Woehler on Wines: Chinook Winery

Few wineries can match the quality for the price offered by tiny Chinook Winery in Prosser.

Its wines deliver enticing aromas, delectable flavors and great balance to match with food. And most of them sell for under $20 a bottle.

Winemaker and co-owner Kay Simon has built a reputation for her wines over the past 26 years in fashionable restaurants and supermarkets that promote wines with special sections often staffed by a wine specialist.

In the Tri-Cities, Chinook wines can be found on the wine list at Anthony's in Richland and on the shelves at Yoke's Fresh Market.

In Seattle, restaurants such as Dahlia Lounge, the Fairmont Olympic Hotel and Rovers serve Chinook.

So it's little wonder that I eagerly await each fresh vintage. And two weekends ago, Chinook's delicious 2007 cabernet franc matched my high expectations.

When Simon and her husband Clay Mackey started the winery, she said, they wanted to make wines people could afford with dinner. The prices listed below include cost at the winery and retail outlets like Yoke's.

Simon likes to cook, so the food pairings are hers. I'm keenly anticipating the release later this spring of Chinook's refreshing cabernet franc rosé

2007 cabernet franc, Yakima Valley, $19 to $21 -- A wisp of oak followed by ripe berries and spot-on smooth finish. Try it with French country beef stew simmered in the wine with savory herbs.

Nonvintage Yakima Valley red, $13 to $15 -- A blend of merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon offering plums, dark chocolate and back pepper. Simon recommends marinated grilled chicken and vegetables.

2007 chardonnay, Yakima Valley, $16 to $18 -- Delicious, creamy with pineapple and apples. Try a seafood Neuberg with a roux of butter, milk and flour along with flavorings.

2006 sauvignon blanc, Yakima Valley, $15 to $17 -- Herbs, pears and melons stand out in this expressive white wine, which is a perfect match with oysters.

2006 semillon, Yakima Valley, $13 to $15 -- Smooth, lemony components with great crispness. It matches well with a fish taco.

Nonvintage Yakima Valley white, $10 to $12 -- Mostly sauvignon blanc blended with some semillon, this dry white has citrus, apples and some fig characteristics. Great with fresh grilled cod or halibut.