Our local wine shop owners were pretty excited about a recent Washington winery find, Canyon’s Edge Winery, which produces really nice red wines at reasonable prices. They featured four of their wines at the recent Friday afternoon store tasting. I was also very impressed by these wines, and really enjoyed tasting domestic wines that were not huge alcohol bombs. The winery is located in Mabton, WA in the southern part of the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, near the Columbia River.
All of the wines are labeled Aldercreek Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills.
2002 Sage Brush Red ($11): This is a wonderful blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah (blend amounts were not revealed). It is dark, with a rich aroma, and flavors of blueberry and blackberry, ending with vanilla and some licorice on the finish. It is a terrific table wine for the price. 13.8% ABV
2003 Merlot ($14): Another nice dark wine with a well-balanced structure of acid and tannin. The fruit is lush and ends a nice long finish. 13.5% ABV
2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve ($14): Bright red fruit aromas and flavors, with really good structure. This is one of the best affordable Cabs I’ve tasted in a long time. 13.3% ABV
2003 Syrah ($14): Dark, with that unmistakable black pepper Syrah aroma. The fruit is full tasting but not jammy. Although not as complex as some of the really high-end Washington Syrah, this is about the best I’ve tasted under $20. This wine has nice body and a wonderful finish. I’d love to try one of these after letting it open up for an hour or so. 13.5% ABV
To learn more about Canyon’s Edge winery, visit their web site: http://www.canyonsedgewinery.com/.
-- Clark