A new winery for me....thanks to my boss Val for the tip!  Camaraderie Cellars is located in Port Angeles, but sources much of their fruit from Red Mountain and Chandler Reach.  This wine is medium dark red with intense color and full body.  Fruit has a raspberry character that becomes more prominent with a little time in the glass.  Firm tannins and acidity make this a great food wine.  The winemaker recommends this wine with salmon, and I'll take that recommendation next time I open a bottle.

Rich earthy nose with hints of cherry and smoke.  This has complex flavors of bright cherry, smoked meats, and thyme.  Viscous and seamless, this has a long, smooth, smoky finish.  Bravo!

Château Lynch Bages Pauillac 2006
This château dates back to 1691. Even though it was classified as a fifth growth, it is considered a “super second’ and sells at a higher price. Jean Michel Cazes is considered an icon in the wine business for improving the quality of this property and wine everywhere else as well. I had met him in Seattle in 1993. Even though he had stepped down as president, in September 2009, I asked if he was in the winery. He was in and graciously came downstairs and chatted with us for a few minutes. His son George Charles now runs the operation. The wine is made from about 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The wine is always fragrant and is well balanced with excellent fruit and a lingering finish. Oak barrels are utilized but the wine is always harmoniously integrated. With decanting, this can be consumed early but the château has a proven track record for long cellaring. Recommended retail price is around $97.00.

By Andrew B. Campbell

Drink wine with BBQ! We all know a bottle of suds tastes great on a hot day after mowing the lawn on a steamy hot Saturday afternoon, but wine should be served with your BBQ.

My standard rules apply when matching wine with BBQ (white with seafood, red with everything else, rosé with both), but really there are no rules! Drink what you like! Don’t make your wine pairing with BBQ complicated!