Attributes:

Grande Ronde

Washington, United States

Cabernet Sauvignon

750 ML

2002: WineSpectator Rating: 90

currant, ripe cherry

2001: WineSpectator Rating: 88

cherry, cinnamon, herbal, pepper

2000: WineSpectator Rating: 89

cherry, coffee, plum, spice

2000: WineEnthusiast Rating: 86

soft

ripe

1999: WineSpectator Rating: 92

floral

opulent

cherry, currant, pepper, plum

1998: WineSpectator Rating: 87

fresh

currant, dill, tomato, wild berry

1997: WineSpectator Rating: 88

complex

black cherry, blackberry, sage

Food Matches:

(cab er nay saw vee nyon)—This highly adaptable grape grows almost anywhere it is relatively warm, but the best wines come from the Burgundy region of France (where it is a noble variety), California, and Australia. It became famous through the red wines of the Médoc district of Bordeaux and is now grown in Washington, southern France, Italy, Australia, South Africa, Chile, and Argentina. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes make wines that are high in tannin and medium- to full-bodied. Usually identified as having black currant or cassis flavors, the grape can also possess vegetal tones when the grapes are less than ideally ripe. The best wines are rich and firm with great depth, and are often aged for fifteen years or more. Because it is highly tannic, Cabernet Sauvignon is often blended with other less-tannic grapes such as Merlot.

Most of the wineries in this state are located east of the Cascade Range, where the climate is desert-like, with hot days and cool nights. The irrigated vineyards produce high yield, but the flavor is nevertheless very good. Traditionally Rieslings have been the most successful here, but currently Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc are doing well. Chardonnay is successfully fermented in new oak barrels, yielding distinctively crisp and delicate flavors, like fresh apples. Washington Merlot, with its cherry flavors and aroma, tends to be more full-bodied, moderately tannic and slightly higher in alcohol than its Bordeaux cousins and higher in acidity than those from California. Acreage for the Syrah grape has increased substantially in the past few years, and in Washington it turns into big, dark, intensely concentrated wines with aromas and flavors of blackberries, black currants, roasted coffee and leather. A little-known German grape, Lemberger, does very well here. It produces a fruity but dry red wine in the Beaujolais or Dolcetto style.

Attributes:

Heron

California, United States

Chardonnay

750 ML

2005: WineSpectator Rating: 87

light-bodied

apple, butterscotch, pear

2005: Tastings Rating: 86

fresh, tangy

medium body

apple, lemon, pineapple

juicy

2002: WineSpectator Rating: 82

simple

2002: Tastings Rating: 81

simple

fresh herbs, oak, pineapple, spicy

2001: WineEnthusiast Rating: 84

clean

light

simple

oak, pineapple, spicy

2001: Tastings Rating: 87

fresh, soft, tart

medium-bodied

stylish

apple, vanilla

fruity

watery

2000: Tastings Rating: 86

bright, fresh

medium-bodied

drinkable, well-balanced

apple, butter, citrus, oak, pear, spice, vanilla

fruity

1999: Tastings Rating: 83

clean, zesty

full-bodied

Food Matches:

(shar dohn nay)—This noble grape’s reputation was established in France, particularly in the Burgundy region, and the highly prized Chardonnay wines from Chablis, Mâcon, Mersault, and Pouilly-Fuissé are imitated by winemakers around the world. Generally an oaked wine (whether from expensive oak barrels or a quick soak in oak chips), its fruity aromas and flavors range from apple in the cooler regions to tropical fruits such a pineapple in the warmer regions. It can also display subtle earthy aromas, such as mushroom or minerals. It has a medium to high acidity and is generally full-bodied. Classical Chardonnay wines are dry. Chardonnay is also an important grape in the Champagne district where it's picked before fully ripe and while it still has high acid and understated fruit flavors—the perfect combination for champagne. California has adopted this grape with a fervor and there are some 200 wineries producing Chardonnay wines in other parts of the United States. Chardonnay has also seen a tremendous planting surge in Australia, and new vineyards are being planted in Italy, Lebanon, New Zealand, Spain, and South Africa.

California produces the majority of wine made in the United States. Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel and Pinot Noir dominate the wine production in California, but many other varietials thrive in the California climate. Many fine wines are produced in California using Mediterranean grapes.

Attributes:

Heitz Wine Cellars

Napa Valley, United States

Cabernet Sauvignon

750 ML

2001: WineSpectator Rating: 85

rich, supple

elegant

2001: CGCW Rating: 85

cedar, currant, herb flavors, spice

2000: WineEnthusiast Rating: 84

blackberry, herb flavors

2000: Tastings Rating: 86

lively acidity

medium-bodied

straightforward

black currant, blackberry, oak, tar

2000: WineSpectator Rating: 85

ripe

2000: CGCW Rating: 83

light

leather, medicinal

1999: WineSpectator Rating: 88

black cherry, currant, spicy

1999: WineEnthusiast Rating: 84

Food Matches:

(cab er nay saw vee nyon)—This highly adaptable grape grows almost anywhere it is relatively warm, but the best wines come from the Burgundy region of France (where it is a noble variety), California, and Australia. It became famous through the red wines of the Médoc district of Bordeaux and is now grown in Washington, southern France, Italy, Australia, South Africa, Chile, and Argentina. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes make wines that are high in tannin and medium- to full-bodied. Usually identified as having black currant or cassis flavors, the grape can also possess vegetal tones when the grapes are less than ideally ripe. The best wines are rich and firm with great depth, and are often aged for fifteen years or more. Because it is highly tannic, Cabernet Sauvignon is often blended with other less-tannic grapes such as Merlot.

This tiny strip of land just north of San Francisco is home to America’s most prestigious wineries. Its climate is ideal for viticulture. Ironically, it was deemed too ideal for some vintners, who have moved their vineyards from the valley’s flat plain to the hills in the east and west, adhering to the idea that grapes that struggle to grow yield better wine. The climate, soil, and individual wineries are enormously varied, so it’s impossible to identify a singular trait of Napa wines. In addition, nearly every noble grape is grown here, although Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the primary grapes. In the past, Napa’s wines have alternated between extremely fruity and fat to lean and subtle. Today the best Napa wines have achieved a balance between these extremes. Many are made to be drunk young and have abundant ripe fruit; others can be initially hard and tannic, but soften over four or five years to perfumed, cedary fruit. White Napa wines are excellent with fresh-grilled fish and chicken, but can also cope with more spicy and creamy flavors. Many Napa reds will overwhelm delicate cuisine, but rich red meat and cheeses do make good companions.