April 12, 2004
Hogue Cellars
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story of wine making in Washington. Today
Hogue is one of the state's largest wineries. Fifty
years ago these same vineyards were used to
farm hops and grow apples.
While grapes have largely replaced the apples,
the hop fields are still a significant part of the
business. And despite the changing crop,
Hogue -- like many Washington wineries --
remains always focused on quality crops and
makes it a family effort.
of Washington's ability to excel
across multiple varietals
side when I met Gary Hogue, the winery's founder and president. Gary was standing
next to a palette of his 1998 Syrah and some of their other wines. Costco had selected
Hogue's wines to be a big part of the grand opening. After an interesting conversation, I
left the store with a case of the Syrah and great appreciation for Gary Hogue and his
wines. My feelings haven't changed over the years.
Hogue Cellars makes three primary lines of wine ranging from enjoyable and
inexpensive through ultra-premium, limited edition bottlings. Hogue's basic fruit
forward varietals are typically available for less than $10. These are predominantly
white wines including Pinot Gris, Chenin Blanc, Semillon, Johannisberg Riesling and
Gewurztraminer. Riesling is the single largest varietal at Hogue. An unpretentious
wine that is refreshing with classic Johannisberg Riesling qualities and some
sweetness. Enjoy it with a holiday meal or at a summer picnic.
at $15. Genesis wines are good examples of Columbia Valley
fruit with clean flavors and interesting character. The Hogue
team searches out those vineyards and microclimates that
have the best potential to produce varietal wines in a definitive
Washington style. The line includes Viognier, Chardonnay,
Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. These wines are
consistently of high quality and a good value.
Hogue's Reserve wines are limited production wines that
typically cost $22 - $30 and are only made in the best years.
Production is small and availability limited.
Hogue's current production is more than 550,000 cases
annually using grapes from their 100 acres plus purchased
grapes from the eastern Washington regions of Columbia
Valley and Yakima Valley.
