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It has long been rumored that the few rows of vines at the entrance to Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, Wash., were required so the winery could be called a "chateau."
PROSSER -- Construction is expected to start soon on the next phase of what backers say will be the state's premier educational and promotional center for Washington's wines and food products.
KENNEWICK — Spending some time in a mountain cabin with a chance to concentrate on tasting two fine lines of wine was a great idea until wild turkey got in my way.
No, not Wild Turkey bourbon, but the three bronze-colored wild turkeys that showed up trying to mooch pieces of bread and disrupted my wine tasting.
I had gone with some poker-playing buddies for a weekend, and while they went snowmobiling I stayed behind to work on a column about 14 Hands and Red Diamond wines -- two of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates' stable of bargain wines.
Both lines are produced in large quantities at Columbia Crest Winery in Paterson. Both are good values, Red Diamond often selling for under $7, and 14 Hands at around $12, with the Merlot available for about $9.
Red Diamond — made by winemaker Juan Munoz-Oca — was launched in 2003 with marketing limited to restaurants. It became so popular that it was launched to the mainstream market. There were 416,000 cases produced in 2008.
14 Hands is made by winemaker Keith Kenison and has a similar history. It's available at several Mid-Columbia grocery stores, restaurants and on the internet, with 206,700 cases produced in 2008.
Here's what my tasting found:
Red Diamond 2007, Chardonnay, Washington, $8 -- Buttery, rich and tropical with nice crispness. Just right for food or cocktail.
Red Diamond 2007 Merlot, Washington, $8 -- Berry delicious, showing off marionberry flavors and smooth tannins. Would go great with meat loaf.
Red Diamond 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington, $8 -- Showing smooth dark currants and ripe Bing cherries with a chocolate finish. French dip with au jus would be a good match.
Red Diamond, 2007 Shiraz, Washington, $8 -- Oak and bacon aromas lead to silky blueberry flavors. Try with a bacon cheeseburger.
14 Hands 2008 Riesling, Washington, $10 -- Minerality, apples and peaches balanced with bright acidity. Good with a curry chicken salad.
14 Hands 2008 Chardonnay, Washington, $12 -- Lemon and apple flavors and very food-friendly. Try a captain's plate of assorted deep fried oysters, shrimp and cod as a match.
14 Hands 2007 Merlot, Washington, under $9 -- Flavors of delicious chocolate cherries, extra creamy and smooth. A stellar Merlot for the money! Would be excellent with a hangar/flat iron steak.
14 Hands 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington, $12 -- Oak beginning, robust blackberries, firm tannins with good length. Try with oven-baked, Cab-soaked chicken breasts.
*Bob Woehler has been writing about Pacific Northwest wines since 1978. E-mail him at bwoehler@charter.net or check out his past columns at www.winepressnw.com.
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