WTN: Columbia Crest Two Vines Merlot-Cabernet 2006

Cruising through the shelves of modestly priced wines for a visitor who likes suchlike, I see the Two Vines from Columbia Crest. Since I'd been interested in seeing what it was like (used to think Columbia Crest was one of the best 'big brand' QPR producers in the US, but haven't tracked them lately) so I figured I'd give it a go.

Well made wine for what it is, and it definitely scored with the visitor I purchased it for.

Pros were that it showed varietal character, with those varietals being primarily Merlot, secondarily Cabernet Franc, and minimally Cabernet Sauvignon (5%).

This was clearly Merlot and secondarily Franc. And what our guest liked about the wine was what I didn't particularly care for: over-ripe grapes with too much vanilla-oak and what I suspect was a bit of softening through micro-oxygenation. So the wine came across as smooth and silky and fat, with sweet berry & cream flavors.

Still and all: that's pretty much what the back label emphasized so it's truth in advertising. And it definitely hit the desired target market.

So while it was nothing more than acceptable for me, and even slightly dull and overly confected, it wasn't intended for me, and it delivered what it promised at a very reasonable price of about $6-7. Not my kind of wine, but it's not bad.

I pretty much agree with your assessment especially as far as the sweetness goes. There is really no complexity here. But here in Oregon I sell this for $5.99.

Yup, Michael, no complexity and it lacks an appreciable finish.

Also had to scratch my head a bit. The label says "Two Vines"....but there are three varieties in the blend. How does three turn into two? Maybe they're not counting the C. Sauvignon?

Hey, my guest was happy, I didn't have to spend too much money, and I didn't pull out one of my aged Bordeaux, so everyone was a winner.

Cruising through the shelves of modestly priced wines for a visitor who likes suchlike...And what our guest liked about the wine was what I didn't particularly care for: over-ripe grapes with too much vanilla-oak and what I suspect was a bit of softening through micro-oxygenation. So the wine came across as smooth and silky and fat, with sweet berry & cream flavors...And it definitely hit the desired target market..

Wow, I guess this did his its intended market. I have friends who like riper wines than I do and I can often find some sort of middle ground - usually Southern France. But it sounds like your friend was really far in her taste preferences. But, nice of you to be accomodating and I'm sure it was a better social occasion as a result.

[Jenise]

Columbia Crest's bottom end isn't as good, comparatively speaking, as they were in the early 90's. Not sure where the Two Vines designation came from--doesn't Gallo have a similar named brand?

Cruising through the shelves of modestly priced wines for a visitor who likes suchlike...And what our guest liked about the wine was what I didn't particularly care for: over-ripe grapes with too much vanilla-oak and what I suspect was a bit of softening through micro-oxygenation. So the wine came across as smooth and silky and fat, with sweet berry & cream flavors...And it definitely hit the desired target market..

Wow, I guess this did his its intended market. I have friends who like riper wines than I do and I can often find some sort of middle ground - usually Southern France. But it sounds like your friend was really far in her taste preferences. But, nice of you to be accomodating and I'm sure it was a better social occasion as a result.

There are times when I like to challenge my guests out of their original zone, Rahsaan, and times I think it's appropriate to be a good host and provide them with something I think they'd like.

Unlike Redwinger, I actually think I should be nice to my guests.

When I was a retailer I thought the same way. If it was someone new to me, I'd endeavor to identify and satisfy their desires. If it was a familiar customer with whom I had established some trust, I'd push the boundaries a bit.

Even though you do find occasion when someone tries something bold and falls in love with it instantly...say, the case of someone who doesn't "like" red wine suddenly discovering a First Growth Bordeaux estate wine and having an instant epiphany...that doesn't happen all that often. More likely that person will be repelled by the roaring tannins and come to the conclusion they just don't like Bordeaux, and avoid it for years.

So nudging is often required. Or responding to what the person responds to.

Hey, my guest was happy, so I was happy. Host obligations done, then I could have opened up a wine more to my liking if I had wished. But since it was a 'macaroni and cheese' and sausage night---although Aidell sausages and a damned fine mac and cheese almost to the level of a Cynthia Wenslow mac and cheese---I thought the CC Two Vines was passable.

Columbia Crest's bottom end isn't as good, comparatively speaking, as they were in the early 90's. Not sure where the Two Vines designation came from--doesn't Gallo have a similar named brand?

Yeh, it's become popular now to do blends like that that call out multiple varieties. Makes more sense for the wineries too.

Kinda ticks me off too, because over ten years ago, when I was in national brand marketing I proposed the very same thing and the marketing bigwigs said it was too far away from what people wanted, which they said was monovarietal labeling.

I was talking with Scott Harvey last night at a retail store appearance in Fayetteville about his blending of the white and red Last Kiss wines. The white blend is based somewhat on the Menage a Trois he used to make for Folie a Deux Winery. He was going for a Gewurztraminer-like wine without actually using Gewurz grapes (hum?) It has Symphony partly for the Aromatics, Chardonnay and French Columbard. The red blend is Syrah, Zinfandel and Barbera. I liked the red blend better at the tasting (but prefered the varietal Barbera and the 2004 Syrah over all the other wines tasted.) He also said that Barbera is his favorite wine to make because the Barbera grapes excel in the Sierra foothills.