No matter where you live in the United States, you are probably familiar with the wines of Chateau Ste. Michelle, particularly their Columbia Valley line. While those wines enjoy national distribution, Chateau Ste. Michelle also produces a number of other reserve and limited release wines that are not as widely available.

We recently had the opportunity to taste a number of the current releases from Chateau Ste. Michelle, in a blind samples tasting. The seven wines featured here, five whites and two reds, are all very good and, most importantly, deliver serious bang for your buck. Six of these wines received a QPR rating of 4 or 5. When it comes to good quality at an excellent value, the Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley line is hard to beat.

And, for those of you who generally stay away from white wines in the middle of winter when it is cold and/or wet, I encourage you to “let it go”. Especially when paired with the right foods, these wines can be enjoyed year-round.

2013 Chateau Ste. Michelle Horse Heaven Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (Horse Heaven Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Pale straw yellow. Aromatic with citrus, particularly orange, and floral notes on both the nose and palate. Dry and light-bodied with racy acidity and a long, refreshing finish. Food pairing suggestions: mussels, halibut, chicken, goat cheese.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $15; Available elsewhere, $11 to $19

2013 Chateau Ste. Michelle Harvest Select Sweet Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Riesling. Pale to medium, greenish straw yellow. Nice nose with apricot, peach, and a touch of honey aromas and flavors. Medium-sweet and medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish. Food pairing suggestions: fresh fruit, crab, Asian dishes, mild cheeses. Residual Sugar: 4.3%
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, $7 to $12

2013 Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Riesling. Pale, greenish straw yellow. Very aromatic with apple, apricot, and melon on both the nose and palate. Off-dry and light-bodied with lively acidity and a medium to long finish. Food pairing suggestions: fresh fruit, crab, mild cheeses, chicken. Residual Sugar: 2.01%
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, $7 to $12

2012 Chateau Ste. Michelle Merlot (Columbia Valley, Washington): 92% Merlot, 3% Syrah, and 5% blenders (Malbec, Grenache, Mourvedre and Petit Verdot). Deep, dark purplish red in color. Nice nose with black plum, black cherry, leather, and smoky aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with lively acidity, smooth tannins, and a long finish. Food pairing suggestions: beef, lamb, grilled salmon, hearty pastas.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $15; Available elsewhere, $12 to $19

2012 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Washington): 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 4% Syrah, 2% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot, and 2% Mourvedre. Deep, dark purplish red. Beautiful nose with red and black fruit aromas and flavors as well as a touch of eucalyptus. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, silky tannins, and a long, smooth finish. Food pairing suggestions: beef, hearty pastas, dark chocolate, blue cheese.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $15; Available elsewhere, $12 to $16

2013 Chateau Ste. Michelle Gewurztraminer (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Gewurztraminer. Pale yellow in color. Aromatic with floral notes as well as green apple and citrus on both the nose and palate. Medium-sweet and light-bodied with lively acidity and a medium to long finish. Food pairing suggestions: crab, Asian dishes, chicken. Residual Sugar: 1.7%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $10; Available elsewhere, $8 to $12

2013 Eroica Riesling [Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen] (Columbia Valley, Washington): 100% Riesling. Pale, greenish straw yellow. Beautiful nose with white peach and honeysuckle aromas. Granny Smith apple and floral notes come through on the palate. Off-dry and light to medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long, refreshing finish. Food pairing suggestions: Asian dishes, Indian curries, crab, scallops. Residual Sugar: 1.55%
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $20; Available elsewhere, $14 to $26

Chateau Ste. Michelle Delivers Serious Bang for Your Buck was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

All of the wines paired well with Mom’s (LaGayle) dinner of tomato basil soup, ensalada mixta, chicken tapenade, grilled garlic basil polenta cakes, roasted asparagus with balsamic browned butter, and topped off by orange sherbet with strawberries drizzled with simple syrup and ground black pepper for dessert.

The consensus favorite of the evening was the 2013 Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. In the 1940’s, Nikola Nobilo emigrated from Croatia and planted some of the first commercial grapevines in New Zealand. He was one of the pioneers responsible for the worldwide popularity of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

The other two wines in this tasting that deserve extra attention because of their high quality and excellent value are the 2013 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and the 2012 Efeste Feral Sauvignon Blanc from Washington State. These top three wines are outstanding and are great choices to enjoy on your deck on a warm evening or to complement lighter fare such as chicken or fish any time of the year.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2013 Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand): Pale, straw yellow. Beautiful nose with grapefruit and lime aromas. More grapefruit and lime as well as vegetal notes come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Well-balanced with a very long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Seattle, Washington), $8; Available elsewhere, $8 to $13

2013 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Very aromatic with grapefruit, lime, and fresh cut grass on the nose. More grapefruit, lime, and a touch of pineapple come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with racy acidity. Well-balanced and refreshing with an extremely long, lingering finish.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Seattle, Washington), $12; Available elsewhere, $10 to $14

2012 Efeste Feral Sauvignon Blanc (Evergreen Vineyard, Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Gorgeous nose with lime, grapefruit, pear, and a touch of minerality. More citrus notes come through on the palate. Dry and light to medium-bodied with tart acidity. Well-balanced with a very long, lingering finish. Very crisp and refreshing.
Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Seattle, Washington), $20; Available elsewhere, $19 to $21

2013 Chateau Montet Bordeaux Blanc (Bordeaux, France): Pale, straw yellow. Nose is a bit tight at first, then pear and apple aromas come through. More pear, apple, and a touch of citrus come through on the palate. Dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Seattle, Washington), $10

2012 Woodinville Wine Cellars Sauvignon Blanc (Columbia Valley, Washington): Pale, straw yellow. Aromatic with apple, pear, lime, and a touch of minerality on both the nose and palate. Dry and medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Seattle, Washington), $15; Available elsewhere, $15 to $17

2012 Gilles Blanchet Pouilly Fume (Loire, France): Pale, straw yellow. Moderately aromatic with apple notes on the nose. More apple as well as pear and a touch of flint comes through on the palate. Dry and light-bodied with lively acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Total Wine & More (Seattle, Washington), $18

Wine Tasting Dinner: Sauvignon Blanc from Around the World was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Since we visited New Zealand in 2005, we have followed Kim Crawford Wines closely. Recently, we had the opportunity to taste their 2013 Sauvignon Blanc in a blind samples tasting. It is outstanding and delivers serious bang for your buck.

Regular readers know that we are big fans of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, the country’s flagship wine. And Kim Crawford Wines makes one of our favorite New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. It’s crisp acidity and refreshing grapefruit flavors are especially pleasing to our palates. The most amazing thing about Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc is its remarkable consistency from vintage to vintage. And, speaking of vintage, the 2013 vintage has been hailed as New Zealand’s “Vintage of a Lifetime.”

Constellation New Zealand’s Chief Winemaker, Darryl Woolley, who has over 30 years of experience making wine in the Marlborough region called the 2013 growing season “exemplary”. In addition to being New Zealand’s driest growing season in about 70 years, the 2013 vintage also benefitted from the sunniest first three months of the year since 1930.

“We’ve had a perfect mix of warm, but not hot, days and cool nights. Rain fell at the right part of the growing cycle and, more importantly, did not fall during the critical period leading up to harvest. This resulted in a medium sized crop of exceptionally high quality grapes.” –Darryl Woolley, Constellation New Zealand’s Chief Winemaker

Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc is widely available in the United States and is an excellent choice for the warm spring and summer months.

2013 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Very aromatic with grapefruit, lime, and fresh cut grass on the nose. More grapefruit, lime, and a touch of pineapple come through on the palate. Dry and medium-bodied with racy acidity. Well-balanced and refreshing with an extremely long, lingering 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 $17.99; Available elsewhere, $11 to $19

New Zealand’s 2013 Vintage hailed as “Vintage of a Lifetime”: 2013 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

This spring, Brancott Estate introduced a new lighter wine range called Flight Song, which includes a Sauvignon Blanc and a Pinot Grigio. These wines are produced using grapes harvested earlier in the season when their sugar levels are naturally lower. This leads to a wine that is 20 percent lighter in calories than a typical wine of the same variety.

“There are a number of ways to reduce the calories in wine but not all of these processes are natural and many of them affect the flavor of the wine. With Brancott Estate Flight Song, we use a natural winemaking approach to create a wine that is 20 percent lighter in calories. By doing this, we retain all of the distinctive Marlborough flavors that people expect from Brancott Estate,” says Patrick Materman, Brancott Estate Chief Winemaker

Recently, we had the opportunity to taste the 2013 Flight Song Sauvignon Blanc and the 2013 Flight Song Pinot Grigio in a blind samples tasting. Both wines are good and are perfect sippers for the warm weather ahead. The Flight Song range is now available nationwide in the United States.

2013 Brancott Estate Flight Song Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand): Pale straw yellow. Aromatic with grapefruit, lime, and orange blossoms on both the nose and palate. Dry and light-bodied with very crisp acidity and a long, refreshing finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $14.99; Available elsewhere, $11 to $16

2013 Brancott Estate Flight Song Pinot Grigio (Marlborough, New Zealand): Very pale straw yellow. Nice nose with honeysuckle and citrus aromas. Lemon, lime, and floral notes come through on the palate. Dry and light-bodied with lively acidity and a medium finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $14.99; Available elsewhere, $11 to $16

Brancott Estate Flight Song: A New Lighter Wine Range 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

Brancott Estate, located in Blenheim, New Zealand, was founded in 1934. Originally known as Montana Wines, Brancott Estate got its current name from Brancott Vineyard, which is its original Marlborough vineyard and home. In 1973, Brancott Vineyard was the site of the first Sauvignon Blanc plantings in Marlborough. Chief winemaker Patrick Materman joined Brancott Estate in 1990. Brancott is a founding member of New Zealand’s original sustainable winegrowing initiative established in 1995. Regular readers know that we are big fans of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, the country’s flagship wine. Brancott Estate has long been one of our favorite producers. We had the pleasure to visit the winery when we were in New Zealand in 2005.

“Aromas of sweet, ripe fruit reminiscent of white stone fruit and citrus blossom are apparent with a crisp nettle freshness. The wine displays full fruit intensity with hints of pungency complementing the ripe fruit flavours and balancing well with the crisp acidity of the style. A well-rounded expression of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, showing all the natural characteristics of this world-famous region.” –Patrick Materman, Chief Winemaker

2012 Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand): Pale straw yellow in color. Aromatic with grapefruit and orange peel on the nose. More grapefruit as well as lime and freshly cut grass come through on the palate. Dry and light-bodied with tart acidity. Well-balanced with a 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, $7 to $15

A Wine for Tonight: 2012 Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc 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 try Avennia’s new releases, the 2011 Arnaut Syrah, 2011 Justine Red Wine, and 2012 Oliane Sauvignon Blanc, in a blind samples tasting. All three wines were good, but we were especially impressed with the Arnaut Syrah. This 100% Syrah is produced with fruit sourced from Boushey Vineyard in the Yakima Valley. It is an outstanding wine and delivers serious bang for your buck.

Avennia wines are offered on an allocated basis to their mailing list members. While you may find some of their wines elsewhere, I highly encourage you to get on their mailing list now before it closes and you are out of luck. Other than release events for mailing list members, the winery is not open to the public.

2011 Avennia Arnaut Syrah (Boushey Vineyard, Yakima Valley, Washington): 100% Syrah. Dark, dense purple. Gorgeous nose with earth, black fruit, and spice rack aromas. Blackberry, black cherry, cinnamon, and a touch of smoked meat come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity and high, silky tannins. Well-balanced with good mouthfeel and 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 $48

2011 Avennia Justine Red Wine (Columbia Valley, Washington): 46% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, and 24% Syrah. Deep, dark purple. Aromatic with earth and blackberry on the nose. More blackberry and earth as well as black cherry and smoked meat come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high tannins. Well-balanced with a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $38

2012 Avennia Oliane Sauvignon Blanc (Yakima Valley, Washington): 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Pale, straw yellow in color. Nice nose with peach and floral aromas and flavors. Dry and light-bodied with crisp acidity and a creamy mouthfeel.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $25

New Releases from Avennia Winery was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

All four of these wines are well above average in quality, give you excellent bang for your buck, and are readily available almost anywhere you go to buy wine. We often buy one or more of these to keep in our hotel room when we are traveling to sip in the evening after a day of sightseeing.

Domaine Ste. Michelle is one of the largest sparkling wine houses in the United States, producing more than 300,000 cases each year. DSM has been producing sparkling wine for over 30 years, and Rick Casqueiro has been head winemaker since 1994. While this Brut is good enough to celebrate a special occasion, its price point makes it an excellent weeknight or Sunday brunch bubbly. Available at Total Wine and More for $7.57.

“Sparkling wine is a wonderful yet often overlooked accompaniment to food. Bright acidity and effervescence cleanses the palate, while the delicate flavors complement a wide array of dishes….” –Winemaker Rick Casqueiro

Regular readers know that as far as white wines go, we Wine Peeps love Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. But as far as LaGayle is concerned, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is the best wine period. And, Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc is one of her favorite wines from New Zealand. It is crisp, refreshing, and an excellent sipper no matter whether you are sitting on the deck on a sunny afternoon or curled up with a book on a winter’s evening. Available at Total Wine and More for $7.57.

“Intense aromas of pineapple, passion fruit and guava [and LaGayle would say grapefruit, too], complemented by flinty minerality and herbal notes of nettle and cut tomato plant. The nettle and cut tomato plant characters give richness to the palate, and there is an abundance of luscious fruit sweetness, especially passion fruit and pineapple notes. The wine has excellent presence and mouth feel, with balanced acidity and a generous finish.” –Nobilo

Riesling has become known as Washington State’s signature white variety. Washington is the largest Riesling producing state in the United States. And, Washington State’s own Chateau Ste. Michelle is the largest Riesling producer in the world. Chateau Ste. Michelle makes a number of different Rieslings of different styles and price points, including this off-dry Columbia Valley Riesling. Available at Total Wine and More for $5.97.

“Our Columbia Valley Riesling is a blend of Riesling from throughout Washington’s Columbia Valley. We craft it to be a refreshing, off-dry Riesling vintage after vintage. The wine delivers sweet lime and peach character with subtle mineral notes. This is our ‘any day Riesling’ that is a pleasure to drink and easy to match with a variety of foods.” –Bob Bertheau, Head Winemaker

Penfolds is one of the oldest and most well respected wineries in Australia. Today, Penfolds is most famous for its top of the line Grange wine that often sells for $500 or more. This Koonunga Hill wine is from one of their value lines. Nevertheless, according to some experts,  it is a wine that can age for 20 years, which is remarkable for a wine at this price point. Available at Total Wine and More for $7.97.

“Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet is very much a reflection of the Penfolds winemaking style and philosophy. Sourced from premium vineyards across South Australia, the wine is known for its full-flavoured style with excellent Shiraz and Cabernet fruit, firm yet well-rounded structure and balanced oak. Made as a traditional ‘Australian blend’, the Shiraz component provides fleshy fruit flavour while Cabernet provides a frame of fine grained tannins.” –Penfolds

I highly recommend that you put a few bottles of each of these wines in your cellar (wine rack, closet, or wherever you keep your wine), and you’ll have some very enjoyable evenings without breaking the bank.

Good Everyday “Go-To” Wines Under $10 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.