Hogue Cellars is celebrating 25 years as an icon winery for Prosser, Wash., with the constant hallmark of making top wines at great prices.
It seems to matter little who has made the wines over the years because each new set of winemakers is just as dedicated as the ones they replaced.
Today’s winemaking crew includes Co Dinn, director of winemaking, and winemakers Jordan Ferrier (red program) and Jim Mills (white program). They are following in the footsteps of such award-winning vintners as David Forsythe and Rob Griffin.
And let’s not forget Hogue Cellars is the largest premium winery in the Pacific Northwest that’s not affilliated with Ste. Michelle Wine Estates.
With a production this year expected to reach 600,000 cases, Hogue will be behind only Columbia Crest and Chateau Ste. Michelle in size.
It’s been quite a legacy for the pioneer Prosser family of Wayne and Shyla Hogue and their two sons, Gary and Mike. It was Gary and Mike who developed the winery on the outskirts of Prosser along the Yakima River and directed it through the first 20 years.
Today, Constellations Brands — the world’s largest wine company — owns Hogue Cellars and has shown the good sense to let Hogue be Hogue, complete with all the great varieties the winery introduced during the years.
Mike is on to other endeavors with a new winery called Mercer Estates, which features Forsythe as the winemaker and the operation just down the street from his old haunt. Gary is Hogue Cellars’ ambassador for Constellation and remains active in sales and brand promotions.
Even today, Hogue is pioneering, turning out the bulk of its wines under screwcaps and showing off four styles of wines — starting with the Hogue label that’s ready to drink now.
Then there’s the Genesis label, an upscale list of classic varieties. The reserve wines have limited production tailored for ultra-premium tastes.
And finally, something I don’t think any other winery is touting on its label, there’s the Terroir line. These wines allow the winemakers to showcase a variety from a particular appellation.
The Wine Press Northwest crew recently got to taste with Hogue’s winemakers and even got to dip into a few older vintages.
1993 Proprietor’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley: This preceded one of Washington’s more famous vintages, and 1993s tend to be overlooked, but this is aging gracefully. It has a little bit of the brickiness one might expect, it is showing some dried fruit and cherries. Yet there’s brilliant fruit left, along with herbal notes including mint. Very elegant.
1996 Proprietor’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley: Earth and spice aromas with dark licorice, dry cherry and chocolate components. This came from a vintage not fondly remembered in Washington because of a bad winter freeze that wiped out about half the crop. This wine still is showing well 14 years later and is a real treasure.
1998 Vineyard Selection Syrah, Columbia Valley: Still a juicy berry delight, probably because of the 23 percent Lemberger that was blended in. Syrahs don’t always tend to age well, but this still has plenty of life left.
Let’s move on to some current releases from Hogue:
2005 Reserve Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $22: Reserved and elegant with firm oak under pinnings, yet balanced with rich pears and apple flavors.
2005 Terroir Viognier, Horse Heaven Hills, $22: Terroir is to show off a particular region, and this is a yummy Creamsicle, fresh as a daisy and crisp as a spring day.
2006 Riesling, Columbia Valley, $9: Great balance at 1.8 residual sugar with 14 percent Gewürztraminer that gives it plenty of peachy and citrus character.
2006 Late Harvest White Riesling, Columbia Valley, $9: Always a favorite at Hogue. Great for a summer day with 4.5 percent residual sugar and the acidity to balance the tangerine and apricot aromas and flavors.
2004 Genesis Merlot, Columbia Valley, $17: Hogue always has made classic Merlot, and this 2006 selection grabs your attention with tons of smooth berries and fruit. It provides a level of complexity beyond the price and should pair well with grilled meats.
2006 Terroir Syrah, Columbia Valley, $22: Think rich chocolate cake with a layer of raspberries. A most pleasing drink. This is still mighty young, so I think it will get even better with another year or two in the cellar.
2004 Andrews Vineyard Terroir Malbec, Horse Heaven Hills, $22: Spicy oak and huckleberries are the hallmark of this Malbec, which has a strong backbone and bold, rich flavors. A pleasing yet complex wine.
2004 Andrews Vineyard Terroir Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills, $22: Lively, full and complex starting with blackberry aromas and finishing with boysenberries and spices.
2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $30: A most affordable reserve red, smooth with huge flavors with coffee and vanilla aromas and cocoa and dark berry and strawberry flavors.
* BOB WOEHLER is Wine Press Northwest’s tasting editor. He has been writing about Northwest wine since 1976.
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