Washington State’s oldest winery – dating back more than seventy five years to just after the repeal of prohibition in 1934 – and I have not been on the best of terms lately. As you may recall, I reviewed their Columbia Valley Cabernet earlier this month and found the wine to be totally unimpressive.
So it was with some trepidation that we popped the cork on the 2006 Chateau Ste Michelle Columbia Valley Syrah. Boy what a difference a grape makes.
This Syrah was everything their Cabernet was not. Out of the bottle, this wine had a very pleasant aroma and the first glass brought a great wave of jammy flavors that quickly mellowed into a smooth and entirely enjoyable wine. The second glass, still slightly chilled, was as good as the first.
For around $10 a bottle, the Chateau Ste Michelle Columbia Valley Syrah makes a perfect choice for your next dinner party. Great with almost any meat, it will please your big cab fans, fulfill the wants of the monster zin crowd and offer a nice alternative for your pinot noir regulars.
2006 Chateau Ste Michelle Columbia Valley Syrah offers redemption for a storied Washington winery and has convinced me to loosen the wallet and try another bottling in the future. We will pop that cork sometime later this month. Until then, enjoy.
The Cork Scrooge 
I can’t wait to go get it and try it! Will let you know what I think. Thanks and keep up the good work!
By: Cat on February 12, 2010
at 8:29 am
thanks for the feedback! I hope you enjoy it.
By: Dallas Lawrence on February 13, 2010
at 8:48 pm
[…] some may recall, the winery has had a mixed record with the Cork Scrooge. The 2006 Syrah was a superb find, but there wasn’t a single exciting thing to be said for the 2006 Columbia […]
By: What a $15 Cab Should Taste Like « The Cork Scrooge on February 15, 2010
at 6:31 pm
[…] for enjoyable red wines for under $10. They usually hail from France, Spain, South America or Washington and Oregon. In some cases, they even come from the Southern wine regions of California. But if you […]
By: You Go Joe! Trader Joe’s 2007 Reserve Cabernet Tastes Like a $20 Cab For ½ The Price « The Cork Scrooge on February 27, 2010
at 4:58 pm
[…] spiciness that rounds out the glass nicely. As I finished my second glass I was reminded of several recent Syrah’s that I found equally enjoyable for under $10 and I came to the conclusion that this was a grape I […]
By: THE TOP 10 RED WINES UNDER $10 OF 2010 « The Cork Scrooge on December 31, 2010
at 6:41 pm