Snoqualmie Vineyards 2010 Whistle Stop Red Blend, Columbia Valley, $10
Best Buy! University of Washington grad Joy Andersen took over as Snoqualmie’s winemaker in 1991, and she continues to spoil her budget-conscious fans with bottlings such as this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%) and Merlot. The nose features a beautiful presentation of black cherry, ripe raspberry, smoky dark chocolate and tobacco leaf. What follows is a smooth drink of dark plum, blackberry and chocolate-covered black cherry, backed by a great finish of raspberry and cranberry. These wines are widely distributed and now are poured in Paterson at the Columbia Crest tasting room.
Rating: Outstanding!
Production: 7,000 cases
Alcohol: 13.5%
Thank you for the info on $15 and under wines. I’ve been a red wine fan for most of my adult life and now that I’m retired I must be frugal with wine costs. I appreciate the information, especially because I want to support Washington wines.
Mike, thanks for the note. These are simply some of the wines we’ve tasted in recent weeks. Look for brands such as Columbia Crest, 14 Hands, Washington Hills, Waterbrook and Hogue and you’ll find a fair number of wines in that nice price range (reds and whites).