Apex Cellars – 2008 Ascent Red Blend

Why do so many amazing and delicious wines come from Columbia Valley, WA? I guess it’s the terroir. People pooh-pooh terroir and the whole concept of wine having a personality and character because of the place it comes from but I’m a total believer in terroir. There’s something about grapes that come from Eastern Washington. The soil, the amount of sun, the length of the days in the summer, the heat of the days, and the cool of the evenings – all of these things add up to the best damn grapes, and eventually the best damn wine in the world.
Some Washington wines (even though they are amazingly delicious) can be over priced but sometimes you encounter a wine that is under priced in my opinion. Apex has always been one of my favorite wineries in Washington. Their wine is always high quality and I’ve been enjoying their varietals for several years now. But I recently stumbled on a really incredible Apex bargain. The 2008 Apex Ascent Red Blend is truly delicious and satisfying for $12.99. I found this at Central Market in Shoreline (for you locals). I was perusing their Washington wine selection recently and saw this one. I decided to try it because for $13, you’re not out that much if the wine doesn’t really impress. But impress it did. And it still does. I buy this one every time I want a tasty, full-bodied, red blend that won’t drain my bank account. The grapes in this one are Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (20%), Syrah (18%), and Viognier (2%). Apex Cellars is located in Walla Walla, but the grapes from this particular wine come from Columbia Valley. It’s truly amazing that such a young wine can be so damned delicious. Lucky, lucky us here in the Pacific Northwest. We have so many fabulous wines to choose from. We are truly blessed!