Washington on the Label and in the bottle.
This week I purchased two Columbia Crest Grand Estates wines; a red wine and a white wine. Of the two, I'm reviewing the one I liked, the Columbia Crest Grand Estates 2012 Unoaked Chardonnay.
Unoaked Chardonnay signifies that no oak was used in the production of the wine. Which implies that the wine should be bright, fresh and crisp. Which it was. This is the style of white wine I have come to prefer with meals.
Tasting Notes Columbia Crest Grand Estates 2012 Unoaked Chardonnay
Color: Clear, clean, light straw.
Nose: Mineral, lemon, dry sage leaf, fresh bread.
Palate: Luscious, crisp, Chardonnay, lemon, tropical flavor of pineapple/melon, taffy and fresh bread on a bright finish. Ah, that's the way I like it.
Thoughts: A racy Chardonnay, lacking oak treatment or that uber buttery quality. It was a good match to my dinner of baked lemon honey-mustard chicken, bow-tie pasta and steamed cauliflower. It would be wonderful with seafood and fried food. This Chardonnay is eminently drinkable. At the price I paid it is the wine you will want on your dinner table. If you are looking for dry, crisp, unoaked Chardonnay for under $10 this is it. If you enjoy Sauvignon Blanc this is it too. If you are an "ABC" person, then you must give this wine a try. Recommended.
Day two paired with Rack of Lamb:
On the second day this wine was a good companion to roasted rack of lamb. I prepared the lamb with a wet rub of Oregano, Salt, Jalapeno Mustard, diced Garlic, Lemon juice and olive oil. Marinated at room temperature for two hours. I seared both sides of the lamb on the stove top. I like my lamb cooked, so I cooked it at 350 F for an hour (turning over half way through). Moved lamb to a separate plate and let it rest wrapped in foil. Sliced chops in pairs and then finished under the broiler before serving. Yum, the drippings made a glorious reduction sauce from the pan drippings with the wine. They were consumed quickly so no photos. Yum. The acidity and lemon in this Unoaked Chardonnay went so well with the lamb. You don't have to pair red wine with lamb, a red wine would have smothered the wonderful qualities of the lamb.
ABV: 13.5%
Paid: $8.99
If you have been enjoying Columbia Crest wines as long as I have, you should have noticed that the label has changed into a shield. I like the new look, it's bold and easy to spot on the shelf. For this wine it also says, "Bang for the buck baby!"
VISIT THE WINERY
Hwy 221,
Columbia Crest Dr.
Paterson, WA 99345
Telephone (509) 875-4227
Open Daily 10:00am - 4:30pm
If you are ever passing through the Tri-Cities where I live, the Columbia Crest winery is only a 30 minute side trip from Richland. They have a very nice facility and an impressive tasting usually available. It's been a few years since I last visited, I'm thinking I need to go too.
Cheers!