Columbia Valley AVA
Washington

Made by the Hedges Family Estate, this red wine is  a blend of Cabernet sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah (hence the CMS). Although they make this blend each year, the percentages of the grape varietals changes, depending on the flavors the winemaker is looking for.

In this vintage, we found a plethora of wonderful aromas! Roasted chestnuts mingled with fruit notes of tart cranberries, ripe blueberries and cherries. We also smelled violets and savory bay leaves– seriously, each time we swirled this wine, new aromas became apparent.

On the palate, the CMS is a bit like liquid velvet and then the tannins hit the back of your mouth, a reminder that this wine is still on the young side. Decanting for a few minutes will soften those tannins to match the velvety texture.  Along with the blueberries and cherries from the aromas, we also tasted red licorice, leather and wild raspberries. The wine finished with spicy notes of black pepper and ginger, making it a great wine to drink with coconut frosted chocolate cake, anything BBQed, a charcuterie plate or spinach salad topped with slivered almonds and cranberries.

SRP $13.

www.hedgesfamilyestate.com