The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

The Abondante blend changes significantly from vintage to vintage and this year it is essentially a 50/50 Zinfandel/Merlot (Zinlot? Merfanndel?) sourced from vineyards on the Oregon side of the Columbia Valley AVA. It's a well-made wine showing ripe and fresh flavors of berries and cherries. There's even a hint of milk chocolate, suggesting some exposure to French oak. Unlike all too many cheap red wines it is unmanipulated, ripe and absolutely fresh. The alcohol pushes near 15% so you get a lot of bang for your buck.

500 cases; 14.8%; $20 (Columbia Valley)

http://www.sineann.com/abondante