The Wine Knows

Two red wines I've tasted in the past three days have been especially remarkable.

The first is from Pend d'Oreille Winery in Sandpoint, Idaho. Annually, winemaker Steve Meyer produces an amazing red blend called Bistro Rouge. The latest release is from 2005 and is Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. All the grapes come from Washington's Columbia Valley. It retails for $11, which is priced to be your house red.

We gave it our top "Outstanding" rating during our weekly double-blind tastings last Friday. It seems it's gotten this every year for the past seven or eight years. It's a stunning wine.

The second came out of my cellar last night for a prime rib dinner at the neighbors' house. I selected Chateau Ste. Michelle's 2001 Cold Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington's Columbia Valley.

Cold Creek is, perhaps, Ste. Michelle's most treasured vineyard (the folks at Canoe Ridge might argue otherwise). Cold Creek, which is north of the Yakima Valley town of Sunnyside and south of the Wahluke Slope, has a great history stretching back to the mid-'70s, when Walter Clore selected the site for Ste. Michelle.

This wine still seems quite youthful. The focused fruit is dark and, dare I say, brooding. The tannins still are plentiful, and the balance is remarkable. It paired beautifully with the prime rib. 2001 was a great year for Washington, and I think this wine has at least another decade of aging potential before it starts to slide downhill.