Washington Winery Spotlight: Hogue Cellars
< Continued from page 1
Hogue Cellars also has a very limited production Terroir line, enjoyed predominately by wine club members or visitors that stop into the Hogue tasting room in Prosser. This lineup of wines tends to work with grape varietals that may not be as familiar. I had the chance to try both the 2007 Terroir Viognier – a lively, citrus infused white wine with a creamy finish and the 2005 Terroir Lemberger – an obscure varietal from the likes of Germany and Austria (lovingly referred to as Blaufränkisch there), but in this case Hogue has put together a lovely, light rendition that is reminiscent of an earthy Gamay and Merlot grape mix – truly a delight!
There was also a 2006 Terroir Sangiovese – classic Chianti through and through with plenty of aroma spice and a healthy mix of earth, tobacco and plums on the palate.
Sourcing grapes primarily from the Yakima Valley, Snipes Mountain and the Wahluke Slope, Hogue has strengthened long term grower contracts by offering the full support of the company’s viticultural department to encourage growers to cut back on yields, with the “less is more” approach to growing quality grapes on the vine.
Hogue Cellars showcases wines with their innate, natural fruit character completely intact. These are not super jammy, over ripe, high alcohol wines – these are conservative wines that would rather err on the side of under-manipulation and respect the fruit, rather than over-manipulate and destroy the character. Hogue Cellars is a cornerstone of the Washington wine scene. With innovative wines and rigorous research to keep their wines in a state of constant improvement and premium quality as their steady benchmark, Hogue has a lot to offer a wide range of wine consumers, at price points that will make even the most frugal smile.
Washington wines are truly about discovery. There’s a mystique about the Pacific Northwest and you can see it in their wines. These wines have a sense of place and an engaging palate presence that not everybody has had the privilege of exploring for themselves. Every new visitor to Washington wine country, will leave as an ambassador for Washington wines – it’s inevitable. Hogue Cellars is leading the Washington wine adventure for many wine enthusiasts searching for consistent, quality wines at reasonable prices.
As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary travel for the purpose of reviewing the region. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.
Hogue Cellars also has a very limited production Terroir line, enjoyed predominately by wine club members or visitors that stop into the Hogue tasting room in Prosser. This lineup of wines tends to work with grape varietals that may not be as familiar. I had the chance to try both the 2007 Terroir Viognier – a lively, citrus infused white wine with a creamy finish and the 2005 Terroir Lemberger – an obscure varietal from the likes of Germany and Austria (lovingly referred to as Blaufränkisch there), but in this case Hogue has put together a lovely, light rendition that is reminiscent of an earthy Gamay and Merlot grape mix – truly a delight!
There was also a 2006 Terroir Sangiovese – classic Chianti through and through with plenty of aroma spice and a healthy mix of earth, tobacco and plums on the palate.
Sourcing grapes primarily from the Yakima Valley, Snipes Mountain and the Wahluke Slope, Hogue has strengthened long term grower contracts by offering the full support of the company’s viticultural department to encourage growers to cut back on yields, with the “less is more” approach to growing quality grapes on the vine.
Hogue Cellars showcases wines with their innate, natural fruit character completely intact. These are not super jammy, over ripe, high alcohol wines – these are conservative wines that would rather err on the side of under-manipulation and respect the fruit, rather than over-manipulate and destroy the character. Hogue Cellars is a cornerstone of the Washington wine scene. With innovative wines and rigorous research to keep their wines in a state of constant improvement and premium quality as their steady benchmark, Hogue has a lot to offer a wide range of wine consumers, at price points that will make even the most frugal smile.
Washington wines are truly about discovery. There’s a mystique about the Pacific Northwest and you can see it in their wines. These wines have a sense of place and an engaging palate presence that not everybody has had the privilege of exploring for themselves. Every new visitor to Washington wine country, will leave as an ambassador for Washington wines – it’s inevitable. Hogue Cellars is leading the Washington wine adventure for many wine enthusiasts searching for consistent, quality wines at reasonable prices.
As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary travel for the purpose of reviewing the region. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.
Source...