Food & Wine
When It Reins, It Pours
by DARRYL BEESON
The 14 Hands Winery takes its name from the wild horses that once frolicked in the grassy meadows that the vineyard now inhabits. Measuring only 14 hands, the horses were small in stature but large in spirit, and they serve as an appropriate inspiration for 14 Hands' dependable and approachable selection of wines.
The vineyards are located in the Horse Heaven Hills region near the base of the state of Washington. James Kinney, a Yakima pioneer, was the first to name the area in 1857. Kinney reputedly took one look at the rolling hills of knee-high grass and exclaimed, "This is surely a horse heaven!" As it turns out, the area is also an ideal home for wine. Horse Heaven Hills was awarded appellation status in 2005 separate from the much larger Columbia River appellation (which still surrounds it).
The prevailing winds through the Columbia Gorge make the region, and its wines, unique. The 14 Hands cabernet sauvignon ($12) has intense aromas of cherries and spice, and the mouth explodes with fruit-forward excitement. There are no bitter edges of tannin, and the results are pleasing and pair well with lamb chops or a well-made burger.
The Riesling ($10) is crisp with fresh apple and citrus flavors and melds well with foods such as salmon, baked chicken with fresh herbs, or something simple like fresh oysters on the half shell.
The winery also honors its equine muse by sponsoring the Evergreen Classic Benefit Horse Show held in Carnation, Washington, during early August.
•FYI:www.14hands.com.
