A Good Value Red Wine That’s Going to Make You Smile

MV Columbia Winery Composition Red Blend, Columbia Valley, Washington

The Columbia Valley is a wine region on the eastern side of Washington state. It’s also Washington’s biggest AVA. It’s a region known for ripe, fruit-forward, good-value red wine. And I have one to recommend this week that I think is a real crowd-pleaser.

Although Washington has a reputation for cold and rain, the eastern side of the state is actually a sunny place. In fact, it gets as much as 300 days of sunshine annually. That is a remarkable amount of sunshine! This means that the growing season also a very consistent one, making a great environment for producing bold reds from grapes including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.

About this Wine

This good-value red wine is a multi-vintage blend heavy on Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. There’s also a bit of Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot in the blend. It’s a medium-bodied red with a true ruby color. It has compelling blackberry, cranberry and black plum aromas and bright, vibrant red fruit flavors. Wonderfully biting acidity and soft tannins make it an approachable drink.

It’s a great “food wine.” Want some serving suggestions? Try this red blend with a variety of barbecue and party foods, including burgers, white pizza or maybe steak sandwiches.

The Verdict

This is a fun wine with approachable, jammy flavors and a smooth finish. It really is one of the best-value, American red wines you’ll find for $12 or less. I would be happy to drink it again and would definitely consider it as a viable choice for a casual party like a beach barbecue.

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Amy Reiley

An award-winning author of five aphrodisiac cookbooks with an MA in Gastronomy, Amy Reiley has spent the past 18 years studying the history and science behind aphrodisiac foods. She speaks on aphrodisiacs globally and has brought her knowledge of aphrodisiac foods to national television shows including The Today Show and CBS Early Show. Amy is also a freelance food, wine and health writer and wine competition judge. Her work has appeared in publications ranging from Variety to The Daily Meal. She is a former wine editor for Gayot.com and wine & spirits editor of Las Vegas magazine. Most importantly, Amy is a mother to 2 human children and 1 standard poodle.

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