Columbia Crest: nice wines, nice prices

A couple weeks ago, I received wine from Columbia Crest for a Twitter Tasting organized by Thirsty Girl. I received three bottles of the Horse Heaven Hills label for sampling purposes, including the 2010 Chardonnay, the 2010 Les Cheveux Red Blend, and the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon.

The 2010 Columbia Crest H3 Chardonnay is a very attractive wine. Offering a perfume of gardenia, citrus zest, Granny Smith apple, baking spice, and sweet vanilla extract, it is a pale golden hue in the glass. Oak spice is apparent on the entry, but the prevailing flavor is fresh pineapple, which is complemented by bright acidity and minerals. This wine finishes round and full, with lingering notes of sweet cream and nutmeg. Fermented in a combination of both new and used French and American oak barrels (65%) as well as stainless steel (25%), this wine does an excellent job of walking the tightrope between cougar juice and White Burgundy styles. I noticed that a few people participating in the Twitter chat said it was too oaky, but I found it was balanced and the oak qualities were quite nuanced. It had a lovely creamy mouthfeel, without the butteriness (blah!) that can accompany the malolactic fermentation process.  I enjoyed this wine with a fresh chicken pot pie. It was, on all accounts, a perfect pairing. It would also be great with rich seafood dishes, creamy pastas, and risotto. For $15/bottle, this wine has a very attractive price, too!

I shared the 2010 Columbia Crest H3 Les Cheveux with friends at a dinner party last weekend and it was enjoyed by all. I arrived to the party a little late, but it didn’t matter because this wine was very easy to drink without food. The nose had American oak written all over it; the caramel, burnt cedar, and coconut notes gave it away—although these qualities were apparent to me, they were subtle and overall very pleasant. There were also scents of dark fruits, which were more pronounced on the palate. This wine, although not very concentrated in the glass, was rich and full-flavored with notes of raspberry, black cherry, pomegranate, cola, tar, and vanilla. It had a long savory finish. Because it was such a light hue and had superfine tannins, I wasn’t surprised to see that it was mostly Merlot (80%) with 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Syrah; this wine, Les Cheveux, is named for the wild horses that used to roam the area. 

Columbia Crest produces four different tiers of wine. The Horse Heaven Hills Collection is just below the Reserve tier in terms of quality and affordability. Horse Heaven Hills is the appellation in which the original winery is located.

I haven’t gotten around to opening the 2010 Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet Sauvignon, but rest assured, I will keep you posted when I do. From the posts I saw during the Twitter Tasting (#TGTaste), this Cab needs to be decanted. Perhaps a few months in the bottle will loosen it up a little...

Happy Wine Wednesday and I hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween!