Rob's "Wine of the Week" Archives
So here is my wine review for the week of March 2nd, 2009...
COLUMBIA CREST TWO VINES MERLOT 2004
Description: I’ve made a commitment to more consistently taste and write about lower priced wines as everyone tries to make their money go farther in the current economic climate. Columbia Crest years ago became an enormous producer from Washington State that churns out everything from acceptable wines under $10 to exceptional values priced no higher than $20. By my count they’re currently releasing more than 25 different varietals per year; yet time and time again it is their low-end wines which catch peoples’ eyes and palettes for their value.
How and when I drank it: Monday February 23, at my house.
How to get it: Columbia Crest is available at almost every grocery store on the planet, as well some warehouse stores, all Bevmos and similar shops and via the winery website
How Much: The bottle is listed at $8 new from the winery.
My Thoughts: This is a merlot meant to be drunk immediately, so extinguish any thoughts of cellaring or stocking up beyond your ability to drink. This is what they call a “fruit forward,” wine which will really not benefit from aging, nor is it designed to. This merlot is catered to those red wine drinkers who find most red wines to be too dry or too close to brandy in flavor. Cherry, raspberry and blueberry dominate the flavors from beginning to end.
Overall Score: As the price indicates, this is far from the world’s premiere wines and it is designed to be. This is a value wine in a value world and for less than $10, the quality is superb as long as you know what your getting. Far more bold and complex than punch or prune juice, this wine is also no where near a mediocre Napa Valley Merlot. For a fruity, perfectly pleasant red wine on a Tuesday night, this bottle is a fine choice. Perfectly priced for what you’re getting, 3 ½ Vines.
COLUMBIA CREST TWO VINES MERLOT 2004 =  
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