Why I love the Northwest

This may surprise some readers, but there are some damn tasty wines coming out of the Northwest.  Washington and Oregon are quickly becoming leaders in producing great wine.  Tonight is no exception.  We are drinking a lovely 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon from Kennedy Shah (a part of Woodhouse Family Cellars.)  Rachel and I tried this wine just a few months ago in their tasting room located in Woodinville, WA (just outside of Seattle) and decided we needed a bottle and bought it there.  A few years ago, we were given a bottle of their signature wine "Darighe" which is fantastic, but runs $50 per bottle.  This was a bit more reasonable at about $32.  This is really solid juice - smooth, great length, not over-oaked and a reasonable 13.5% alcohol.   It's a little brighter and fruitier than some of the heavyweight cabs that come out of California.  Certainly there are other cabs out there which are tasty and cost less, but this is worth checking out if you are feeling like splurging.