H3 Rose
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2023
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled salmon, fresh goat cheese salad, charcuterie board
✨ Technical Specifications
The H3 series by Columbia Crest celebrates the rugged, wind-swept terroir of the Horse Heaven Hills AVA in Washington State. The name 'H3' is a direct tribute to this unique appellation, where intense winds, well-drained sandy loam soils, and high solar exposure create grapes with exceptional balance and concentrated flavors. This Rosé is crafted in a contemporary, fresh style, typically utilizing varietals that thrive in the region's warm days and cool nights. The winemaking process focuses on preserving vibrant fruit character and crisp acidity, employing cool fermentation in stainless steel tanks with minimal skin contact to achieve its signature pale pink hue and lively profile.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1982 by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Columbia Crest was the pioneer winery founded within what is now the acclaimed Horse Heaven Hills AVA of eastern Washington. Situated along the benchlands above the Columbia River, the estate takes full advantage of a semi-arid, rain-shadowed microclimate marked by intense summer sunshine, constant river breezes that deter frost and pests, and fast-draining, wind-blown Warden silt loam soils. Initial plantings in 1978 and early winemaking under founding cellar master Doug Gore established the winery's benchmark status for reliable varietal purity and commercial scale. The production regimen bridges large-scale precision with small-lot barrel fermentation and French and American oak aging. Columbia Crest cemented its reputation when its 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon won Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year. Today, the estate produces tiered selections ranging from the everyday Two Vines and Grand Estates labels to vineyard-driven Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay expressions.
🍷 ABV
12-13%