Wine Peeps is an independent wine blog dedicated to helping you get the most bang for your buck in wine. We do this through blind tastings of wine from around the world and calculations of 
A Wine for Tonight: 2009 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon
By Kori ~ May 17th, 2012.
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 Chateau Ste. Michelle 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 <=$20
- Must be widely available
Chateau Ste. Michelle is Washington State’s founding winery with its roots dating back to the repeal of Prohibition. In 1976, Ste. Michelle built a French-style chateau in Woodinville, just northeast of Seattle. While all of their white wines are made in Woodinville, all of their red wines are made at Canoe Ridge Estate in eastern Washington. The fruit for this Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from vineyards in the Columbia Valley including Cold Creek, Canoe Ridge Estate, and Indian Wells.
“Our goal with the Columbia Valley Cabernet is to highlight concentrated Washington red fruit in an accessible style. This is our inviting Cab with plenty of complexity and structure with silky tannins. It’s also very versatile with food—try it with beef, pork or pasta.†–Bob Bertheau, Head Winemaker
2009 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 3% Syrah, 2% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Dark red in color. Aromatic with red fruit, earth, and smoked meat on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, smooth tannins, and a medium to long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $16; Available elsewhere, $10 to $18
Filed under: A Wine for Tonight, American Wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, Five-Bangs For Your Buck Wines, Red Wine, Washington State Wine, Wines Under $20, Wines Under $25
Try their Reislings – they are amazing!
Hello this is Alex from the wine forum http://www.winebasic101.com. I like the article especially pointing out that you can get a good quality wine for under $20. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a good quality wine. Reslings is a great wine to drink especially during the summer were reds can be over powering at times.
We’ve had their Rieslings numerous times and think they are great too. Cheers!