Hogue
Cellars was founded in 1982 in Prosser,
Washington and has since grown to one
of the state's largest wineries. Family
owned and operated, Hogue produces a number
of wine "lines," including the
Fruit Forward selection featured here.
These wines feature clear varietal character,
with pure fruit aromas and flavors. They
are consistently quite good, produced
in quantities that make them widely available
in most markets, and suggested retail
is in the $7-$10 range (although it seems
they are regularly on sale just about
everywhere!).
Chenin Blanc
Johannisberg Riesling
Gewurtztraminer
Semillon
Pinot Gris
Fume Blanc
Semillon-Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Cabernet-Merlot
We’ll start with the
one red, since it happens to be my favorite!
($10). Excellent bang for the buck here!
Full of deep, concentrated dark plum and
black cherry fruit and flavors, with dill
and earth notes. Good tannic structure.
Lingering, lush finish. Very good now
and can even age a few years.
($8).
Gentle aromas of apple and peach give
way to a slightly riper flavor, accented
with a bit of straw and a touch of sweet
citrus. A rather soft-bodied wine that
wouldn’t intrude on even the most
delicate of seafood dishes. Ready to drink
now.
($8). Off-dry, with nicely focused nectarine
and golden apple fruit flavors. Also showing
citrus and floral notes and aromas. Great
match for spicy foods. Ready to drink
now.
($8). Less impressed with this wine –
particularly because it is missing the
spicy aromas and flavors the varietal
should show. Mostly featuring soft pear
and citrus fruit, without much else going
on. Ready to drink now.
($10).
Perfectly nice, if rather ordinary. Juicy
white pear aromas and flavors is accented
with a bit of concentrated citrus. Not
much of a finish. Ready to drink now.
($10).
Lovely pear, tart apple, and citrus flavors
are nicely complemented by a touch of
spicy vanilla oak. Food friendly. Ready
to drink now.
($10).
Very good wine, especially at this price.
Full bodied and full of ripe fruit aromas
and flavors, featuring pear, fig, and
mango with generous oak and a lingering
finish. Ready to drink now and over the
next couple of years.
To everyone who has sent us an ETFOFW
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