Wow! This was my initial reaction to this wine, the Genesis Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($15). You see, I am very leery of red wines at this sort of price as the ones I actually enjoy are few and far between. Combine this with the fact that it is made by Hogue Cellars, a large-scale producer of reliable if unexciting wines and which in turn is owned by the even larger Constellation Brands, and my expectations weren’t exactly high.

But what I found couldn’t have surprised and delighted me more.

First of all, if I had tasted this blind – I don’t mean blind drunk, what I mean is not knowing what it was I was drinking – I would never have guessed it was an American cabernet sauvignon so full of life and vigor is it. It just glows with zesty fruit nicely held together with a fine structure of round tannins.

As such it’s a fine example of what’s so exciting about Washington State’s dynamic young wine industry. It falls half way between France and California in terms of style, taking the best of each while managing to avoid their defects. So you have California’s lush ripe fruit without the all too common stewed-fruit jaminess, along with Bordeaux’s firm structure without the watery acidity and harsh tannins that are common in many of the French versions at this price.

The Genesis also manages just the right balance between oak and spice, leaving you with that luxurious sense of indulgence good cab can provide, rather like lying between the finest Frette sheets as you sip it.

As if this wasn’t enough, after it had been open an hour it began to show even more; dark chocolate, mushrooms and even hints of an oriental spice bazaar began to emerge. And all this for $15.

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To read more about Washington State wines check out my recent article in Four Seasons magazine.