- Silverstone's previous recommendations

Hogue Cellars Cabernet-Merlot 1998

April 2000

This the sleekest looking bottle I've seen in a long while. And the wine's pretty awesome dude, to quote from the articulate parlance of Generation X. Speaking of youth, this particular product is one of the few made intentionally to drink in it's youth. "No way dude!" "Way!"

Hogue's doing some pretty cool stuff in Washington State and seventy percent of the grapes in this wine came from the Yakima Valley, a real cool (weather wise) region within the Columbia Valley. When you pop the cork and take a slurp, the flavor is raspberry, with a touch of vanilla and oak, since the wine hung out for 10 months in American oak barrels - far out man (oops! showing my own vintage there). Only 44,000 cases were produced, which in this day and age is quite modest.

I adore the flavor and the soft, smooth mellow attitude of this wine from the "other" west coast wine growing district. If you asked me what I thought of this wine I'd say "it's like just so cool - as cool as

NSync's Justin Timberlake." And you'd say "Well Duh".

Region Yakima Valley, Washington State

Grapes Cabernet Sauvignon (51%) Merlot (49%);

Technical Fermented in stainless steel tanks at a temperature range of 78-84º.

Food match Greek salad, pasta, herbed chicken dishes

Serve Chill for 10 minutes in fridge.

Price in USA $12.99 (approx)

Best of the Red Bunch

- Silverstone's previous recommendations