2007 Hedges CMS White Columbia Valley

The CMS in this wine's name refers to the three white grapes in the blend: Chardonnay, Marsanne, and Sauvignon Blanc. True to the origins of these grapes, the wine appears to be made in the old world, French style - without aging in oak barrels - as many new world Chardonnays (and some Marsannes) are. This explains the very faint aromas displayed by this wine. I get a bit of green wood or hay, maybe a little green apple. Chardonnay is known for lacking strong aroma (one of the reasons oak is so often used); not true of the other two, which I thought might indicate that Chardonnay is the dominant grape in the blend (it's not - the wine is 64% Sauvignon Blanc).

I've heard good things about earlier vintages of this wine, but I'm not terribly impressed by this one. In addition to the wimpy nose, it's not a wine that grabs hold of the palette, either. It has a noticeable lack of acidity, which, when paired with the relatively high levels of residual sugar and alcohol, leave you with a wine of substantial body but not much structure to support it. I've heard Marsanne referred to as the Falstaff of white grapes. The analogy certainly holds true in this case: plenty of heft, but lacking the fortitude to follow through.

2007 was a particularly hot summer in Washington state, I believe, which goes quite a way towards explaining the high sugar and alcohol, and the low acidity, as warm temperatures tend to increase sugar levels, while acid levels decline. It does carry some nice, juicy fruit on the palette, though the green apple is opposed by a kind of bitter grapefruit rind that isn't entirely appealing.

The wine isn't faulted, but there's not much there there, really. I give it an 80. Meh.