{"id":8089,"date":"2021-02-07T17:16:14","date_gmt":"2021-02-07T23:16:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/?p=8089"},"modified":"2021-02-07T17:16:15","modified_gmt":"2021-02-07T23:16:15","slug":"washington-red-wines-winter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecorkscrewconcierge.com\/2021\/02\/washington-red-wines-winter\/","title":{"rendered":"Washington Red Wines to Get You Through Winter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When I first really got into wine, I was definitely all about the red wine. Like 99%. Over the years, my palate has evolved and I drink as much white and sparkling as I do red. Some weeks even find me having very little red wine. But no matter how far I may stray from red wines, Washington red wines always have a place near and dear to my heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I still remember my visit<\/span><\/strong><\/a> to Washington wine country a few years ago when I was absolutely smitten with the red wines. So as I was working hard and tasting through all of these wines (whew!) for this article, I saw the Cabernet Sauvignon piling up and had to stop myself in my tracks. Yes, Washington makes some swoon-worthy, head-turning Cabernet Sauvignon. I\u2019d argue that it\u2019s what they are most famous for as these are the wines that command the big scores from the major wine critics and the \u201clittle\u201d critics too. They\u2019re fabulous. But, Cabernet Sauvignon already gets its share of love. So…I really don\u2019t want to go there. Incidentally, Washington also makes fantastic Merlot. But I don\u2019t want to go there either. Instead, I want to point you in another direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Come along as I take you to land of \u201cBordeaux style blends\u201d as well as to the land of Syrah. Why are these wines so special? In a nutshell, what I love about Washington red wines is that they toe a great line between ultra-ripe Napa Valley wines and earthy, structured Bordeaux. I get the new world fruit that I enjoy as well as the structure and acidity that are essential to world class wines. In other words, Washington red wines represent the best of both worlds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Land of Bordeaux Style Blends<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Since Washington makes great Cab Sauv and Merlot, it only follows that they also craft great Bordeaux blends. These are wines made with any of the original Bordeaux varietals – Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and sometimes Carmenere. I know people, particularly Americans, who get all caught up in single varietal and single vineyard wines. And don\u2019t get me wrong, that\u2019s all well and good, but let\u2019s think about the OG of red wine – Bordeaux. These wines are typically blends as the Bordelais are all about hedging their bets and assemble wines based on each year\u2019s vintage. Not to mention that many folks drink blends all the time and don\u2019t even realize it. We\u2019ll talk about that some other time. I\u2019ve certainly had my share of red blends from Washington over the years, but here are some that have really got my attention of late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2017 DeLille Cellars D2, Columbia Valley, WA (~$42)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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DeLille Cellars D2<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve said this so many times before, but I\u2019m such a big fan of DeLille Cellars. It was one of those places that I visited<\/span><\/strong><\/a> where I bought every single thing that I tried. All of it! The D2 is a \u201csecond wine\u201d to the winery\u2019s Chaleur Estate red wine and pays homage to Bordeaux\u2019s Merlot-dominant Right Bank. This particular wine made the Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2020 list at #63 and all I can say is that I knew they were great long before this! I\u2019m just sayin… In true Right Bank style, I love that this one leads with Merlot at 66% accompanied by 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. If I have to choose between Cab Sauv and Merlot, I\u2019m going Merlot just about every day of the week. And yes, when it comes to Bordeaux, I lean decidedly Right Bank over the Left Bank. The D2 is big, structured, and bold, but also smooth and polished with notes of black cherry, raspberry, herbs, tobacco leaf, and floral notes. A beautiful sip now with some air but can certainly go a few more years. You can find at Total Wine<\/a> and Wine.com<\/a> (sometimes).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2016 Avennia Gravura Red Wine, Columbia Valley, WA ($40)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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