Category Archives: Washington Wines

Top Summertime Wines

Summer encourages lots of time outdoors, paddling around, beach walking, biking and hiking, dining al fresco, grilling and gardening. Menus feature lighter fare. Summer’s bounty, from our gardens or the farmer’s market, is beckoning, and so is that chilled, refreshing bottle of wine.

This time of year, no wine is more refreshing than a Vinho Verde. That’s Portuguese for “green wine” which refers to its age when its sold rather than the color. It’s light, slightly sparkling and acidic. They are dry, low alcohol, charming hot weather wines. Best with fried calamari, steamed clams, crab cakes, grilled fish or seafood stews.

Whether it’s by itself or with its traditional blending partner Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc is the best choice for vegetarian fare or seafood. This light to medium bodied wine has crisp acidity, the stuff that makes wine refreshing. The citrus and herbal notes are a perfect choice for the grilled fish, oysters on the half shell, sautéed zucchini, salad of all types or roasted red peppers and goat cheese.

Chinook Winery’s Sauvignon Blanc – a longtime favorite – is fermented at cool temperatures to retain the floral and fruity aromas. The perfect balance of body and acidity, it is a serious contender for grilled fish with a citrus glaze and corn on the cob.

Frichette 2014 Semillon is elegant with pear and honeydew flavors, a medium body and a refreshing crispness. Grilled pork chops with sautéed apples or grilled peaches, bouillabaisse or paella would be my pick.

Maryhill’s 2013 Celilo Vineyards Gewurztraminer has that very aromatic spicy nose. It’s a dry wine with a touch of residual sugar. Spicy Asian dishes like Pad Thai, anything with ginger or smoked cheeses are the heavenly match here.

The ever popular Fetzer Monterey Gewurztraminer is all fruit and spice with the right amount of acidity and another Asian cuisine partner. Ceviche is also a winner with this wine.

Pinot Noir is known to have been cultivated in Burgundy, France for about 2,000 years. Occasionally a gene drops out and the grape mutates. The loss of color in the skin of the mutated grapes is where Pinot Gris or Grigio comes in. Noir is French for black and gris or grigio translated means grey.

Pinot Grigio is a light to medium bodied white best drunk young. Its best foodmates are chicken, fish, mussels, pork chops and following in the Italian tradition, antipasto.

Willamette Valley Vineyards 2014 Pinot Gris is made by lightly pressing the grapes rather than crushing them.  It’s cold fermented in stainless steel to highlight the Pinot Gris flavors and underwent sur-lee aging. This is an ideal picnic wine.

The other Italian summer grape is Prosecco also perfect with antipasto. The beautiful thing about Prosecco is the elegance and aromatics. From the hills surrounding the Veneto region in Italy, Prosecco is a summertime quaff. Gently pressed grapes are fermented in stainless steel produce a dry sparkling wine with lemon, apple and pear with high acid that is crisp and invigorating. Fresh fruit and cheese on the patio, anyone?

Speaking of sparkling wines, you must try, if you haven’t already, Treveri Cellars. This Wapato Winery makes premium sparkling wines from a wide array of grapes. From the traditional Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to Riesling, Viognier, Gewurztraminer, and even Syrah.  These wines, served at the state department dinners several times, are aged on average 24 months. The Rosé is my favorite with big strawberry and bready flavors and a delightful finish.

Rosés are the red wine lover’s summer wine. The color and the weight of a red wine comes from the skins of the red grapes. For a red, the skins are left in contact with the fermenting juice for an extended period. For a Rosé, separating the juice from the skins after a brief time together means that the color and tannic acid are reduced. Without the tannic acid, the wine becomes chillable and a very refreshing summer wine. There are many shades available today from very pale to just about red.

These wines can be and are made from a variety of grapes such as Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Syrah, Merlot, and Zinfandel.  As Julia Child’s once said, “Rosés can be served with anything.”

Talking about Pinot Noir without mentioning Oregon would signal the wine police so let me introduce you to a French winemaker’s Rosé from the Willamette Valley.  Domaine Loubejac Pinot Noir Rosé with bright aromas and flavors of strawberries and raspberries with a lingering finish. An impressive match with grilled salmon, shrimp or chicken topped with a cherry or raspberry sauce or vinaigrette.

Palencia Wine Company out of Walla Walla has a delicious 2015 Pinot Noir Rosé from the Ancient Lakes AVA. Vino la Monarcha is a beautiful rose colored wine made with juicy cherry and raspberry aromas and flavors and crisp acidity.

I really liked the balance of the Terra Blanca 2015 Rosé. A blend of 64% Sangiovese and 36% Cab Franc, with lighter red fruit flavors and zippy freshness. Aged parmesan, gouda, or gorgonzola with olives, crusty bread would work for a picnic at the park or on the beach.

Owen Roe makes a tongue-in- cheekiness Super Tuscan Rosé from Red Willow Sangiovese and 15% Cabernet. This light bodied wine has very melony flavors and a dry finish.  Grilled pizza with your favorite toppings is a great match.

Cool and refreshing, familiar or undiscovered, that’s the ticket for a summer sipper.

 

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Washington’s Oldest Vineyards

Location, location, location is the mantra for real estate whether home or business. It’s true for vineyards too. However, a vineyard needs are way different than a building.

What does a great vineyard need? Mostly, it depends on the type of soil, the climate, and the of variety of grape vine.

South facing slopes have more sun than north facing slopes. Some grape varieties are drought resistant, and some prefer cooler places.

Higher elevations and volcanic soils are preferred places to plant vines over the more fertile valley floor. These tend to have warm days (sugar development) and cool nights (acidity development).

The Old World’s centuries of grape growing experiences taught them that a cool climate is best for Riesling with notable vineyards on the German hillsides of the Mosel, the high elevations of Alsace, France and Italy’s mountainous Alto Adige.

In the mid1800s, California’s valley floors, ridges and hillsides were planted willy-nilly with a variety of vines brought from the old country and some thrived and some died.

For instance, during California’s Riesling boom of the 50s and 60s, vineyards were planted on the valley floor to supply demand. The acreage planted to Riesling peaked in 1985 at 11,423 acres. By 2000, many of those vineyards had been replanted to other more suitable and more profitable varieties leaving California with only 2,049 acres of Riesling.

The Riesling migration north had already begun in the 1960s when a UC-Davis grad planted Riesling in the Oregon’s cool Umpqua Valley. By the 1980s, 23% of Oregon’s production was Riesling.  Oregon wine pioneers often planted Riesling to keep the cash flowing as their Pinots aged. Today, Washington is America’s largest growing region for Riesling with 6,099 acres.

Over decades, early wine pioneers experimented, learned, planted, learned some more, and replanted their vineyards.

Some of the top vineyards in the state that have been around for 60 or so years could include Sagemoor, Bacchus, Weinbau, Dionysus, Otis, Kiona, Upland, Shaw, Red Willow, Ciel du Cheval, Champoux, Cold Creek, and Harrison Hill. Many were abandoned and then brought back, or replanted to more conducive varieties, it was all trial and error back then.

In 1914, W.B. Bridgman planted grapes at Harrison Hill. He worked with WSU Viticulturist, Dr. Walter Clore and in 1917, was the first to plant Vinifera on Snipes Mountain adjacent to Harrison Hill. When he died, Al Newhouse bought the Snipes Mountain vineyards from Bridgman’s family.

Al Newhouse’s grandson Todd now runs the vineyards. He oversees some of the last remaining grapes Bridgman planted on Snipes Mountain. Muscat of Alexandria is still harvested from original vines planted in 1917. In 2006, the Newhouses launched Upland Estates Winery with winemaker Robert Smasne.

Otis Harlan purchased a plot of Yakima Valley land in 1954. Two years later, he planted what would become his Otis Vineyard. Harlan continued to plant this vineyard through the years with a little help from his friends, Bill Bridgeman and David Lake. A block of Cabernet planted in 1957 is still producing today. In 2013, Harlan asked his neighbors Tom and Sean Tudor who had an adjacent vineyard if they wanted to purchase his vineyard. They did and continue to produce grapes for award-winning wines.

Mike Sauer married into a farm family fresh out of college, began working on the family farm and experimenting with grapes in his spare time. The first vineyard was planted in 1971, 30 acres of Concord and a few rows of Chenin Blanc and Semillon. The two viniferas did not survive in the rich soil where the non-vinifera Concords were thriving.  This was Sauer’s first of many lessons to be learned.

In 1973, Sauer met Walt Clore who suggested an experimental plot with over 20 varieties of wine grapes be planted at the family’s Red Willow vineyard.  Three acres of Cabernet from cuttings from Harrison Hill Vineyard were also planted that year. They are still producing.

Five years later, a contract with Associated Vintners, now Columbia Winery, for the Cabernet was signed. A year later, David Lake was hired as winemaker. The fortunes of Red Willow and Columbia Winery were changing for the better.

Beginning in 1981, Columbia Winery’s Cabernet from Red Willow designated the vineyard on the label, a practice that continues to date. Lake, being a Master of Wine, also brought a new prospective to the Washington wine industry. In 1986, Lake persuaded Sauer to plant Washington’s first Syrah vines. The wine when first released in 1991, received considerable acclaim.

My favorite place to hang out at Taste Washington is Taste the Vineyards. In 25 feet, you can taste many wines made by many wineries from the same vineyard. When a winery, whether in Washington or elsewhere in the wine world, puts a vineyard name on the label, it’s always a sign of quality and partnership.

Originally a farm, Sagemoor came about through a group of investors that purchased the land in a fire sale in the late 60s. After Dr. Walter Clore pronounced it a good site for wine grapes, it was planted 1972 to Cabernet and a few other non-vinifera varieties. Today, Sagemoor has 100 acres of grape vines, 20 of which are the original and highly prized Cabernet.

The investors also acquired more property eight miles north and divided into two parcels, calling them Bacchus and Dionysus, after gods of wine and grapes.

Bacchus, also planted in the early 70s, is 180 acres of wine grapes. Twenty acres of the original planting of Sauvignon Blanc, and 35 acres of Cabernet make this vineyard a leading source of old vine wines.

Dionysus has plantings going back to 1973, including some of the oldest Riesling vines in Washington. The 150 acres are planted to wine grapes except for about a dozen acres of apples.

Weinbau Vineyard is a 460-acre vineyard on the Wahluke Slope. It was planted in 1981 by Langguth Winery, a German producer that hung its hat on Riesling. That didn’t work out.

Over the last 35+ years with experimentation, and feedback from winery partners, these investors had the vineyards replanted to varieties more suited to the terrain and climate. There are still a few acres of some original Riesling and Chard vines from that 1981 planting,

Selections by Sagemoor is an “un-club” experience. They own the above named vineyards and grow the grapes. But they don’t have a winemaker, they do have 100 or so winemakers that buy grapes from them. This gives you a chance to try some of Washington’s best vineyards from award-winning wineries. You can get on the list for these limited time offerings at https://selectionsbysagemoor.com/offerings/

Many wineries and vineyards are offering virtual tastings and tours. You should join in the fun. Cheers!

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Staying Home and Drinking Your Cellar

How do you entertain yourself when sheltered at home for weeks? Drink the cellar, that’s what. And cooking up magnificent dishes to pair with those gems. Here’s my feasting report: 

Caymus Vineyards began as a farm in Rutherford. In 1915, the Wagners were producing bulk wines and during the 1940s they were known for their excellent grapes. Their first commercial vintage of 240 cases of Cabernet was in 1972. Over the decades they have produced many award winning, stunning Napa Cabs.

Caymus Special Selection is the flagship wine of the Wagner family and is comprised of the very best barrels of the vintage. The Caymus 1997 Special Selection Napa Cab – rated in the high 90s by many – had been resting in my cellar for a couple of decades. The occasion had arrived.

This 23-year-old wine had that tell-tale ruby color with an orange rim. Definitely the right time to drink it! Showing amazing cassis fruit at first; it faded and all that was left was a rich, smooth, umami and mineral full-bodied wine.

And then the weather turned warm and sunny and bottles of white wine were then brought up from the cellar.

Pacific Rim Riesling was first released in 1992 by Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon Vineyard (BVD). Grahm released three Rieslings that year. One quite sweet, one medium sweet and one dry! Unheard back then outside of Alsace, France.

It was also an anomaly in the BVD stable of mostly Rhone reds such as Le Cigare Volant (you must read the label), Old Telegram (a play on Vieux Telegraph), and Clos du Gilroy Grenache. BVD released the inaugural vintage (1984) of Le Cigare Volant in 1986, an homage to Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Over the years, BVD expanded with more brands – Big House, Cardinal Zin and Pacific Rim Riesling, sourced from Washington State. Then in 2006, a small band of Bonny Doon expats moved to Washington with a desire to craft the best Riesling in America.

In 2010, Pacific Rim became its own winery in Washington. A winery so obsessed with Riesling, there are 12 styles to choose from. The range is extensive – from dry and lean, to sparkling, to light and slightly sweet to dessert. They have a Riesling for everyone and every dish.

The 2016 Horse Heaven Hills Wallula Vineyard Riesling at 11.5% alcohol with bright, citrus flavors, juicy pear and crisp acidity is the perfect wine for Asian cuisine.  So I whipped up a curried cauliflower, coconut, garbanzo bean stew. It was warm, spicy and comforting and the Riesling was a sweet contrast.

Note: if you want to escape into the Dooniverse, read this web page: https://www.bonnydoonvineyard.com/about/history/  It’s highly entertaining and informative about changes to the wine industry over 30 years.

Another juicy Riesling is produced by the Woodhouse Wine Estates in Woodinville. While visiting last fall, I bought a bottle of the 2015 Yakima Valley Riesling because it was so delicious. This lovely wine is also made in the dry style by a winemaker that hails from Alsace. It’s stainless steel fermented, aged sur lie and sees a tiny bit of oak.

It was the perfect wine with the Moroccan potato, carrot and garbanzo stew, laced with cumin and pumpkin pie spice.

I reorganized my spice rack looking for pumpkin pie spice. Did you know that you can make your own pumpkin pie spice with what’s in your spice rack? Now I have enough pumpkin pie spice to make more stew, pumpkin pies and to share.

In 1986, local grape growers formed a cooperative in the northwest corner of Spain in close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. Bodegas Martín Códax was named after a thirteenth century Galician troubadour who sang of love, the sea and the coastline.

The 2017 Martín Códax Rias Baixas Albariño, aptly named the wine of the sea, has crisp notes of apples and pears, and a great complement to the creamy bowl of homemade clam chowder.

Brett and Marnie Wall established Open Claim Vineyards in 2012 with a 21-acre vineyard near Dallas, Oregon. The family vineyard has supplied Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to several well-established wineries.

The property has been in Marnie’s family for over 20 years. The name, Open Claim, reflects the spirit of the Donation Land Claim Act of 1850, a statute enacted by the United States Congress, intended to promote settlements in the Oregon Territory. It worked nicely.

In May 2018, the Walls released Open Claim Vineyards Chardonnay and Pinot Noir produced by renown winemaker, Tony Rynders. Rynders is a driven and brilliant winemaker. In addition to his own Tendril Wine Cellars and Child’s Play Wines, he’s the outstanding winemaker behind many other great Oregon wineries.

This rich, complex 2016 Willamette Valley Chardonnay is a fantastic wine. Partially aged in new French oak, its aromas of lemon zest, melon and pineapple were intoxicating.  A simple dish of fish and sweet potato chips doused in lemon juice was the perfect pairing for this Chardonnay.

Once named Enotria for its abundant vineyards, Italy (thanks to the Romans) has had an enormous impact on the wine industry. From the shores of Italy, the Romans brought grapes and winemaking to Spain, Portugal, Germany, and, of course, France.

Although not in my cellar until recently, you have the opportunity to buy the Pieropan 2018 Soave Classico right now. This white wine, made mostly in the hills near Verona, is a classic. Soave must be made with the Gargenega grape; DOC law requires at least 70 percent must be Gargenega. The addition of Trebbiano di Soave may also be used.

Pieropan 2018 Soave Classico is a wine with a steely mineral character, citrus, peach and apricot aromas and flavors and considerable body. It was fabulous with a Cobb-like salad that I tossed together with leftover Easter ham, white cheddar, grilled asparagus, marinated shrimp and baked goat cheese.

Hope you’re faring well and also enjoying the fruits of your cellar. Cheers!

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Staying in isn’t so bad when there’s a case of wine on the way

Now that we’re all stocked up on soap, paper towels, tp, and homebound for a while, let your next case purchase be Washington wine. It’s beneficial for many reasons:

1) Washington wine is good for you because it relieves stress. Set the dinner table, whip up a homey meal, light the candles and enjoy a glass of wine with dinner. Hell, put on your party dress or shirt and make it real special. The mood will lighten with smiles all round.

2) Washington wine purchases support the wine industry in this time of need. With tasting rooms shut down statewide, 59,000+ acres of vineyards and production at nearly 17.5 million cases, the total economic impact to the state is $7 billion. Every bottle purchase helps the economy.

3) Red wine has a compound believed to offer health benefits. Resveratrol is produced in certain plants to fight off bacteria and fungi, and to protect against UV. Resveratrol comes from the skins of red grapes. Blueberries, cranberries, and peanuts are also good sources of resveratrol but wines made of these are only so so.

4) Right now, many Washington wineries are offering free or reduced shipping with certain conditions.

5) The one tasting that I look forward to every year – Taste Washington – cancelled, gosh darn it. Here is a virtual tour of some Washington wineries that we would have tasted had Taste Washington not been cancelled.

A winery that has beguiled me for some time is the craft winery Adrice Wines. Winemaker Pamela Adkins’ first remarkable rosé was produced in Napa Valley. When she and her partner transplanted to Washington, they started their winery and she continues to produce rosés.

Two recent wines include 2019 Rattlesnake Hills Rosé the Riveter Grenache and the 2019 Horse Heaven Hills Nebbiolo Rosé. There are other cool wines in their cellar but rosé is a perfect springtime wine so try these now.

Syncline Winery, located in Lyle, Washington, is another small, craft winery making some big, award winning whites (Grenache Blanc) and reds. Reds to choose from include the 2017 Boushey Vineyard Syrah, 2017 Columbia Valley Mourvedre, 2018 Columbia Gorge Gamay Noir, and the 2018 Subduction Red.

Some bundles offered may include free shipping, 10% discount, and/or $10 gift certificate. Details on the website. Another wonderful option are gift cards or sending wine to family or friends to celebrate their birthday or anniversary.

One of my favorite winemakers is Dr. Brian Peterson, on the Kitsap Peninsula. At Mosquito Fleet Winery’s website, you can order wonderful award-winning wines and have a boatload of fun learning about the historical mosquito fleet and how cork is made.

They’re happy to ship a full-bodied, rich Malbec, Merlot or the Sidewheeler Red Blend. You can also purchase gift cards or send a bottle of wine to honor special events such as birthdays, anniversaries or milestones. Just a text or call and they’ll have your gift on its way. Website link

Arvid Monson planted his first vineyard on the advice of Dr. Walter Clore, the Father of Washington’s wine industry. “Find a tall sage” advised Dr. Clore, “and plant your vineyard there.” Years later, the Monson family sustainably farms their 2,200-acre vineyard for their five wine brands, sells bulk grapes to other wineries and is a custom crush house.

The tall sage turned out to be on a saddle of land called Goose Gap, tucked in between Red Mountain and Horse Heaven Hills. Vines are planted on original rootstock with south to north row orientation for maximize sun exposure and managed for low yields. These practices ensure wines of very good quality.

I fell in love with the Tall Sage 2015 red blend a couple of years ago. It’s that affordable, delicious, every day red that you were hoping for. They also produce an affordable, delicious Tall Sage Chardonnay.

Otis Kenyon is offering Black Friday pricing for your stay-at-home needs. Double Discount Pricing on all current releases includes 15% off all purchases with free shipping on case orders! This offer is valid through March 31st.

Stock up on the 2015 Stellar Vineyard Syrah or the delightful Roussanne. These Rhone varietals will pair very well with nearly every hearty dish, including your stockpiled MREs.

When we were old enough to hold a handful of cards, my father taught us some games to keep us entertained. When he passed away some years ago, we all pinned a card to our lapels so friends would know where in the lineup we were. I wore the two of hearts.

One of his favorite card games was pinochle. Reverberating in my head was his sage advice, “When in doubt, play a Jack.” At the time, Saviah Cellars made a red blend called The Jack. It seemed fitting to have a case at his celebration of life.

The Jack was a Bordeaux-type blend, that was at once affordable and delicious. In the ensuing years, The Jack is now a brand that includes the red blend, Syrah, Cabernet and Riesling and named one of the Top Value Brands of the Year by a major wine media.

Self-taught winemaker Richard Funk and the Saviah Cellars Team sends this enticing offer: Shop online for door-to-door delivery. Shipments in the Northwest typically deliver within 1-2 days after the order is processed. Shipping specials include $10 flat-rate ground shipping on orders of 4-11 bottles or purchase a case of 12 for free shipping. Click here to shop

It’s a very good time to Taste Washington wine. And we have the time! Raise a glass and toast to good health.

Note: these offers came to me through winery newsletters. Some have not updated their websites to reflect these offers. Always good to give them a call if you don’t see what you’re looking for.

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It’s a very good time to taste wine

Staying in isn’t be so bad when you know there’s a case of wine headed your way.

Now that we’re all stocked up on soap, paper towels, tp, and homebound for a while, let your next case purchase be Washington wine. It’s beneficial for many reasons:

1) Washington wine is good for you because it relieves stress. Set the dinner table, whip up a homey meal, light the candles and enjoy a glass of wine with dinner. Hell, put on your party dress or shirt and make it real special. The mood will lighten with smiles all round.

2) Washington wine purchases support the wine industry in this time of need. With tasting rooms shut down statewide, 59,000+ acres of vineyards and production at nearly 17.5 million cases, the total economic impact to the state is $7 billion. Every bottle purchase helps the economy.

3) Red wine has a compound believed to offer health benefits. Resveratrol is produced in certain plants to fight off bacteria and fungi, and to protect against UV. Resveratrol comes from the skins of red grapes. Blueberries, cranberries, and peanuts are also good sources of resveratrol but wines made of these are only so so.

4) Right now, many Washington wineries are offering free or reduced shipping with certain conditions.

5) The one tasting that I look forward to every year – Taste Washington – cancelled, gosh darn it. Here is a virtual tour of some Washington wineries that we would have tasted had Taste Washington not been cancelled.

A winery that has beguiled me for some time is the craft winery Adrice Wines. Winemaker Pamela Adkins’ first remarkable rosé was produced in Napa Valley. When she and her partner transplanted to Washington, they started their winery and she continues to produce rosés.

Two recent wines include 2019 Rattlesnake Hills Rosé the Riveter Grenache and the 2019 Horse Heaven Hills Nebbiolo Rosé. There are other cool wines in their cellar but rosé is a perfect springtime wine so try these now.

Syncline Winery, located in Lyle, Washington, is another small, craft winery making some big, award winning whites (Grenache Blanc) and reds. Reds to choose from include the 2017 Boushey Vineyard Syrah, 2017 Columbia Valley Mourvedre, 2018 Columbia Gorge Gamay Noir, and the 2018 Subduction Red.

Some bundles offered may include free shipping, 10% discount, and/or $10 gift certificate. Details on the website. Another wonderful option are gift cards or sending wine to family or friends to celebrate their birthday or anniversary.  

One of my favorite winemakers is Dr. Brian Peterson, on the Kitsap Peninsula. At Mosquito Fleet Winery’s website, you can order wonderful award-winning wines and have a boatload of fun learning about the historical mosquito fleet and how cork is made.

They’re happy to ship a full-bodied, rich Malbec, Merlot or the Sidewheeler Red Blend. You can also purchase gift cards or send a bottle of wine to honor special events such as birthdays, anniversaries or milestones. Just a text or call and they’ll have your gift on its way. Wine link

Arvid Monson planted his first vineyard on the advice of Dr. Walter Clore, the Father of Washington’s wine industry. “Find a tall sage” advised Dr. Clore, “and plant your vineyard there.” Years later, the Monson family sustainably farms their 2,200-acre vineyard for their five wine brands, sells bulk grapes to other wineries and is a custom crush house.

The tall sage turned out to be on a saddle of land called Goose Gap, tucked in between Red Mountain and Horse Heaven Hills. Vines are planted on original rootstock with south to north row orientation for maximize sun exposure and managed for low yields. These practices ensure wines of very good quality. 

I fell in love with the Tall Sage 2015 red blend a couple of years ago. It’s that affordable, delicious, every day red that you were hoping for. They also produce an affordable, delicious Tall Sage Chardonnay.

Otis Kenyon is offering Black Friday pricing for your stay-at-home needs. Double Discount Pricing on all current releases includes 15% off all purchases with free shipping on case orders! This offer is valid through March 31st.

Stock up on the 2015 Stellar Vineyard Syrah or the delightful Roussanne. These Rhone varietals will pair very well with nearly every hearty dish, including your stockpiled MREs.

When we were old enough to hold a handful of cards, my father taught us some games to keep us entertained. When he passed away some years ago, we all pinned a card to our lapels so friends would know where in the lineup we were. I wore the two of hearts.

One of his favorite card games was pinochle. Reverberating in my head was his sage advice, “When in doubt, play a Jack.” At the time, Saviah Cellars made a red blend called The Jack. It seemed fitting to have a case at his celebration of life. 

The Jack was a Bordeaux-type blend, that was at once affordable and delicious. In the ensuing years, The Jack is now a brand that includes the red blend, Syrah, Cabernet and Riesling and named one of the Top Value Brands of the Year by a major wine media.

Self-taught winemaker Richard Funk and the Saviah Cellars Team sends this enticing offer: Shop online for door-to-door delivery. Shipments in the Northwest typically deliver within 1-2 days after the order is processed. Shipping specials include $10 flat-rate ground shipping on orders of 4-11 bottles or purchase a case of 12 for free shipping. Click here to shop

It’s a very good time to Taste Washington wine.  And we have the time! Raise a glass and toast to good health.

Note: these offers came to me through winery newsletters. Some have not updated their websites to reflect these offers. Always good to give them a call if you don’t see what you’re looking for.

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Many Ways to Taste Washington Wines

This has to be my favorite time of year. Perhaps for winemakers too. The rush of harvest is over, the wines are resting in tank, barrel or bottle and the vines are dormant. It’s time for a road trip or two.

On Monday, February 10th, head on over to McCaw Hall at the Seattle Center and connect with over 50 Walla Walla Valley wineries and winemakers. Each winery has two or three wines including new releases they would like you to sample.

Many of these craft wineries have vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA and its sub AVA, The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater. This sub AVA is nestled within the Walla Walla Valley AVA, but its entire footprint resides in Oregon.

The Rocks AVA stands out among all American AVAs. Approved in 2015, this AVA gets its name from the extremely rocky basalt. It is the only AVA in the U.S. whose boundaries have been fixed by virtue of a single soil series – the Freewater Series.

According to the USDA, the “Freewater series consists of deep, somewhat excessively drained soils formed in gravelly alluvium mixed with loess in the upper part. Freewater soils are on high stream terraces and have slopes of 0 to 3 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 14 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 52 degrees F.”

By contrast, the Walla Walla Valley AVA has four distinct soil series. On valley floor, Ellisforde silt loam; in the foothills, Walla Walla silt loam; in the floodplains, Freewater covered with basalt rocks; and on the steep slopes of the foothills and canyons, Lickskillet, a very stony loam.

The Rocks District Winegrowers organization has 30 members, both producers and winegrowers. This 3,767 acre AVA is planted to almost 350 acres of grapes with over 200 acres in development. To learn more, get your tickets here.

During the long Valentine/President Day weekend, Red Wine and Chocolate occurs from the Olympics to eastern Washington and beyond.

At the annual Olympic Peninsula Red Wine, Cider and Chocolate Tour, eight Olympic Peninsula wineries welcome you with wine, cider and sensational chocolate bites. And you don’t have to do all eight in one day or even one weekend. This event encompasses two weekends, February 8th and 9th and the long holiday weekend February 15th through 17th. Tickets can be purchased at OlympicPeninsulaWineries.com

Some highlights that may tantalize your taste buds: Camaraderie Cellars 2014 Sangiovese, 2012 Reserve Cab and newly released 2016 Cabernet Franc are featured with the ever-popular Cocoa-Spiced Pulled Pork.

At Eaglemount Winery & Cidery, Chocolate Serenade caramels are paired with new releases of ciders and wines. Fairwinds Winery has a chocolate fountain to pair with their outstanding Port of Call.

Harbinger Winery features a carnival of culinary delights beginning with a white chocolate apple bread pudding paired with the crisp La Petite Fleur; pan au chocolate with the award-winning Dynamo Red; devil’s food mini-cupcakes crowned with a spiced chocolate butter cream is sinfully delicious when paired with the newly released 2014 Bolero.

If this isn’t enough, Harbinger will have one more behind the velvet curtain of the VIP room, the reserve wine with Theo’s Chocolates.

Wind Rose Cellars is hosting chocolatier Yvonne Yokota from Yvonne’s Chocolates. Each weekend will feature a different lineup of their wines. I tasted the 2014 Bravo Rosso at the Kitsap Wine Festival this past August. It’s a 3 out of 3-star wine for me.

You could also spend your Valentine’s Day weekend on Bainbridge Island during their annual Wine on the Rock: Wine & Chocolate event. It highlights the wines of the Winery Alliance of Bainbridge Island’s award-winning producers paired with local chocolates. Each of the five participating wineries (Amelia Wynn, Eagle Harbor, Eleven, Fletcher Bay, Rolling Bay) will be pouring four specially selected wines into very cool wine glasses that you get to keep.

After purchasing tickets online, you pick up your wine glass and other goodies at any winery you choose and start tasting. With the exception of Amelia Wynn Winery, the event will take place at the wineries. Amelia Wynn will pour at their downtown Winslow Way tasting room.

And right around the corner on March 19 through the 22nd, is the granddaddy of all delicious Washington wine and food tastings – the 23rd annual Taste Washington. This year, there are exciting changes with the addition of evening events on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Pacific Standard is a nautically inclined, wine-imbued, mountain-framed, pier-stacked, stuff-your-face with delicious food kind of Friday night commemorating Washington’s most inspiring places. The Saturday night marquee event, The New Vintage, showcases culinary legends: past, present and future with outstanding Washington wines.

The Grand Tasting is the main event, a two-day wine and food celebration with more than 200 of Washington’s award-winning wineries, 60 Seattle restaurants and so much more.

Whether you’re a full-fledged wine geek or burgeoning aficionado, Taste Washington has great seminars. These taste-while-you-learn sessions are hosted by leading experts, including top winemakers, Master Sommeliers and academics. Learn about what makes the terroir of Washington’s vineyards stand apart, the future appellations coming to Washington state, dive headlong into the latest wine science and, of course, taste a lot of fantastic wine.

Tickets are on sale now (a wonderful Valentine gift) both individually and package deals. Go to TasteWashington.com.  Cheers!

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Rhone for Fall Cuisine

Every fall, the grape harvest happens. Around the world vineyards come alive with winemakers racing to and through vineyards, testing for ripeness, watching the weather, scheduling picking, sorting and destemming tons of grapes, assessing the juice, fermenting and punching down grapes to deliver the elixir we crave.

With the cooler weather, we slip on a sweater and begin to move away from those chilled wines of summer to something warmer, more full-bodied that match the heartier fall dishes. Squashes find their way into soups, frittatas and stews. Mushrooms pop up in stews, in risotto, Beef Bourguignon and on top of steak. Apples and pears adorn salads, cheeses and meat dishes. This makes my mouth water and my hand reach for a Rhone.

Rhone varietals would be a good go-to for fuller bodied but not too full-bodied fall wine. Grapes such as Syrah, Viognier Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Roussanne are indigenous to this French region. There are a bunch more indigenous varieties – a few you may have heard of, some are little known and are allowed in this appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) – Picardan, Picpoul, Carignan, Clairette Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Cinsault, Marselan and let’s not forget Muscat a Petites Grains!

The Rhone region is divided in half, both with a different set of rules on how to make wine with the same grapes. Northern AOC red wines are Syrah only and typically co-fermented with the light touch of Viognier to bring up the aromatics and to soften the hard edges of Syrah.

Southern Rhone is the Heinz 57 of the wine world. A wine from the Chateauneuf du Pape AOC can be a blend of up to 13 grape varieties! A Cotes du Rhone is typically a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. This is a large area so the wines — both red and white — can be easily found and enjoyed.

Rhone grapes can be found in vineyards around the world. Eastern Washington, Australia, and California all make Rhone-style wines. In fact, Chelan’s Cairdeas Winery has vines from Southern Rhone by way of California.

Other regions of the world may label their Rhone-style wines with the grape name (must be at least 75%) or give it a proprietary name such as GSM, for Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre.

Cairdeas Winery produces traditional blends as well as unique blends, both styles inspired by the Rhone region and grapes. Its delightful wine “Northern White” is a blend of 60% Marsanne and 40% Roussanne. This Rhone-style wine is a perfect dry white for a steaming bowl of mushroom risotto.

Another is the Caisléan an Papa – an Irish way of saying Chateauneuf du Pape. This red blend is made up of 37% Grenache, 26% Mourvèdre, 16% Syrah, 11% Counoise, and 10% Cinsault for a delicious, almost traditional, highly rated wine.

The Guigal family, one of the largest producers in the Rhone Valley, specializes in white Rhone varieties. Most Rhone wines produced are primarily red; white wine production is nominal. In contrast, Guigal’s production of white wine is large, at least a quarter of wines produced.

Its Cotes du Rhone Blanc is a blend of many white grapes: Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier. It’s a fragrant full-bodied white, and a very good value.

Famille Perrin has, for centuries, made an exquisite Chateauneuf du Pape. Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvedre, Syrah, Muscardin, Vaccarese, Counoise and Picpoul from Château de Beaucastel’s vineyards are fermented separately and later blended before aging in foudres (big oak barrels) and bottle.

Another classic Rhone-style wine is made with the legendary Australian Shiraz grape. Shiraz is Australian for Syrah, the legendary grape of Northern Rhone. Australia is also home to some of the world’s oldest Syrah vineyards.

Shiraz vineyards planted in the mid-1800s produce tiny crops of intensely concentrated grapes from ungrafted, pre-phylloxera vines. Penfolds has been making Rhone-style wines since 1844. Its Bin 138 is the traditional southern Rhone blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mataro (Mourvedre). This classic GSM from Barossa Valley includes grapes from some vines that are over 100 years old. 

And if you ever get a chance, there is an award-winning, classic wine made by Penfolds since 1951. Grange (called Grange Hermitage until the 1989 vintage) is made with Shiraz and a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon. The term “Hermitage” was dropped from the label since the European Union won’t allow the name of a French wine appellation on a wine that is not from that appellation.

Marsanne, a Rhone white grape, is more likely to be found in Australia than even its native Rhone. Tahbilk Winery, in Central Victoria, has the largest vineyard site of Marsanne in the world. Its Marsanne is fermented in stainless for a crisp, dry white. Like many classic whites, with age it transforms into a full-bodied, aromatic wine. Perfect with a curried pumpkin soup. (Couldn’t go without mentioning the ubiquitous fall vegetable).

Cheers, Mate!

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What makes a Great Vintage?

How do you know if it’s a great vintage? While the viticulturalist is trained to know when to prune, how to manage leaf canopy and control pests and disease, for the most part, it’s the weather during the growing season that makes all the difference between good and great.

The 2019 Washington crush began the third week of August. Treveri Cellars always crosses the finish line first. And the reason for that is sparkling wines are harvested at a lower brix level (18–23°).  

In wine country, grapes are warmed by the sunshine which brings up the grape sugars and cooled at night which promotes that balancing acidity. In any vintage, a brix reading (usually around 24 brix) will signal the time to harvest grapes intended for still wines.

Brix is used to measure the sugar in grapes, the more sugar, the riper the grapes. When harvesting grapes early, the must will have less sugar and more acidity – ideal conditions for sparkling wines.

A higher brix level can be achieved by many days of hot weather, long hang time or drying the grapes. Hot weather raises the sugar levels; cool weather takes longer to reach maturity.

By comparison, the 2015 harvest – a very hot year – began August 6th.  In 2010, – a very cool year – white grapes weren’t harvested until September and no red wine grapes until October!

The 2019 grape harvesting is in full swing right now. And it’s shaping up to be a very good year. Not too hot and not too cool. I know because I’m a certified sorter, a very important and well-paid position. 

Sorters pull leaves, bugs and dried grapes out before the grapes are put into the destemmer where the grapes are separated from the stems. A destemmer is a big stainless steel tub with a big screw that pushes the grapes one way and the stems the other way. The big colander type basket at the bottom funnels the grapes and juice into one bin. The woody stems are pushed into another bin.

While sorting grapes for two wineries this past week, I tasted the grapes. One winery had Red Mountain Merlot and the other Horse Heaven Hills Merlot. And I can tell you from that tasting, Red Mountain and Horse Heaven Hills Merlot grapes tasted unique to their terroirs.

While sorting grapes, the winemaker does the scientific stuff by taking a reading of the juice to determine the brix (the sugar in the juice which will tell the winemaker what the final alcohol content may be), stabilizing the must (SO2 preserves the fruit color and kills the wild yeasts) and other winemaking techniques they may have picked up along the way.

In addition to adding SO2, Ben Smith of Cadence Winery pumped the juice out of one fermenting bin back into the same bin. This was to “stir” the juice so the SO2 was evenly distributed.

At Mosquito Fleet Winery, winemaker Brian Peterson added a 25-pound bag of oven toast oak chips to the three fermenting bins. This helps set the color and promote polyphenols. He also added a bag of dry ice to the fermenting bins – an effective way to cold soak when you don’t have refrigerated storage.

The bin mover sets the pace when a winery has tons of grapes to process. Using a pallet jack or forklift, the bins are moved around where needed – grapes to the destemmer, full fermenters to the side for a 24-hour cold soak, empty fermenters to catch the next ton of grape juice from and the bins of stems to the compost pile.

As I mentioned, certified sorters are well-paid. This year I earned two bottles of wine, a private barrel tasting, 22 gallons of saignée juice and free lunch. 

Saignée is a French term which translates “to bleed.” It’s a winemaking techniques that “bleeds” or removes juice and a few grapes from a fermenter.  Since there is a higher proportion of skins to juice, a richer more concentrated wine is the desired result of this technique. And the lightly-colored juice that is bled out will produce a rosé for next summer’s drinking pleasure.

A long time ago, I had the opportunity to taste a Carmenet Cabernet from the same vineyard, fermented in the same tank and aged in the same French oak. The only difference was the coopers used. I was stunned at the difference of what should have been a more similar than different wine. Lesson learned.

The private barrel tasting at Mosquito Fleet Winery was another educational lesson in French oak. We tasted three 2018 Cabernets aging in oak barrels. Two were the same grape, harvest, and fermentation aging in French oak barrel from different coopers, Taransaud and Bootes. The difference was very striking. The Bootes was a much bigger wine and the Taransaud was smooth and more fruit forward.

Tasting young red wine before it has been bottled is instructive but these young wines with their high acidity and tannin only hint at their true greatness after they have been in bottle for a few years. The key ingredient in my opinion, is to pay attention to the fruit. Is there enough fruit component to vault the young wine to an attractive maturity? For these two fraternal wines, the answer is a hearty Yes!

Up and down the west coast, you can look forward to the promise of a very good 2019 vintage. Cheers!

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Early Inland Empire Wineries

In 1980, sixteen wineries in Washington state produced almost a million gallons of wine. Today, approximately 970 wineries produce over 180 million gallons of wine.

Washington was just emerging as a wine region and 1982 was a very good year for wine. Twelve wineries opened their doors and joined a handful of wineries in the state. That was the year, Bainbridge Island Vineyards and Winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Barnard Griffen, Covey Run Vintners and Snoqualmie Winery opened. As did two Spokane wineries, Arbor Crest Wine Cellars and Latah Creek Winery.

My first peek at Spokane was in 1974 at the World’s Fair. I recall exhibits about logging and loggers in cork boots but no corks in bottles. Some years later, I made a run to Spokane to pick up a palette of Whaling Days wine. Latah Creek Winery, Arbor Crest Wine Cellars and Worden’s Washington Winery (the first custom label program where you could “Make the wine you serve your own!”) were producing enough wine to put private labels on.

A recent visit to the Inland Empire, reminded me of those early days in the Washington wine industry and the people who toiled to figure out where to plant which varieties and who could actually make the wine the growers were growing.

Opening a winery is challenging enough but back then many of the wheat and apple farmers were just beginning to plant wine grapes under the direction of Dr. Walter Clore, the father of Washington wine industry.

First, it was Riesling, Chenin Blanc and Muscat. Then the buttery Chardonnays were followed by the Merlot craze of the 1990s, fueled by 60 Minutes’  French Paradox. By then, Washington was well established in the number two spot of the U.S. wine industry.

But it took those early pioneers forging ahead and making the Washington wine industry what it is today. Early pioneers like Bill Preston, Bill Powers, Mike Wallace, and John Williams, all started out as farmers and early on decided to plant wine grapes. Thank goodness! They are the reason we have what we have today. Many are honored on the Legends of Washington Wine Hall of Fame.

In California, a flurry of winemakers started moving north to a new wine paradise. Latah Creek’s winemaker, Mike Conway had spent some time learning how to make wine in big California wineries.

The 1980 move from large California wineries to an emerging wine region was spurred by job offer. By the fall of 1980, Conway had fermented 69 tons of grapes into Worden’s Winery wine. The wine produced was in a style that was predominantly white, fruity, and sweet.

A joint venture with grape grower Hogue Cellars for the 1982 harvest, had Conway making wine for both the Hogue Cellars and Latah Creek. That first Latah Creek harvest was 7,000 gallons. For the next two years, Conway made wine for both wineries before concentrating solely on his Latah Creek Winery.

This small family winery – a rarity anymore – still produces Riesling and Maywine (gold) in addition to their perennially popular Huckleberry d’Latah (gold), a Riesling made with huckleberry concentrate. Roughly 60 percent of Latah Creek’s production are their most popular wines: Pinot Gris (double gold), Riesling (double gold), and Huckleberry d’Latah.

Introduced in 2010, their Monarch Reserve Reds Series is a small-lot, reserve red program. Those wines and other reds account for 15 percent of their production. Included are a Sangria made with natural fruit juices, a Wahluke Slope Barbera, their well-awarded Merlot, a Horse Heaven Hills Zinfandel, a Wahluke Slope Tempranillo and a Horse Heaven Hills Reserve Cabernet.

The remaining 25 percent includes a selection of dry and sweet white wines – a gold medal winning Chardonnay from Ancient Lakes AVA, a dry Chenin Blanc, a Rose’s of Malbec and an Orange Muscat with a bit of effervescence.

The first Washington father-daughter wine team began in 2005 when Natalie Conway-Barnes began making wine. One of her first projects was a red dessert wine named Natalie’s Nectar.

Like many of the oldest wineries that don’t grow grapes, they have well-established and long term contracts with the best vineyards in the state. Today, Latah Creek’s production is around 15,000 cases annually.

This charming small winery is getting a facelift. And on Saturday and Sunday, September 28 and 29 they will be celebrating their Grand Re-Opening. This would be a good time to taste their wines.

Not too far from Latah Creek Winery, is another well-regarded Washington wine pioneering family. In the early 1980s, Harold and Marcia Mielke also moved up from California to begin a new wine adventure in Spokane Valley. The state’s 29th winery, Arbor Crest Wine Cellars overlooks the Spokane River in a beautiful place called the Cliff House, on the national historic landmark.

Another family winery, this one is also run by the next generation. The Mielke’s daughter, Kristina Mielke van Löben Sels, spent some time working in a Sonoma winery for several years before becoming the head winemaker at Arbor Crest.

Her husband, Jim van Löben Sels, is Arbor Crest’s general manager and viticulturalist. Grapes are sourced from some of Washington’s well-established and respected vineyards and include Sagemoor, Dionysus, Bacchus, Conner Lee, Stillwater Creek and Klipsun Vineyards.

A recently shared bottle of their Bacchus Vineyard (unoaked) Chardonnay reminded me of how much I admire these well-made wines. And having a seasoned winemaker who spent some time making wine at Sonoma’s Ferrari-Carano, it’s no wonder.

Their Conner Lee Vineyard Chardonnay is made in a full-bodied style and sees French oak, Riesling from Dionysus Vineyard and the Bacchus Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc round out the white wines.

Reds include a Conner Lee Cabernet Franc, a Cabernet Sauvignon from 5 fabulous vineyards, the Cliff House Red Table Wine, Dionysus, a Bordeaux blend, Merlot from original, ungrafted rootstock, Wahluke Slope Sangiovese, and Syrah from Stillwater Creek Vineyard.

Spokane now has a Cork District with at least 22 tasting rooms scattered around the very pedestrian friendly downtown area. Some are local, some are not. But it makes for a great weekend getaway to explore the wines of Washington.

Cheers!

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When it comes to wine, trust your palate

You’ve probably read many times, as I have,  what a wine should taste like from reviews in publications or the back labels.

Descriptive phrases that may include words like full-bodied, tropical, vanilla, buttery, citrus, cherry, brambleberry, spice, cedar, cigar box, tobacco, herbaceous or award winning, 90-some points are helpful but …

Once you absorb these words, it all comes down to your palate. Do the reviews make the wine taste any better? Sometimes yes and sometimes, not so much. Tasting is the true test of a wine’s ability to please you.

Tasting wine gives you a better idea of what grapes, styles and regions you prefer. That’s why it’s important that you get your tickets for the Kitsap Wine Festival on Saturday, August 10th. 

Bremerton’s Harborside Fountain Park is the sunny setting for this afternoon of sipping wine with friends and family. More than 30 wineries from Washington and Oregon will be pouring tastes of over 100 pretty delightful wines. And to enhance the experience, local restaurants will be whipping up some delectable bites.

The Kitsap Wine Festival began 11 years ago and through the years has benefitted several local nonprofits. This year, it’s the Kitsap Humane Society’s pets. Their cadre’ of volunteers will ensure an extra layer of special to the event. From the welcome to the raffle baskets, golden ticket prize to the retail shop at the end.

So, get online and buy your tickets ASAP at https://kitsapwinefestival.brownpapertickets.com

General admission includes 12 tickets, food samples, and your wine glass. But wait! There’s more! The VIP Experience includes an hour earlier access, 15 drink tickets, delectable bites, 5 raffle tickets, and your wine glass.

Come celebrate with me at the Kitsap Wine Festival! Here’s a few wineries I’m excited to try or revisit.

From the Port Angeles area, Harbinger Winery is an artisan winery with an annual case production hovering around 3000.  They’re bringing their bistro wine series which includes the 2018 Albariño fermented in stainless steel for a crisp, citrusy treat.

The La Petite Fleur is an intensely aromatic Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Riesling blend for a unique summer wine. Dynamo Red is a gold medal winning, velvety layered wine rich with berries and toasty oak.

And happily, my favorite summertime red, the 2013 Barbera which garnered a gold at the International Women’s Wine Competition. Bring on the beefsteak tomatoes!

Also from the Olympic Peninsula is Wind Rose Cellars, a boutique winery in Sequim. During the week, it’s a traditional tasting room. And on Friday and Saturday nights, it’s live music, wine by the glass and light snacks.

Other wineries attending from this area are Eaglemount Winery, Port Townsend Vineyards, Hoodsport Winery and Camaraderie Cellars.

Moving east to the Kitsap Peninsula is Long Road Winery near Belfair. Since they don’t have a tasting room yet, they share their wines at tasting events such as the Kitsap Wine Festival. The same for Seabeck Cellars, no tasting room yet but here’s your opportunity to taste their wines from grapes shipped from eastern Washington and Oregon.

The newest of the new Kitsap Peninsula wineries is Hard Hat Winery in Poulsbo. Established by three veterans last year, here’s the occasion to try their wines while waiting for the tasting room to open.

And speaking of veterans in the wine business, the Winery Alliance of Bainbridge Island will also be there pouring wines from the seven wineries on the “rock” – Amelia Wynn, Bainbridge Vineyards, Eleven, Eagle Harbor, Fletcher Bay, Perennial, Rolling Bay.

Long Cellars in eastern Washington will be pouring their 2018 Lake Chelan Pinot Gris and 2018 Dry Rosé of Pinot Gris. The 2017 Red Wine is a blend of Merlot, Malbec, and Cabernet, and a 2017 Cab Franc.

From the Woodinville area be sure to stop by the Adrice Wines booth. The name Adrice is a portmanteau, (a mash-up of 2 words to make a new word) using the last names of the winemaker, Pam Adkins and co-owner Julie Bulrice. I first tasted Adrice Wines at another wine festival and was duly impressed with this craft winery transplanted from Napa Valley in 2015.

And if exploring Washington wineries is on your list, these wineries will also be there:

Davenport Cellars, Eleganté Cellars, Gouger Cellars, Mercer Estates, Michael Florentino Cellars, Monte Scarlatto Winery, Naches Heights Vineyard, Scatter Creek Winery, Silvara Cellars, Simpatico Cellars, Stina’s Cellar, Tanjuli Winery, Terra Blanca Winery & Estate Vineyards and Vino Aquino.

Finally, and most importantly, Raptor Ridge from Newberg, Oregon. Raptor Ridge is celebrating their 25th harvest with a special on their 2015 Brut Rose for $25 on the 25th of each month!

At the Kitsap Wine Festival, they will share the – rare for the Pacific Northwest – Estate Grüner Veltliner. I first had this wine back in 2017 while visiting the Chehalem Mountain wineries. Its balanced fruit, acidity and minerality make this the most food friendly of wines.

Raptor Ridge will also be pouring the 2018 Rosé of Pinot Noir, a blend of two vineyards, one in the McMinnville AVA and the other in the Eola Amity AVA. Another of their wines I can highly recommend.

Visit the Kitsap Wine Festival site for the latest on who will be pouring and more importantly to buy your tickets. The Kitsap Humane Society and I thank you!

Cheers!

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