Sometimes I hear so many reports about a winery that I just have to drop in and see what is going on for myself. Such was the case for my visit last week to Airfield Winery in Prosser.
I’ve had several people in the past few weeks and months tell me that they had been out to Airfield, and what a great visit they’d had. Even one of my friends, who is no wine slouch by any means, had shared with me that his recent trip to the winery was “quite memorable” in a good way.
I was up in Prosser meeting with my friends Jessie and Susanne Ayala, the owners of Tuscany Grill. Susanne shared with me that they have a huge Airfield following at their restaurant. (As a side note, there is going be a fantastic wine event there on Sunday the 13th of June with Apex Winery and Master Sommelier Angelo Tavernero. At $55 a ticket it will be awesome! You can contact Susanne for tickets at 509-786-7600.)
With all of these great reports, and a little time to burn, I decided I needed to make a stop at the Airfield and taste. The winery sits parallel to the freeway along side Olsen Estates, Thurston Wolfe, and Milbrant Wineries.
Walking into the spacious, hanger-like facility was actually kind of spunky and refreshing. The place is decked out in flyer paraphernalia, and looks kind of like a fancy, leather seated version of my brother’s airplane hanger in southern Idaho.
I was met by a bar full of 20 somethings who were an extended wedding party, and the very pleasant staff. They offered to pour the entire list of probably 15 wines for me, and I thought “why not?”.
Starting off with the whites we went right into the 2009 Flygirl White, a spicy, floral, and peachy blend of Viognier, Roussanne, Chardonnay, and Gewurztraminer. Followed by the un-oaked 2009 Chardonnay, which was creamy and rich from malolactic fermentation. These wines would go nicely with my chicken spring rolls or a nice yakisoba.
The 2008 Pinot Gris was on special for $99 a case, which I snatched up. Spicy and dry, with mangos, peaches, and honeydew dancing across the tongue. Yum!
I taxied into the 2009 Ruby Rose’. I’m a Rose’ fan, and cannot ever turn down a good one. This is an actual “foot-stomped” wine, created at the crush festival last fall. Made from Syrah and Grenache, this wine is full of rhubarb and strawberries. I couldn’t help but pick up a few bottles of this as well.
My attention headed directly down the runway of reds with the 2007 Aviator, a blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cab Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. This dark, rich blend opens with vanilla and spices, and finishes with velvety fruit and baking spices.
The 2008 Mustang blend is all Rhone with Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Counoise, and Morvedre. This super tight blend eventually opens up deep and rich, with so many layers that it’s hard to explain. Just be ready to decant this one.
Last, I thoroughly enjoyed landing with the 2008 Zinfandel. Jammy plum flavors, cocoa, and allspice. This wine is ready for a great steak in my back yard.
I hope you can fly to Airfield Estates Winery in Prosser sometime soon.
I’ll see you at the Plateau at Wildhorse for the big winemaker’s dinner on Sunday the 6th!
Showing posts with label Prosser. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prosser. Show all posts
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Goodbye Jerry Wallace. Thanks For The Wine & The Memories
Jerry Wallace, who launched Hinzerling Winery in Prosser, Wash., in 1976, passed away January 6th at 90 years of age.
Wallace was Seattle police officer beginning in 1944. He worked as a special driver for the mayor, among other tasks until his retirement in 1972.
In 1972, he and his family moved to Prosser, Washington, where they planted one of the earliest commercial wine grape vineyards in the region. Hinzerling Vineyard was the first in the state to use drip irrigation. Wallace and his wife, Dee, also founded the Roza chapter of the Enological Society of the Pacific Northwest.
In 1976, Wallace and his son Mike launched Hinzerling Winery, making it one of the state's oldest wineries. The winery is best known for its Ports and dessert wines. The most recent wine that I reviewed from Hinzerling was Mike's Cream Sherry which is one of the best I've ever had.
In 2008, Jerry Wallace was nominated as a Legend of Washington Wine by the state wine industry. He is survived by his three children, Mike, Pam and Steve, as well as eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
To end this blog entry I want to finish with a personal letter to Jerry's son Mike and the rest of the Wallace family:
To the family and friends of Jerry Wallace:
My wife and I met Jerry in 1987 at the Prosser winery while traveling through the valley on our Honeymoon. We were a couple of young kids from Idaho, just old enough to drink, and highly curious about wine. Like many other 21 year olds, we thought that Riesling was the only "good" wine, and had spent a large portion of our trip through Washington and British Columbia tasting and purchasing just that. When we walked through the door of Hinzerling and met this striking gentleman we knew we weren't in a winery like any other. First, the winery wasn't some fancy million dollar complex with art on the walls. It was an old garage with the lab counter also acting as the tasting room bar. Also, the guy who was running the tasting room was also the guy who actually had made the wine. Needless to say, we were mesmerized. We spent over an hour listening to his stories and his methods for making wine. He actually convinced us to taste a few wines we had never considered, including our first tastes of Cabernet Sauvignon.
We purchased two bottles of wine from Jerry that day. One bottle of Rouge to enjoy on our first anniversary, which was delicious by the way. The second bottle was a bottle of 1985 Cabernet Sauvignon, which we still have in our wine cellar being stored for our 25th anniversary reception. Jerry was convinced that the bottle would be still good on our twenty fifth if we took good care of it, and we have. I'm not sure if it will win any awards or even be better than vinegar for the salad dressing, but the storage of that wine, and the thirst for wine knowledge that Jerry instilled in me that day has stayed with me for 23 years.
In two years we will open that bottle and serve it in some ceremonial way to our guests in the rememberence of Jerry. Mr. Wallace, thank you for sharing your love for wine and life with two dumb kids from Idaho.
Sincerely,
Rich Breshears
Wine Columnist for Eastern Oregonian Newspaper, and wine blogger at onerichwineguy.blogspot.com
Wallace was Seattle police officer beginning in 1944. He worked as a special driver for the mayor, among other tasks until his retirement in 1972.
In 1972, he and his family moved to Prosser, Washington, where they planted one of the earliest commercial wine grape vineyards in the region. Hinzerling Vineyard was the first in the state to use drip irrigation. Wallace and his wife, Dee, also founded the Roza chapter of the Enological Society of the Pacific Northwest.
In 1976, Wallace and his son Mike launched Hinzerling Winery, making it one of the state's oldest wineries. The winery is best known for its Ports and dessert wines. The most recent wine that I reviewed from Hinzerling was Mike's Cream Sherry which is one of the best I've ever had.
In 2008, Jerry Wallace was nominated as a Legend of Washington Wine by the state wine industry. He is survived by his three children, Mike, Pam and Steve, as well as eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
To end this blog entry I want to finish with a personal letter to Jerry's son Mike and the rest of the Wallace family:
To the family and friends of Jerry Wallace:
My wife and I met Jerry in 1987 at the Prosser winery while traveling through the valley on our Honeymoon. We were a couple of young kids from Idaho, just old enough to drink, and highly curious about wine. Like many other 21 year olds, we thought that Riesling was the only "good" wine, and had spent a large portion of our trip through Washington and British Columbia tasting and purchasing just that. When we walked through the door of Hinzerling and met this striking gentleman we knew we weren't in a winery like any other. First, the winery wasn't some fancy million dollar complex with art on the walls. It was an old garage with the lab counter also acting as the tasting room bar. Also, the guy who was running the tasting room was also the guy who actually had made the wine. Needless to say, we were mesmerized. We spent over an hour listening to his stories and his methods for making wine. He actually convinced us to taste a few wines we had never considered, including our first tastes of Cabernet Sauvignon.
We purchased two bottles of wine from Jerry that day. One bottle of Rouge to enjoy on our first anniversary, which was delicious by the way. The second bottle was a bottle of 1985 Cabernet Sauvignon, which we still have in our wine cellar being stored for our 25th anniversary reception. Jerry was convinced that the bottle would be still good on our twenty fifth if we took good care of it, and we have. I'm not sure if it will win any awards or even be better than vinegar for the salad dressing, but the storage of that wine, and the thirst for wine knowledge that Jerry instilled in me that day has stayed with me for 23 years.
In two years we will open that bottle and serve it in some ceremonial way to our guests in the rememberence of Jerry. Mr. Wallace, thank you for sharing your love for wine and life with two dumb kids from Idaho.
Sincerely,
Rich Breshears
Wine Columnist for Eastern Oregonian Newspaper, and wine blogger at onerichwineguy.blogspot.com
Monday, October 5, 2009
The Crush Is On!
Who would have known? This spring was so cold and wet that many grape growers were afraid that this year would be a total bust. Now, after months of record setting high temperatures we are looking at one of the biggest bumper crops of wine grapes to ever hit the region. Heavy clusters of huge, perfectly ripe berries are headed to crush pads throughout the northwest, and the wineries are celebrating!
Every year at this time the region comes to life again with wine celebrations. This year, thanks to the bumper crop conditions, it seems that vintners are really rolling out the red carpet to guests. Crush festivities abound starting this weekend, and running through the next few weeks. If you get a chance to break away this weekend I highly suggest joining in on the fun.
For years the Columbia Valley Winery Association has been celebrating crush the last weekend of September. Wineries from Pasco to Prosser will be in full force party mode this weekend, with bands, food, tasting, and local artisans showing their wares. Just a few of my friends who are offering celebrations in this area are Anelare, 360 Cellars, Barnard Griffin, Bookwalter, Goose Ridge Estate, Tagaris, Buckmaster, Canon Del Sol, Hightower, Kiona, Oakwood, Sandhill, Seth Ryan, Tapteil Vineyard Winery, Terra Blanca, Preston winery, and Columbia Crest.
A few of the larger celebrations that I’ve heard about are happening at Barnard Griffin, where there will be salsa tastings and artists, Terra Blanca, where my friend Frank Magana will be serving fantastic foods, and Oakwood Cellars, who will be featuring a full-on carnival with artisan booths, music, and caterers. Some vintners will also offer old-fashioned grape stomping experiences to those who wish to try it.
If you are in the Pasco vicinity I highly recommend visiting Gordon Brothers located off of the Kahlotus-Pasco highway. This rarely open to the public vintner will be open this weekend from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
In Prosser, the vintners are also opening their doors with food and fun. Milbrant will be featuring live music on their patio, and the entire airfield area will come to life this weekend with the most beautiful balloon rally of the fall season. Get up early to watch the sunrise, as the balloons dance in the skies and on the river through downtown Prosser, then catch the crush action throughout the day. End your day with a visit to Picazo 717 restaurant where you can view some of my wine photography, and then finish the evening with night-glow activities at the airfield.
Now, if you’re like me and want to really experience crush like an industry professional, I hope that you’ll join us at Waving Tree Winery next Saturday October 3rd. The third is scheduled to be the day for Syrah harvest at Waving Tree. Terrance Atkins will be serving lunch to those who wish to join in the actual grape harvest next weekend. Expect to drive away dirty, tired, and completely filled with the joy of knowing that you helped produce some of the region’s best wine. This is a RSVP required event, so call the winery first to make sure there are spaces available. You can reach them at 509-773-6552.
Have a great crush, be safe, and enjoy!
Every year at this time the region comes to life again with wine celebrations. This year, thanks to the bumper crop conditions, it seems that vintners are really rolling out the red carpet to guests. Crush festivities abound starting this weekend, and running through the next few weeks. If you get a chance to break away this weekend I highly suggest joining in on the fun.
For years the Columbia Valley Winery Association has been celebrating crush the last weekend of September. Wineries from Pasco to Prosser will be in full force party mode this weekend, with bands, food, tasting, and local artisans showing their wares. Just a few of my friends who are offering celebrations in this area are Anelare, 360 Cellars, Barnard Griffin, Bookwalter, Goose Ridge Estate, Tagaris, Buckmaster, Canon Del Sol, Hightower, Kiona, Oakwood, Sandhill, Seth Ryan, Tapteil Vineyard Winery, Terra Blanca, Preston winery, and Columbia Crest.
A few of the larger celebrations that I’ve heard about are happening at Barnard Griffin, where there will be salsa tastings and artists, Terra Blanca, where my friend Frank Magana will be serving fantastic foods, and Oakwood Cellars, who will be featuring a full-on carnival with artisan booths, music, and caterers. Some vintners will also offer old-fashioned grape stomping experiences to those who wish to try it.
If you are in the Pasco vicinity I highly recommend visiting Gordon Brothers located off of the Kahlotus-Pasco highway. This rarely open to the public vintner will be open this weekend from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
In Prosser, the vintners are also opening their doors with food and fun. Milbrant will be featuring live music on their patio, and the entire airfield area will come to life this weekend with the most beautiful balloon rally of the fall season. Get up early to watch the sunrise, as the balloons dance in the skies and on the river through downtown Prosser, then catch the crush action throughout the day. End your day with a visit to Picazo 717 restaurant where you can view some of my wine photography, and then finish the evening with night-glow activities at the airfield.
Now, if you’re like me and want to really experience crush like an industry professional, I hope that you’ll join us at Waving Tree Winery next Saturday October 3rd. The third is scheduled to be the day for Syrah harvest at Waving Tree. Terrance Atkins will be serving lunch to those who wish to join in the actual grape harvest next weekend. Expect to drive away dirty, tired, and completely filled with the joy of knowing that you helped produce some of the region’s best wine. This is a RSVP required event, so call the winery first to make sure there are spaces available. You can reach them at 509-773-6552.
Have a great crush, be safe, and enjoy!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Professor Ann Noble to Speak in Prosser
I just read the following press release in Wine Press Northwest's newsletter:
Ann Noble, the U.C. Davis professor who invented the famous "Wine Aroma Wheel," will be at Chinook Wines in Prosser, Wash., for a seminar April 24-25. Cost is $45 and space is limited, so call 509-786-2725.
I took a 1 day seminar from Professor Noble two years ago, and have to say that it was the most incredible and amazing wine sensory training I have received. The training that I was at cost over $300 per person, so at $45 this would be an amazing "steal". I highly encourage anyone who thinks they want to know more about tasting and pairing wine to get signed up right away. I will strongly warn you though, you will never experience wine the same way again!
Ann Noble, the U.C. Davis professor who invented the famous "Wine Aroma Wheel," will be at Chinook Wines in Prosser, Wash., for a seminar April 24-25. Cost is $45 and space is limited, so call 509-786-2725.
I took a 1 day seminar from Professor Noble two years ago, and have to say that it was the most incredible and amazing wine sensory training I have received. The training that I was at cost over $300 per person, so at $45 this would be an amazing "steal". I highly encourage anyone who thinks they want to know more about tasting and pairing wine to get signed up right away. I will strongly warn you though, you will never experience wine the same way again!
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