We have several favorite stops when we go wine tasting in Woodinville – the newest is Obelisco Estate, which meets our personal criteria for incredible wine and great people.

Let’s start with the wine.

Obelisco’s Electrum Cabernet Sauvignon wins Double Gold awards every year and constantly sells out. Just a wee taste of the 09 vintage more than demonstrates why. This deep purple, complex wine delights with layers of pleasing aromas and robust, rich — no make that luxe — flavors. Electrum showcases Red Mountain Cabernet to the max.

Red Mountain is the location of Obelisco Estate Vineyard, next to Hedges, and now in its fourth year — 30 sun-bathed acres owned by Doug Long, a Napa Valley veteran, who is as friendly as he is experienced in the wine industry. (The 1997 vintage from his David Arthur winery in Napa was awarded 99 points by Wine Spectator.)

We first met Doug in April at a Washington state wine event in the other Washington, D.C. But we first tasted the 07 Electrum, its first vintage, a couple of years earlier.

Winemakers Pete Hedges and Sara Goedhart’s love of the grape is evident in every glass of Obelisco wine that we’ve tasted. (And Dave always says he’s never met a grape from Red Mountain that he didn’t like.)

Last weekend we paired Obelisco 09 Cabernet Sauvignon with marinated flat iron steaks on the grill, and wow, it was a heavenly combination. Lush and lively, this is one Cabernet that we will be revisiting over and over again — which means Doug can expect to see us again soon at his tasting room in the Woodinville Wine Warehouse.

The Obelisco tasting room was recently renovated, by the way, and well worth a stop to admire the non-warehouse look of rich wood and intricate carpets. It would be a great place to have a party too!

Cheers!