Hedges: The Washington Little/Big Winery of Choice
When people ask me about Washington wine while traveling, I figure it’s going one of two ways. One, an interesting discussion will evolve about the power of hype and marketing and manufactured demand. Or two, I’m an asshole.
(At this point you probably know my views on the Washington wine industry. I feel the under-qualified, underachievers far outnumber the good people doing really good work.)
That’s why I like running into Christophe Hedges. He is a breath of brutally honest fresh air in this state full of what sometimes seems palate-dead cheerleaders. His family’s wines are a benchmark for me. I judge all Bordeaux-style Washington wines based on the Hedges offering that is closest in price. Fuck Leonetti and Quilceda. I’m talking about excellent wines at a comfortable price range, that average people can find and purchase with no problem. I’m such a radical, I know.
Hedges Family Estate wines are consistent, and they exhibit the flavorful evidence of nuance, terroir, and grape vines that have been through puberty. A few weeks ago I had a chance to taste their new estate wine alongside two 10+ year old versions. Wow, that’s what I’m talking about. The 1996 Hedges was a crazy quilt of classic Cabernet descriptors: a dark herbal streak with a slow-cooked** blackberry, brambly aroma and flavor. It was seamless and subtly powerful, with a silky body that left just a slight squeeze from the fine tannins. It was a true claret, as in it could have masqueraded easily as a 5ieme cru, or a higher end Napa Cab, what I call a Grace Kelly.
My point(s)/rambling thoughts : jeans wines. There are some wineries in our state getting it right for much less scratch. …. And maybe if more winemakers were less insecure about bombarding us with their swinging dick fruit bombs, we’d have more WORLD-class wines like those I taste from Hedges.
( **slow-cooked: When a fine wine ages, the fruit takes on a deeper, more layered flavor, and this is my short hand for remembering, what it tastes like to me. For non-Northwestern-berry-eaters, bramble is a tart and earthy flavor that kinda reminds me a little of cranberry or pomegranate, not as astringent, but with a similar back of the mouth zing. )
October 24th, 2007 at 9:26 am
To my amazement, those Hedges wines are available in PA, the ultimate “dark ages” state for wine. The pricier ones have to be special ordered, but still…!
October 24th, 2007 at 9:17 pm
It may be seamless, but is it also tightly knit?
I do admire Hedges for not submitting their wines to the Advocate and Spectator; I know it costs them sales and press. Aren’t they going to be certified biodynamic soon?
It still amazes me that you can get great wines from France, Spain, Italy, Argentina, Chile, etc. for under ten bucks and the list of Washington wines under ten that are interesting is maybe one or two.
October 25th, 2007 at 8:12 pm
Spot on! Amen! Thank you!
I would call out the CMS “twins” in particular.
January 25th, 2009 at 11:49 pm
I can see all the vineyards of the Red Mountain Vitacultural area from my big picture window in my living room and Hedges is framed right in the middle. They had a 2002 fume blanc that was to die for. I used to know Christophe Hedges (and his uncle Pete) and they are definately not pretentious wine snobs. They have a passion for wine and for sharing that passion with their guests in their beautiful tasting room.