This was another one of Gaiter and Brecher’s wines listed from their review of Merlot’s under $20. It is a Columbia Valley (Washington State) wine and has a fruity bouquet but is simple with a yeasty backbone and the nose is full of cherries and steel.
The palate is coated with baked bread, it is nicely made and well balanced with nice tannins and a finish that is again pretty straight forward. My first writing said “This is a typical Hogue wine—solid but not remarkable.” I remember thinking, “This seems odd to be a Gaiter/Brecher selection; it seems so ordinary. Silly me!
With some breathing the wine opens up to a nice foundation of chocolate and berries with a solidly made structure. It is a little chewy but more interesting than I first thought with a decent finish of fruit that lingers a bit. All in all I liked it and at $11, it is a decent value. But at this price point, it doesn’t come close to the previously reviewed Coppolla Merlot for $14. Raise a glass!
Ten years ago, when I was just of legal age and began to purchase wine, Hogue was one of my favorites. Affordable, but not cheap. Drinkable but not overly sweet or gimmicky. And I still pick up a bottle from time to time these days--particularly since they've moved to screwcaps. Their Late Harvest White Riesling is a phenomenal wine by any measure.
ReplyDeleteOne of these days I'll write a little guide along the lines of "So You're Ready to Graduate From White Zinfandel and Yellowtail". I think that Hogue, Bogle, and Columbia Crest would feature prominently in such a guide--reasonable prices, wide availability, and really not bad wines.
Thanks for your comments; you are right on re: Bogle, Hogue, and especially Columbia Crest. I would probably add Sebastianti, and Beaulieu as well. Raise a glass! (PB)
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I enjoy crisp white dessert wines. While at our local liquor store, the clerk suggested that we try something new.
ReplyDeleteReluctantly – I brought home a bottle of the Hogue late harvest white Riesling.
Oh my goodness – What a treat!!!
It’s a fabulous clean crisp wine that delicately sweet on the pallet while bursting with intense flavor.
You can taste the peach and apricot with every sip. A lovely sweet wine that does not overpower your taste buds.
We highly recommend it.