2016 Chardonnay McDuffee
The Chardonnay we produce from premium McDuffee Vineyard grapes exudes notes that resemble the fabled Montrachet Chardonnays of France yet are distinctly Columbia Gorge. Fermented and then aged in mellowed American and French Oak (barrels that have been used for other more oaky white wines for at least two years prior to us using them), our 2016 Chardonnay is bright and lively with tempting aromas of lemon custard and apricot. The palate is soft and smooth with a silky mouth-feel and a pleasantly light acidity. Our Chardonnay is not at all oaky nor is it an austere stainless steel style; rather, it represents a perfect balance for Chardonnay lovers from both sides of the spectrum. One of our favorite and simple pairings with this gorgeous wine is John’s Dungeness Crab Cakes with a Lemon Aioli Sauce, a custom recipe we provide with every purchase.[show_more more="Read More” less="Show Less”]Terry McDuffee’s Vineyard is located in the Mill Creek Valley just south of The Dalles, Oregon. A sleepy farm community home to numerous agricultural crops including cherries, wheat, apples, grapes and more. The vineyard was planted in 1983 with Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Mcduffee Vineyard is a beautiful site with limestone soil; similar to that of southern Cote du Beaune, so naturally, Chardonnay thrives here. [/show_more]
Pairs well with: seafood (mussels, clams, crab, lobster), Caesar salad, bisque
2014 Cabernet Sauvignon
Cathedral Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon is the definition of a Northwest Cabernet. Wholly unlike the more famous Napa Cabs and proudly so, our Cabernet Sauvignon boasts and intoxicating pepper and smoke nose, rounded out with plum fruit leather and tea leaves on the finish. The body is full and smooth with gentle tannins that linger with every sip. Our Cabs pair beautifully with roasted and seared meats, hearty pastas, and mushrooms – especially the Pacific Northwest Morels and Chanterelles. A favorite pairing here is simple Seared Steak with sautéed Morel mushrooms or Slow Cooker French Dip Sliders with Rosemary Au Jus, the recipe included with purchase of the wine. Alcohol of 14.2% [show_more more="Read More” less="Show Less”]Our 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is a delightful blend of the Echo Vineyard Cabernet and Bangsund Vineyard Cabernet. Echo Vineyard, now known as Firethorn Vineyard, is located in Echo, Oregon. Owned and managed by Jay Bales and his wife Donna; it was originally started by Drew Bledsoe. The 2014 fruit was picked in early October, run through the stemmer-crusher and fermented in 3 ½ ton fermenting bins. The Cabernet grapes came in at 24 Brix (a measure of sugar in grapes) and fermented with no drama. The Bangsund Cabernet was picked early and was a relatively low alcohol wine coming in at 24 ½ Brix. Each wine stayed in the barrel for 24 months, and was then blended and bottled in 300 cases. With wines from these vineyards in our library dating back to 2002, we know these wines cellar very well with no oxidation and spectacular flavor concentration appeal.[/show_more]
Pairs well with: game, mushrooms, macaroni and cheese, filet mignon
2016 Riesling
Our 2016 Riesling is an off-dry, light-bodied and delightful sipping wine with wonderful flavors of local pear and crisp apple. Clean and smooth on the finish, Riesling is the most versatile of food wines and pairs superbly with a wide array of dishes from spicy to sweet. Try it with our Gina’s Spicy Chili-Ginger BBQ Shrimp Skewers for which a recipe card is provided with every purchase. 2016 is a limited bottling of 210 cases.
With our Riesling we strive to represent the native German qualities of the grape while enhancing the characteristic flavors of the Columbia River Valley. We are fortunate to be among mesoclimates resembling the traditionally cool regions from which Riesling originates, where the grapes ripen to optimal sugar levels and retain the fruit's unique acidity.
Pairs well with: Thai food, Mexican food, yellow cake, fruit tarts, custard and cheese cake.