori and Colby went out to dinner with some friends at a popular Seattle restaurant known for its southern cuisine. Several in the group ordered the fried chicken, one of the restaurant’s specialties, and then began discussing what wine they should order to go with it. As they talked, one person suggested that we feature fried chicken in one of our challenging wine pairing dinners. I love fried chicken; however, it’s a meal that I rarely have anymore, so I was delighted to pursue the suggestion! The fact that wine is not the first beverage that comes to mind for many when they think of fried chicken only added to my interest in trying this pairing.

The menu for this pairing consisted of a tomato/cucumber marinated salad, fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn on the cob, and sautéed mustard greens. As with most of our challenging wine pairing dinners, I consulted What to Drink with What You Eat by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page to determine what wines to pair with the meal.

Since fried chicken is typically an inexpensive meal, I wanted to find wines that would be in the $10 or under price range. We decided on the 2010 Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and the NV Lunetta Prosecco Brut sparkling wine from Italy. Both wines were very good; however, the unanimous choice for the better pairing was the Sauvignon Blanc. The acidity in the Sauvignon Blanc worked especially well with the acidity in the marinated salad and with the fat in the fried chicken.

We’d love for you to share in the comments what wine you would have paired with this meal. And, as always, we welcome your suggestions for challenging wine pairings for us to try in the future.

Bon Appétit!

2010 Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc  (Marlborough, New Zealand): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Very aromatic with grapefruit, pear, and grassy aromas. Grapefruit, grass, and lime come through on the palate. Dry and light to medium-bodied with very tart acidity. Well-balanced with a long finish. Very crisp and refreshing.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $9.99; Available elsewhere, $9 to $15

NV Lunetta Prosecco Brut (Trentino, Italy): Italian sparkling wine. Very pale straw yellow. Small, fairly fast bead of bubbles. Aromatic with white peach and apple on the nose; more apple, white peach, and a hint of lemon on the palate. Dry and light to medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $9.99; Available elsewhere, $10 to $13

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

Official definition from Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine:
Burgundy, known as Bourgogne in French, is the province of eastern France famous for its great red and white wines produced mostly from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes respectively. The province includes the viticultural regions of the Cote de Nuits and Cote de Beaune in the département of the Cote d’Or, the Cote Chalonnaise and Maconnais in the Saone-et-Loire département, and Chablis and the wines of Auxerre in the Yonne departement. ….

Nobles, peasants, and monks cultivated the vine under Charlemagne, when political stability brought prosperity. Medieval Burgundy owes its reputation as a producer of excellent wines largely to the monks and monasteries. ….

Unlike the Bordeaux trade with its large volume of single appellations, and many stratifications of those who sell it, the Burgundian wine trade is polarized between growers and négociants, or merchants. Because the laws of equal inheritance have been strictly applied in a region of such valuable vineyards, individual growers may for example produce just one barrel, enough to fill just 25 cases, of a particular appellation. The market for burgundy was built by the merchants, who would buy grapes and wine from many different growers before blending and selling the results. ….

Layman’s terms from Kori:
Burgundy, located in east central France, is one of the most famous wine regions in the world, and high-end Burgundy wines are some of the most expensive wines in the world. As a result of the French Revolution, Burgundy was subject to strict inheritance requirements, which has led to the vineyards being divided into very small parcels. Approximately 75% of Burgundy vineyards are planted to red varieties, mostly Pinot Noir and Gamay, while the balance is planted to white varieties, mostly Chardonnay.

Mark Newton founded DiStefano Winery in 1983, making it one of the first 5 wineries in Woodinville, Washington. Today, Woodinville is home to over 90 wineries and tasting rooms. Originally a sparkling wine producer under the label Newton & Newton and then Whittlesey Mark, DiStefano Winery changed its name in 1990. Along with renaming the winery for his wife Donna DiStefano, Newton also changed focus from sparkling wines to red and white Bordeaux-style wines in 1990. Today, Newton shares winemaking responsibilities with associate winemaker Tracey LaPierre, who replaced Hillary Sjolund earlier this year when she left to focus on her own winery.

We recently had the opportunity to taste several wines from DiStefano in a blind samples tasting, the 2006 Meritage, 2006 Domenica Red Wine, 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, and 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon. DiStefano sources the fruit for their wines from a number of Washington State vineyards including Willard and Roza Hills in the Yakima Valley, Bacchus and Dionysus in the Columbia Valley, Rosebud and Weinbau on Wahluke Slope, and Alder Ridge in the Horse Heaven Hills.

Located in a small industrial park, DiStefano’s tasting room is warm and inviting. A nice cellar room that offers a view into the barrel room is adjacent to the tasting room and can be reserved for special events or private tastings.

2006 DiStefano Meritage (Columbia Valley, Washington): 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 14% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, and 4% Malbec. Deep, dark red. Nice nose with red fruit, spice, and floral aromas. More red fruits and spice come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium to high, drying tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $27.99; Available elsewhere, $19 to $20

2006 DiStefano Domenica Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): Blend of Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Deep, dark red. Nice nose with red and black fruit as well as floral aromas. Flavors of blackberry, black cherry, spice, and a hint of cola. Medium to full-bodied and crisp with medium to high, drying tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $27.99; Available elsewhere, $20 to $30

2009 DiStefano Sauvignon Blanc (Columbia Valley, Washington): Very pale, straw yellow in color. Aromatic with citrus fruits, especially lime and grapefruit, on the nose. Fresh cut grass and more citrus fruits come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with tart acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $18.99; Available elsewhere, $15 to $17

2006 DiStefano Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep, dark red in color. Moderately aromatic with black fruits, especially black cherry, on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins and a long, slightly thin, finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $32; Available elsewhere, $20

Dear Bob,

Congratulations! This morning as I was reading the news release announcing the sale of Betz Family Winery, a flood of memories went through my mind. It is almost ten years to the day that I sold my investment management business in a similar transaction.

It had become apparent to me that I needed a succession plan in case something happened to me; and I wanted to off-load the administrative responsibilities that had begun to require more of my time than I wanted to give to them. At the same time, Kori and Colby had made it clear that taking over my business was not a long-term goal for them.

So, similar to what you are doing today, I sold my business in what we called a merger, and that you are characterizing as a partnership. In my case, very similar to yours, I had a contract to provide investment management expertise to my buyer just as you have agreed to provide winemaking and vineyard expertise to the Griessels.

I sincerely hope that you and Cathy will be as happy ten years from now as LaGayle and I are. As we get older, we realize that time is more precious than money; and the biggest thing that the sale of our business gave us was more control over our time. However, I must also be honest and tell you that no longer being “numero uno” does take a little getting used to. The first time someone asks you a question and you find yourself saying, “I think you need to check with Steve (or Bridgit),” you’ll know what I mean.

As I said on Facebook right after Taste Washington this year, and I’ll say it again now, you are a genius. The three most profound and yet concise statements that came from the seminars this year were yours:

Washington wine is “Old World structure and New World fruit”.

“Washington Syrah is what America should be drinking.”

“Consumers have a 2-point system (not a 100-point), Yum or Yuck.”

And our favorite wine at the Grand Tasting was the 2009 Betz Family Winery La Côte Patriarche Syrah.

You are definitely selling at the top of your game, Bob. As I see it the only thing left for you to do is to use the next five years to find and train your successor winemaker, so that the Betz Family Winery legacy will be even stronger in twenty years than it is today.

Best wishes to you and Cathy from all of us at Wine Peeps. I know what wine we’ll be opening tonight.

Cheers,
John

For those who have not yet heard the news, here’s the complete text of the news release:

Betz Family Winery Looks to the Future
Woodinville, April 6, 2011

The Betz Family Winery of Woodinville, Washington, took a major step into the future today as owners Bob and Cathy Betz partnered with veteran wine lovers and entrepreneurs Steve and Bridgit Griessel. The Griessels are purchasing the winery from the Betzes, while retaining the Betzes as part of the winery’s management and operations, with Bob continuing as Winemaker, responsible for making the wines for years to come.

Bob and Cathy Betz established the winery in 1997 after decades of work in the Washington wine industry. Over the past several vintages they built a strong reputation as one of Washington’s, and the US’s, premier producers of Rhone and Bordeaux style red wines.

New owner Steve Griessel explained the partnership: “Bridgit and I have been searching for a high-end, west-coast family winery; Betz Family, with its relationships with prime Washington vineyards, winemaking philosophy, customer service attitude and financial success, is the gem we were looking for. Our plan is to build on the Betz track record of great wine quality as well as on the unique personal style in which they have contributed to the industry over the years. The Betz ‘stamp’ will be apparent throughout the winery well into the future.”

For the Betzes this is the logical next step. “At this stage, I want to focus more time on what originally attracted me to the industry, the vineyards and the cellar, rather than on the daily management of the company. And we want to carve out a little more time for ourselves and our family”, said Bob Betz. “The Griessels not only continue the ‘family’ aspects of the winery but bring enthusiasm and such strong management skills (and a keen passion for wine!) that I can spend my time focused on fruit and wine quality. Not much will actually change here because the Griessel’s participation in our team is additive; if anything, the wines should reflect even greater vineyard precision and character.”

Steve and Bridgit Griessel moved to the US from South Africa 9 years ago, where Steve had started his first business at age 25, and has founded/managed companies in a variety of industries. Bridgit brings a wealth of experience from the IT industry, and owns and manages a successful safari company to southern Africa.

Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? Many of our readers have said this is something they would like, so here is this week’s selection, the 2009 Willow Crest Riesling from the Yakima Valley of Washington State.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$15
• Must be widely available

The Minick Family first planted wine grapes on their Roza farm, north of Prosser, Washington, in 1982, and then David Minick founded Willow Crest Winery in 1995. Willow Crest uses fruit from their 240-acre Minick Family Estate Vineyard to produce their wines. In 2008, Willow Crest partnered with Seattle-based Precept Wine Brands, and Peter Devison was named head winemaker the following year. David Minick continues to oversee the estate vineyard and all wine production. Currently, Willow Crest produces about 8,000 cases per year.

“Built to go the distance, the 2009 Estate Riesling displays classic aromas of apricot and peach, nicely interwoven with candied orange and ripe golden apples. Flavors of white peach, pink grapefruit and fresh apples come to mind with a nice honeyed character rounding out the finish. A breakfast wine for sure.” –Willow Crest Winery

2009 Willow Crest Riesling (Minick Family Estate Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): Pale straw yellow in color. Aromatic with pear and citrus notes on the nose. More pear and citrus, especially lime, and apple come through on the palate. Medium-sweet and medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long, slightly effervescent, finish. Very refreshing. Residual Sugar: 5.5%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $8.99; Available elsewhere, $10 to $11

Since we live in Washington State and often drink wines from Washington State, we want to make sure that we continue to hone our knowledge of the entire world of wine and maintain well-rounded palates in order to make us even more objective when we evaluate wines from Washington State. Therefore, we are thoroughly enjoying our Wine Peeps Tasting Group which includes what we think is an excellent peer group of knowledgeable wine lovers to taste, share, and learn more about wine together. Unlike our monthly wine tasting dinners in which the guests rotate, this tasting group includes people who are committed to getting together once a month which we believe benefits all of us. In addition to trying varieties and regions that we do not taste frequently, the other main difference between this group and our wine tasting dinners is that each group member brings a bottle consistent with the month’s theme so no one knows all the wines in the blind tasting.

Recently, our tasting group met and explored Tawny Port. Port comes from the Douro Valley in northern Portugal. While some producers in other countries use the name “Port” on their port-style wines, it is inappropriate to do so if it is not from Portugal. To distinguish the real Port from the imitators, most Port producers in Portugal now label their wines as “Porto” as you will see in the list of wines we tasted. Also, real Port bears a neck label with the Instituto do Vinho do Porto Garantia, which is a seal of guarantee. Port is a sweet fortified wine produced by adding grape spirit during fermentation, which stops fermentation and retains considerable sugar. Residual sugar in the finished wine typically ranges from 8 to 12 percent. Port is typically a blend of grape varieties, vineyards, and vintages. Tawny Port is aged in wood. Those that spend an extended amount of time aging in barrel or cask can be labeled in multiples of 10 years. We tasted ten bottles of Tawny Port, and the consensus favorite was the Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Tawny Porto.

Since Port has a higher alcohol level than still wine, it is often consumed as an after-dinner drink or with dessert rather than with a meal. Even though I was spitting during our tasting, I could definitely feel the higher alcohol content after trying all ten wines. When it comes to Port or any fortified wine, a little can go a long way. Thankfully, that higher alcohol level also means that it lasts longer even after the bottle has been opened. While a still wine will only stay fresh for a couple of days, Port can easily last a week and often much longer after opening.

As you’ll notice in the tasting notes below, we had duplicates of two of the wines, the Taylor Fladgate and the Otima. While the rankings were close on the Otima and we found them to be very similar, the Taylor Fladgates were very different. Even after we unveiled them and then re-tasted, we all thought that they tasted different. By looking at the bottles, the only difference was the code on the IVDP guarantee seal. While both wines were good, we preferred code “MJ” to code “ND”. Just one of the many things that keeps the world of wine interesting.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Old Tawny Porto (Douro Valley, Portugal): Code “MJ”. Medium-deep amber brown with ruby red hues. Gorgeous nose with prune, caramel, and toffee aromas. Prune, toffee, chai tea, vanilla, and a slight hint of lemon come through on the palate. Off-dry and medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $30; Available elsewhere, $21 to $30

Warre’s Otima 10 Year Old Tawny Porto (Duoro Valley, Portugal): 500ml bottle. Golden, amber brown. Aromatic with vanilla and nutty aromas and flavors. A hint of coffee comes through on the palate as well. Off-dry and medium-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Pike & Western Wine Shop (Seattle, Washington), $30; Available elsewhere, $13 to $28

Warre’s Otima 10 Year Old Tawny Porto (Duoro Valley, Portugal): 500ml bottle. Golden, amber brown. Aromatic with vanilla and caramel on the nose that leads to toffee, caramel, and nutty flavors on the palate. Off-dry and medium-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Costco (Seattle, Washington), $20; Available elsewhere, $13 to $28

Fonseca Porto 10 Year Old Tawny (Duoro Valley, Portugal): Deep, ruby red with amber tones. Aromatic with dried fruits and toffee on the nose. Flavors of toffee, coffee, and dried apricots. Medium-sweet and medium-bodied with crisp acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: DeLaurenti (Seattle, Washington), $32; Available elsewhere, $22 to $35

Quinta da Prelada 20 Years Old Porto Tawny (Duoro Valley, Portugal): Medium caramel, amber brown in color. Aromatic with nutty and toffee aromas. Flavors of prune, caramel, and vanilla. Medium-sweet and medium-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $40; Available elsewhere, $48

Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Old Tawny Porto (Douro Valley, Portugal): Code “ND”. Medium-deep amber brown with ruby red hues. Nice nose with prune and vanilla aromas. Nuts, vanilla, caramel, and prunes come through on the palate. Medium-sweet and medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: McCarthy & Schiering Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $30; Available elsewhere, $21 to $30

Quarles Harris 10 Year Old Tawny Porto (Douro Valley, Portugal): Medium, amber brown. Caramel and walnut aromas lead to flavors of coffee, toffee, vanilla, and nuts. Medium-sweet and medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Trader Joe’s (Seattle, Washington), $15

Graham’s Fine Tawny Porto (Douro Valley, Portugal): Medium ruby red in color. Prunes and dried red fruits come through on the nose; prunes, caramel, and coffee on the palate. Medium-sweet and medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Wine Outlet (Seattle, Washington), $17; Available elsewhere, $12 to $18

Graham’s 10 Year Tawny Porto (Douro Valley, Portugal): Medium amber brown. Nuts, vanilla, and coffee come through on both the nose and palate. Medium-sweet and medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a medium to long finish. A bit hot on the back end.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: K&L Wine Merchants (California), $30; Available elsewhere, $22 to $37

Dow’s Fine Tawny Porto (Douro Valley, Portugal): Medium amber brown with ruby red hues. Prunes, caramel, and vanilla aromas and flavors. Off-dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $14; Available elsewhere, $10 to $19

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

Official definition from Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine:
Bordeaux is an important French port on the Garonne river leading to the Gironde estuary on the west coast. Bordeaux gives its name to a wine region which includes the vineyards of the Gironde département and, as such, the wine region which produces more top-quality wine than any other…. Bordeaux has a higher proportion of large estates than any other French wine region, and produces more of the world’s most expensive and sought-after wines than anywhere else. ….

Conventionally, in terms of the all-important fine red wines at least, the whole region is split into ‘left bank’ and ‘right bank’, or Medoc and Graves on the west side of the Gironde, and St-Émilion and Pomerol on the east side, leaving the vast Entre-Deux-Mers (‘between two seas’) district in the middle. ….

Bordeaux’s most famous, and best travelled, grape variety is that on which the Medoc and Graves depend for their red wines, Cabernet Sauvignon. Bordeaux’s most planted variety by far, however, is Merlot, which by the end of the 1980s occupied 40 percent of all vineyard land.

Layman’s terms from Kori:
Bordeaux is arguably the most famous wine region in France and in the world. Bordeaux produces wonderful white wines and sweet dessert wines, but it is known the world over, first and foremost, for its red wines. Almost 90 percent of Bordeaux vineyards are planted with red varieties. The red varieties most often used in Bordeaux blends are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Other varieties that play or have played a minor role in red Bordeaux are Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Carmenere. The First Growths of Bordeaux, designated in the 1855 classification, are some of the most expensive and sought-after wines in the world.

Obelisco Estate is a relatively new winery founded by Doug Long, Paul Kaltinick, and Dick Shaw. Together the partners bring over 70 years of grape growing and winemaking experience to the winery. Named for the tall and narrow four-sided obelisks that were carved out of granite by craftsmen as early as 2000 BC, Obelisco Estate strives to produce world-class wines from vineyards in Washington State’s famed Red Mountain AVA. Pete Hedges and Sarah Goedhart serve as winemakers.

We recently had the opportunity to taste all five wines from Obelisco Estates’ second vintage in a blind samples tasting including the 2008 Malbec, 2008 Electrum Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008 Syrah, 2008 Red Wine, and 2008 Merlot. The fruit for all of these wines, with the exception of the Syrah that is from the Hedges Family’s Les Gosses Vineyard, is sourced from the Obelisco Estate Vineyard. The 30-acre vineyard is located on the southwest slope of Red Mountain.

In August of last year, Obelisco Estate opened a tasting room in Woodinville’s warehouse district. Open regularly on the weekends and by appointment during the week, Obelisco Estate is a great place to visit. Not only are their wines very good, but also their tasting room is nicely appointed and welcoming.

2008 Obelisco Estate Malbec (Obelisco Vineyard, Red Mountain, Washington): 80% Malbec and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep red in color. Nice nose with beautiful black fruit and tobacco aromas. More black fruit and tobacco as well as spice come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $30

2008 Obelisco Estate Electrum Cabernet Sauvignon (Obelisco Vineyard, Red Mountain, Washington): 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 5% Malbec. Deep red in color. Nice nose with black fruit, vanilla, and spice on both the nose and palate. Full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long, elegant finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $60

2008 Obelisco Estate Syrah (Les Gosses Vineyard, Red Mountain, Washington): 90% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark purple. Very aromatic with black fruit, black pepper, and floral notes on the nose. Blackberry, black cherry, and black pepper come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity, medium to high, drying tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $30

2008 Obelisco Estate Red Wine (Obelisco Vineyard, Red Mountain, Washington): 70.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 4.5% Malbec. Deep red. Aromatic with red fruit and spice aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, drying tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $30

2008 Obelisco Estate Merlot (Obelisco Vineyard, Red Mountain, Washington): 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec, and 5% Syrah. Deep, ruby red in color. Aromatic with black fruits, smoke, and vanilla notes on the nose. Black cherry, black plum, smoke, and a hint of cola come through on the nose. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $30

Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? Many of our readers have said this is something they would like, so here is this week’s selection, the 2009 Maryhill Rosé of Sangiovese from the Columbia Valley of Washington State.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$15
• Must be widely available

Maryhill Winery, located in Goldendale, Washington, is perched on a bluff overlooking the Columbia River Gorge with Mt. Hood in the distance. Founded in 1999 by Craig and Vicki Leuthold, Maryhill’s production has grown from 4,300 cases in 1999 to over 80,000 cases today, making it the 15th largest winery in Washington State. The winery has a beautiful setting with gorgeous views, a 3,000-square-foot tasting room, and a 4,000-seat outdoor amphitheatre, which plays host to a summer concert series.

“Lighter in color than previous years and lighter on the palate, this wine is sure to keep Rosé lovers happy. Look for light hints of strawberry and occasional tropical aromas. On the palate you will enjoy lightly honeyed strawberries and thoughts of vanilla with a bit of minerality on the finish. Pair with creamy dips and spreads and creamy cheeses.” – Maryhill Winery

2009 Maryhill Rosé of Sangiovese (Columbia Valley, Washington): Medium salmon in color. Pleasant aromas and flavors of strawberry and orange peel. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish. Very refreshing.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $14; Available elsewhere, $11