Riesling is one of the most versatile grape varieties. It can be made in many different styles from bone dry to very sweet, reflect the regional character of where it is grown, and is extremely food-friendly. And, it is probably the most age worthy of all white wine varieties.

We recently had the opportunity to taste a couple of Chateau Ste. Michelle Rieslings in a blind samples tasting, the 2012 Dry Riesling and the 2012 Harvest Select Sweet Riesling. Both wines are very good, so no matter your preference on the sweetness scale, Chateau Ste. Michelle has you covered. And with suggested retail prices of $10, and which can frequently be found for far less, these wines deliver serious bang for your buck.

2012 Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale straw yellow. Beautiful nose with white peach, citrus, and floral aromas. White peach and lime come through on the palate. Dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a very long, refreshing finish. Residual Sugar: 0.71%
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $10; Available elsewhere, $6 to $12

2012 Chateau Ste. Michelle Harvest Select Sweet Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): Very pale, straw yellow. Aromatic with peach blossoms and honeysuckle on the nose. Peach, apricot, and floral notes come through on the palate. Medium sweet and light to medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a very long finish. Residual Sugar: 4.71%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $10; Available elsewhere, $8 to $10

Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling: Something for Everyone was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste several of the House Wines in a blind samples tasting, the 2012 Fish House Sauvignon Blanc, the 2012 Market Moscato, and the 2010 Steak House Cabernet Sauvignon. All three wines are good and make weeknight food and wine pairing easy.

Fish House pairs well with fish or chicken, and Steak House works well with steak, burgers, and even pasta with red sauce. The Market Moscato is nice with fruit or a light summer dessert or can be enjoyed on its own after dinner. The top line retail price for these three wines is $12, but they can frequently be found for under $10.

2012 Fish House Sauvignon Blanc (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Pale, straw yellow. Aromatic with melon, floral notes, and a touch of honey on both the nose and palate. Dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a very long, refreshing finish. Residual Sugar: 0.12%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $12; Available elsewhere, $12

2012 Market Moscato (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Moscato. Pale, straw yellow. Nice nose with apricot and honey aromas and flavors. Medium sweet and medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish. Residual Sugar: 5.4%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $12

2010 Steak House Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 5% Syrah. Deep, dark ruby red. Aromatic with black fruit and spice on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $12; Available elsewhere, $8 to $15

House Wine: Weeknight Food & Wine Pairing Made Easy was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

We have had the opportunity to taste all five current releases from Fielding Hills on three different occasions. Dad (John) and Mom (LaGayle) attended the 2010 vintage release dinner in November, Dad and I had them in another tasting in January, and most recently, we tasted them again in a blind samples tasting. Over the course of the seven months since they were first released, these wines continue to evolve and are getting even better.

Fielding Hills has done it again. We were “wow-ed” by the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, rating it 5 stars (out of 5). The four other current releases from Fielding Hills are also quite impressive. The 2010 Cabernet Franc and 2010 Syrah received 4.5 stars (out of 5), and the 2010 Merlot and 2010 Tribute Red Wine received 4 stars (out of 5).

If you are ever in the Wenatchee area, Fielding Hills is a stop you do not want to miss. I encourage you to give Mike and Karen a call to make an appointment to visit the winery. Within the next year, Fielding Hills has plans to open a tasting room in Lake Chelan. Regardless of whether you are able to visit or not, I encourage you to get your hands on a bottle or two of Fielding Hills wine and enjoy.

2010 Fielding Hills Cabernet Sauvignon (RiverBend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Syrah, 3% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Dark, dense purple. Gorgeous nose with black cherry, blackberry, spice, and leather aromas. Black cherry, blackcurrant, spice, and leather come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high, dry tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with good complexity and a very long, lingering finish. Wow!
Quality: 5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $42

2010 Fielding Hills Cabernet Franc (RiverBend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 85% Cabernet Franc, 5% Syrah, 5% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark red in color. Beautiful nose black cherry, cinnamon, and clove aromas. Black cherry, cinnamon, and clove come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity, and high, dry tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $30

2010 Fielding Hills Syrah (RiverBend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 94% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Dark, dense purple. Gorgeous nose with blackberry, spice, and black pepper aromas. More blackberry, spice, and black pepper come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and high, dry tannins. Well-balanced with a very long, smooth finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $38

2010 Fielding Hills Merlot (RiverBend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 93% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Syrah. Deep, dark purplish red. Aromatic with black cherry and spice rack aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, smooth tannins. Well-balanced with a very long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $36

2010 Fielding Hills Tribute Red Wine (RiverBend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 31% Cabernet Franc, 30% Syrah, 20% Merlot, and 19% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark purplish red. Nice nose with black fruit and spice aromas. Black cherry, blackberry, spice, and oak come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $32

Current Releases from Fielding Hills, 2010 Vintage [Wow! Alert] was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$20
• Must be widely available

In 1979, John and Harry Mariani, owners of Banfi Vintners, acquired a mid-18th century winery, known as Bruzzone, revitalized it, and renamed the facility Vigne Regali. Banfi’s Rosa Regale is created in one of Italy’s smallest production zones, the Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG in Piedmont. Produced with Brachetto grapes grown at the La Rosa Vineyard in the town of Acqui Terme, its label features a single red rose.

For those of you who are predominantly white wine drinkers and/or prefer sweet wines, this is certainly a wine you should try. It is a good before or after dinner drink and also pairs well with seafood, cheese, and chocolate.

“Aromatic with hints of raspberries, strawberries and rose petals. Fresh raspberries, with crisp acidity, enticing the palate with an initial softness, graduating to a clean and dry finish.” –Banfi

2011 Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui (Piedmont, Italy): 100% Brachetto. Sweet red sparkling wine. Small, fairly fast bead of bubbles. Medium to deep ruby red. Aromatic with bright red fruit and cherry Jolly Rancher on the nose. More cherry as well as raspberry and strawberry come through on the palate. Sweet but not sickeningly sweet. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $18; Available elsewhere, $15 to $25

A Wine for Tonight: 2011 Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

The 2009 Long Shadows Sequel Syrah came out on top in this outstanding lineup. Founded by Washington wine pioneer Allen Shoup, Long Shadows Vintners is a collection of ultra-premium wineries comprised of internationally acclaimed winemakers from the major wine regions of the world. Each winemaker is a partner in a unique winery dedicated to producing a single Columbia Valley wine representing a “best of type” that reflects the winemaker’s signature style. Sequel is a Syrah made by John Duval, one of the most famous winemakers in Australia and around the world. He is best known for his work with Penfolds Grange, Australia’s most famous wine, and now owns his own John Duval Wines.

Really, you can’t go wrong with any of these wines. Washington State produces fabulous Syrah, and the winemakers who made these six wines are among the state’s best.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2009 Long Shadows Sequel Syrah (Columbia Valley, Washington): 99% Syrah and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark, dense purple. Gorgeous nose with spice, game, earth, and black fruit aromas. Blackberry, black pepper, game, herbs, and spice come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high yet smooth tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a very long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Winery, $50; Available elsewhere, $42 to $55

2009 Force Majeure Collaboration Series III (Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, Red Mountain, Washington): 100% Syrah. Winemaker Mark McNeilly of Mark Ryan Winery. Deep, dark purple. Nice nose with black fruit and cinnamon aromas. Black fruit, black pepper, cinnamon, and a touch of earth come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high tannins. Well-balanced with good complexity and a very long finish. Force Majeure winery was previously named Grand Rêve.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $55; Available elsewhere, $55 to $56

2009 Rasa Vineyards QED (Columbia Valley, Washington): 71% Syrah, 14% Grenache, 12% Mourvedre, and 3% Viognier. Deep, dark ruby red. Aromatic with black cherry, cinnamon, and a touch of smoke on the nose. Black cherry, spice, black pepper, and some oak come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, silky tannins. Well-balanced with a long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $50

2009 Betz Family Winery La Côte Patriarche Syrah (Red Willow Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 100% Syrah. Deep, dark purplish red. Aromatic with black fruit and smoked meat on the nose. Black cherry, blackberry, game, and a hint of earth come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, smooth tannins. Well-balanced with a very long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $55

2009 Fielding Hills Syrah (RiverBend Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): 94% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Deep, dark purplish red. Nice nose with red and black fruit and vanilla aromas. Red and black fruit, vanilla, and cherry cola come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a very long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $38; Available elsewhere, $38 to $46

2009 Maison Bleue Liberté Syrah (Boushey Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 100% Syrah. Deep ruby red. Aromatic with cherry, spice, and vanilla on the nose. Very jammy with Big Red soda, strawberry, and a touch of cedar on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $42; Available elsewhere, $40 to $44

Wine Tasting Dinner: 2009 Washington Syrah was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste the 2012 Traditions Pinot Gris and the 2010 The Estates Cabernet Sauvignon in a blind samples tasting. Both wines are very good, but we especially enjoyed the Pinot Gris. It is crisp and refreshing and an excellent wine for late spring and summer.

Milbrandt Vineyards consistently offers a lineup of good quality wines that deliver serious bang for your buck.

2012 Milbrandt Vineyards Traditions Pinot Gris (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Pinot Gris. Pale straw yellow. Nice nose with lemon and honeysuckle aromas. Citrus fruits, especially lemon, and floral notes come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with tart acidity. Well-balanced with a very long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $12.99; Available elsewhere, $10 to $13

2010 Milbrandt Vineyards The Estates Cabernet Sauvignon (Wahluke Slope, Washington): 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 5% Malbec. Dark purplish red. Aromatic with molasses and blackcurrant on the nose. More molasses, blackcurrant, and black pepper come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $24.99; Available elsewhere, $14 to $27

Milbrandt Vineyards: 2012 Traditions Pinot Gris and 2010 The Estates Cab was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Once again, I referred to my favorite guide, What to Drink with What You Eat, for pairing recommendations and decided to try a Merlot and a Syrah. We selected the 2009 Fidelitas Merlot and the 2010 Owen Roe Ex Umbris Syrah, both from the Columbia Valley. While both wines were very good in their own right, the unanimous choice for this meal on this night was the Merlot.

What would you have paired with a Philly cheesesteak sandwich? And, as always, we welcome your suggestions for future challenging wine pairings.

Bon Appétit!

2009 Fidelitas Merlot (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep, dark purple. Nice nose with earth and black fruit aromas. Pencil lead, black fruit, and earth come through on the palate. Full-bodied with crisp acidity and high, dry tannins. Well-balanced with a very long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $25; Available elsewhere, $25 to $40

2010 Owen Roe Ex Umbris Syrah (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep, dark purple. Aromatic with red fruit and vegetal notes on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Full Pull Wines (Seattle, Washington), $25.99; Available elsewhere, $23 to $32

Challenging Wine Pairing: Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$20
• Must be widely available

Freixenet, pronounced “fresh-eh-net”, is a family-owned company that grew from humble beginnings in rural Catalunya, Spain. In 1861, two winemaking families, the Ferrers and the Salas, set the stage for the company that would ultimately become a world leader in the production of méthode champenoise sparkling wines. They began selling their wines with the Freixenet name in 1915. Today, the multinational Freixenet Group is run by the fourth generation and produces 200 million bottles each year. Josep Bujan has been the Freixenet technical director and winemaker since 1980.

“Cordon Negro Brut is crisp, clean, and well balanced. It is medium-bodied with a palate of apple, pear and bright citrus flavors with a moderately long finish and a crisp touch of ginger. This wine is extremely versatile and pairs well with most food.” –Freixenet

NV Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava (Spain): 35% Macabeo, 25% Xarel-lo, and 40% Parellada. Pale straw yellow in color. Nice nose with apple aromas. Apple, lemon, lime, and tangerine come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a very long, refreshing finish. A lovely weeknight or brunch bubbly.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $12; Available elsewhere, $8 to $14

A Wine for Tonight: NV Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

The Maipo Valley spans from the Andes to the coast and is one of Chile’s oldest and most well-known wine regions. Best known for its red wines, the Maipo Valley is the closest wine region to the city of Santiago. The climate in the Maipo Valley is marked by two distinct seasons, the winter is cold and rainy and the long summer is dry, hot, and sunny.

Cabernet Sauvignon is Chile’s star grape with over 40,000 hectares planted, accounting for 47% of all red varieties planted. While it is grown in all but the coldest areas of Chile, Cab does best in regions with a warm, dry climate that allows it to fully ripen.

2010 Apaltagua Signature Cabernet Sauvignon (Maipo Valley, Chile): Deep, dark red in color. Very aromatic with red fruit, spice, vanilla, and smoked meat on the nose. Cherry, strawberry, and a touch of tobacco and chocolate come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $35; Available elsewhere, $25 to $30

Another Chilean Wine to Try: 2010 Apaltagua Signature Cabernet Sauvignon was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$20
• Must be widely available

Canoe Ridge Vineyard, located in Walla Walla, Washington, was established in 1994. The estate vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA was first planted in 1989. Canoe Ridge sources the majority of its grapes from the estate vineyard. The winery and vineyard get their name from the estate vineyard site near the Columbia River which explorers Lewis and Clark thought looked like an overturned canoe. Bill Murray, who got his start in Napa, California, was named head winemaker for Canoe Ridge Vineyard in 2011. Its annual production is about 70,000 cases.

“Crisp and juicy, featuring a great blend of lemon, lime, green apple and peach notes. Lively acidity balances with honeysuckle and lemongrass on the lingering finish.” –Winemaker Bill Murray

2012 Canoe Ridge Vineyard Expedition Pinot Gris (Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): Pale, straw yellow in color. Very aromatic with gorgeous floral and lemon zest aromas. Gardenias, lime, and orange come through on the palate. Dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity and a long, refreshing finish. Residual Sugar: 0.8%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $14; Available elsewhere, $13 to $15

A Wine for Tonight: 2012 Canoe Ridge Vineyard Expedition Pinot Gris was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.